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Here is my weekly weather quiz question. On Groundhog Day a famous groundhog in Pennsylvania predicts the length of the rest of the winter. The Europeans brought this tradition with them when they came to “The Americas.” What was the animal they used in their native land that they didn’t find here? Please post your answer as a comment after the forecasts. The first person to post the correct answer will win a week of free personalized weather forecasts tailored to your needs. Good luck.

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A  trough of low pressure (See “U” shape offshore) has been keeping us in a cool moist airflow for quite some time. It is moving across Oregon with a high pressure ridge behind it. The ridge will bring sunshine to usher in Autumn. The Autumnal Equinox occurs this Wednesday at 8:09 PM beginning the Fall season and the full Harvest moon reveals itself in the early morning hours of Thursday September 23rd. Another upper level low will move down from along British Columbia sending surface wave into the Pacific Northwest. A frontal system will push through the state over the weekend enhancing the wet Autumn weather.

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Advisories:  NONE AT THIS TIME.

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Here are your detailed forecasts. **

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Forecast for the Southern and lower Mid Willamette Valley including Eugene-Springfield and Albany-Corvallis:  Partly cloudy with areas of fog developing late tonight, AM fog or low clouds, then a mix of clouds and sun Tuesday and Wednesday, partly cloudy with patchy fog late Tuesday night,  and mostly cloudy with patchy fog late Wednesday night and Thursday AM, a mix of clouds and sun in the AM then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Thursday afternoon and evening, then partly cloudy late Thursday night lows near 45-48 highs 72-69. A mix of clouds and sun and a bit warmer Friday and Saturday, partly cloudy Friday night and Saturday evening, then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain late Saturday night and Sunday AM, and a (40%) chance of showers Sunday through Monday AM, then a (40%) chance of rain in the afternoon highs 75-70 lows 52-54. (seasonal averages high 76 low 46)

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including, Roseburg:  Mostly cloudy with areas of fog late at night and Tuesday AM, then mostly cloudy Tuesday afternoon, mostly cloudy with areas of fog late Tuesday night and Wednesday AM, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of  rain late Wednesday night and Thursday AM,  mostly cloudy in the afternoon, and partly cloudy Thursday night lows 51-47 highs 70-76. Partly cloudy and warmer Friday through Saturday AM, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Saturday afternoon, mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain Saturday night, and mostly cloudy with a (30%-40%) chance of showers Sunday through Monday highs 77-82 cooling to 74 Monday lows 52-55. (seasonal averages high 80 low 49)

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Forecast for the South Oregon Coast including Coos Bay and North Bend:  Mostly cloudy with areas of fog late tonight, AM  fog, then mostly cloudy Tuesday afternoon,  mostly cloudy with areas of patchy fog Tuesday night and Wednesday AM, then partly cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain late Wednesday night,  lows 52-46 highs 63-65. Mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain Thursday AM, warmer in the afternoon, mostly cloudy in the evening, then partly cloudy Thursday night highs 65 lows 49. Partly cloudy Friday through Saturday AM, mostly cloudy  with a slight (20%) chance of rain Saturday afternoon, a (40%) chance of rain Saturday night, then a  (20%) chance of showers Sunday through Monday highs 64-70 lows 53-55. (seasonal averages high 67 lows 50).

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Forecast for the Cascades of Lane County:  Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers late tonight mainly to the North and partly cloudy South, a mix of clouds and sun Tuesday with a slight (20%) chance of AM showers, partly cloudy Tuesday night, a mix of clouds and sun and warmer Wednesday, partly cloudy Wednesday night and Thursday AM, then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain in the afternoon and evening, a slight (20%) chance of rain late Thursday night, snow level above 8,000 ft. through Tuesday AM rising to 11,000 ft. in the afternoon,  free air freezing level 10,000 ft. Wednesday and Wednesday night, snow level 8,000 ft. Thursday and Thursday night lows 37-40 highs 63-57. A mix of clouds and sun Friday with a slight (20%) chance of AM rain, partly cloudy Friday night, and partly cloudy Friday night,   a mix of clouds and sun Saturday with a slight (20%) chance of afternoon rain,  partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers evening showers, then mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain late Saturday night and Sunday AM, then mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain Sunday afternoon through Monday AM, then a (30%) chance of rain Monday afternoon snow level 8,000 ft. Friday, free air freezing level 10,000 ft. Friday night, snow level above 8,000 ft. Saturday through Monday highs 65-60 lows 42-46.

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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.