Here is my new weekly weather quiz question. What is  the “Photosphere?” 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.

________________

An upper level high pressure ridge (Shaded “Arch” shape with blue arrows) has taken over clearing the skies, but an upper level low will take over again for the workweek. A weak cold front is is moving in, but should fall apart as it hits the coast. By Monday a frontal System will have moved eastward away from us and another cold front will be approaching the coast. Another frontal system will swoop down from the northwest.

________________

Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 21 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 8 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Cottage Grove: The Air Quality Index is 18 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

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

________________

Advisories: None At This Time.

________________

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

• Partly cloudy this evening, increasing clouds to mostly cloudy by late tonight,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain and cooler Saturday, becoming cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers at night (0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Cloudy with rain Sunday (0.25 in. of rain possible), showers Sunday night (0.25 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms Monday (small hail possible), then showers likely (70%) at night.
• lows 46-50 cooling to 42 Monday night highs 58-52.
• Mostly cloudy with showers likely (70%) Tuesday, a (40%) chance of showers with patchy fog late Tuesday night,
• A (30%) chance of showers Wednesday, a slight (20%) chance of rain Wednesday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Thursday, then mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Thursday night and Friday.
• highs 53-56 cooling to 54 Friday lows near 40. (seasonal averages high 57 low 37).

_____

Home Wood Heating Advisory:

Eugene-Springfield: GREEN – Burning is Allowed.

Oakridge: GREEN – Burning is Allowed.

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

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

___________________

Forecast for Roseburg:

• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain tonight and Saturday AM,
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with a slight (20%) chance of rain Saturday, a slight (20%) chance of showers Saturday night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with rain and a bit cooler Sunday (0.25 in. of rain possible), showers at night (0.25 in. of rain possible) and Monday AM, showers with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon, then showers likely (70%) Monday night.
• lows 45-48 cooling to 40 Monday night highs 63-57.
• Mostly cloudy with showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms Tuesday, a (30%) chance of showers Tuesday night,
• A slight (20%) chance of showers and a bit warmer Wednesday, just mostly cloudy Wednesday night,
• Mostly cloudy and a bit warmer with a (30%) chance of rain Thursday, then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Thursday night and Friday.
• highs 56-60 cooling back to 56 Friday lows 40-42. (seasonal averages high 58 low 39).

________________

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

• Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain tonight (under 0.10 in. of rain possible) and Saturday AM, a slight (20%) chance of rain in the afternoon and a bit cooler (under 0.10 in. of rain possible), a (30%) chance of showers Saturday night (under 0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy and a bit warmer with rain Sunday (0.40 in. of rain possible), showers with a slight (20%) chance of coastal thunderstorms while showers inland Sunday night (0.25 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms and a bit cooler Monday and Monday night.
• lows 48-44 highs 57-60 cooling to 55 Monday.
• Mostly cloudy with showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms Tuesday, a (40%) chance of showers Tuesday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Wednesday, just mostly cloudy at night,
• A (30%) chance of rain Thursday, then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Thursday night and Friday.
• highs near 55 lows near 45. (seasonal averages high 54 low 42).

________________

Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Partly cloudy tonight,
• A mix of clouds and sun Saturday, becoming cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers at night,
• Mostly cloudy with rain and a bit cooler Sunday, rain and snow showers Sunday night,
• Mostly cloudy with rain and snow showers and a bit cooler Monday and Monday night.
• free air freezing level 9,000 ft. tonight and Saturday, snow level above 8,000 ft. Saturday night, 7,000 ft. Sunday, 5,500 ft. Sunday night, 4,500 ft. Monday, then 3,500 ft. Monday night.
• lows 33-36 cooling to 24 Monday night highs 54-38.
• Mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with rain and snow showers Tuesday, a good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers Tuesday night,
• Mostly cloudy and a bit warmer with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers Wednesday, a slight (20%) chance of rain and snow at night,
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow and a bit warmer Thursday, a (40%) chance of rain and snow showers at night,
• Then mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain and snow showers and a bit cooler Friday.
• snow level 3,500 ft. Tuesday, 4,000 ft. Tuesday night, 3,500 ft. Wednesday, 4,500 ft. Wednesday night and Thursday,  5,000 ft. Thursday night, then 4,500 ft. Friday.
• highs 34-40 cooling to 37 Friday lows 26-28.

________________

**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.

________________

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

________________