Here is my weekly weather quiz question. What is an “Observation Well?”  Please remember to post your answer as a comment by clicking on “no comments /comments” in the upper right hand portion of this page under the caption, then add your comment. The first person to post the correct answer will win a week of free personalized weather forecasts tailored to your needs. The answer has to be a comment to win. An email answer will not count. Good luck.

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An upper level ridge of high pressure (Shaded “Arch” shape with blue arrows) is starting to move away from us to be followed by and upper level trough of low pressure (Shaded “U” shape with blue arrows on previous graphic). A warm front (shown in red) is sending warmer moist air to us, but the cold front behind it will move in Friday night and Saturday. Yet another frontal system will be moving through Oregon Sunday. The parade continues Tuesday as a storm pushes into the Pacific Northwest.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 33 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 85 in the Moderate category measuring Particulate Matter.

Cottage Grove: The Air Quality Index is 48 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Data courtesy of Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA).

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Advisories: None At This Time.

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Forecast for the Southern and lower Mid Willamette Valley including Eugene-Springfield and Albany-Corvallis:

• Cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain this afternoon and a bit cooler (under 0.10 in. of rain possible) and tonight (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with rain Friday AM, afternoon showers likely (70%) and a bit cooler (0.25 in. of rain possible), a good (50%) chance of evening showers, showers likely (60%) and colder late Friday night (0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of AM showers, a good (50%) chance of rain and a bit cooler Saturday afternoon (0.10 in. of rain possible), then rain at night.
• highs 59-53 lows 48-43 warming back to 48 Saturday.
• Mostly cloudy with rain Sunday, cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Sunday night,
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with a slight (20%) chance of rain Monday (Washington’s Birthday, Presidents’ Day), a slight (20%) chance of showers Monday night,
• Mostly cloudy and cooler with a good (50%) chance of rain Tuesday and and Tuesday  night and a bit cooler,
• Then cloudy and a bit cooler with a rain likely (60%) Wednesday.
• high 58-62 cooling to 52 Wednesday lows 47-44. (seasonal averages high 51 low 35).

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Home Wood Heating Advisory:

Eugene-Springfield: YELLOW – Caution is Advised.

Oakridge: YELLOW – Caution is Advised.

*Note: Pellet stoves may be used anytime if they produce no visible emissions.

Advisory Courtesy of Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA).

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Forecast for Roseburg:

• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers this afternoon (under 0.10 in of rain possible), a (30%) chance of rain this evening, a slight (20%) chance of rain late tonight (under 0.10 in of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with rain Friday AM, showers and a bit cooler in the afternoon (0.20 in of rain possible), cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Friday night (under 0.10 in of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers and a bit cooler Saturday, evening rain likely (60%), then rain late at night.
• highs 62-57 lows 49-42 warming to 45 Saturday night.
• Mostly cloudy with rain likely (70%) and a bit warmer Sunday, cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain Sunday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain and a bit warmer Monday (Washington’s Birthday, Presidents’ Day) through Tuesday, a (40%) chance of rain Tuesday night,
• Then rain likely (70%) and cooler Wednesday.
• highs 60-62 cooling to near 55 Wednesday lows near 46. (seasonal averages high 53 low 37).

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Forecast for The South Oregon Coast Including Coos Bay and North Bend:

• Mostly cloudy with a (20%) chance of rain this afternoon, cloudy a good (50%) chance of showers this evening, coastal rain likely (70%) late tonight while a (30%) chance of inland rain late tonight (0.15 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with rain Friday AM, showers and a bit cooler in the afternoon (0.25 in. of rain possible), cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Friday night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Saturday (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), then rain at night.
• highs 63-58 lows 52-46 warming to 49 Saturday night.
• Mostly cloudy with rain likely (70%) Sunday, a (30%) chance of rain Sunday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain and a bit warmer Monday (Washington’s Birthday, Presidents’ Day) and at night,
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with a (30%) chance of rain Tuesday, cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Tuesday night,
• Then rain likely (70%) and a bit cooler Wednesday.
• highs 59-64 cooling to 54 Wednesday lows 50-48. (seasonal averages high 52 low 40).

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain this afternoon and evening (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), a slight (20%) chance of rain late tonight (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Cloudy with rain Friday AM, showers in the afternoon (0.25 in. of rain possible), rain and snow showers in the evening, rain and snow showers and colder late Friday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of AM rain and snow showers, a good (50%) chance of rain and snow and a bit cooler Saturday afternoon, rain and snow at night.
• snow level above 8,000 ft. today, 8,000 ft. tonight, 7,000 ft. falling to 6,000 ft. Friday afternoon, 4,500 ft. late Friday night, 3,500 ft. Saturday, 5,500 ft. Saturday night.
• highs 52-40 lows 35-30 warming to 33 Saturday night.
• Mostly cloudy and a bit warmer with rain Sunday, cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Sunday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of rain and warmer Monday (Washington’s Birthday, Presidents’ Day), mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain at night,
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with a (30%) chance of rain Tuesday, a good (50%) chance of rain Tuesday night,
• Then rain likely (70%) and cooler Wednesday.
• snow level 7,500 ft. Sunday, above 8,000 ft. Sunday night, above 8,000 ft. Monday, 8,000 ft. Monday night, 7,500 ft. Tuesday, 7,000 ft. Tuesday night, then 5,500 ft. Wednesday.
• highs 43-50 cooling to 40 Wednesday lows 36-32.

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**Because weather forecasting is a combination of science, intuition, and timing there can be no absolute guarantees that individual forecasts will be 100% accurate. Nature is in a constant state of flux and sudden unexpected weather events can happen.

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Get your local Eugene-Springfield and Lane County news on-line at eugenedailynews.com.

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