Here is my weekly weather quiz question. What is a “Ribbon Lightning?” 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 high pressure ridge (Shaded “Arch” shape with blue arrows) is getting stronger and moving over us for a rather rapid warmup to what could reach record high temperatures. By Monday we’ll have a frontal system poised offshore moving our way bringing the chance of showers and thunderstorms out ahead of and long it. By early Wednesday the frontal system moves onshore bringing showers with it. As you can see a frontal system hangs offshore on its way to the Pacific Coast next Friday.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 20 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 16 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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Eugene-Springfield Pollen Count:

Grass………. Moderate (4)

Trees………. Very High (365)

Last Counted: 4/13/16

Data Courtesy of Oregon Allergy Associates.

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

• Partly cloudy tonight,
• Mostly cloudy with patchy AM fog, partly cloudy and a bit warmer Saturday afternoon, partly cloudy at night and Sunday AM, mostly sunny and warmer in the afternoon, mostly clear Sunday night,
• Mostly sunny and warm Monday, then partly cloudy Monday night.
• lows 40-50 highs 70-82 cooling to 80 Monday.
• Partly cloudy and much cooler Tuesday, partly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms in the evening, a (30%) chance of showers late Tuesday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun and a bit cooler with a (30%) chance of showers Wednesday, mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers at night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a (40%) chance of showers Thursday, partly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Thursday night,
• Then mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with a (30%) chance of showers Friday.
• highs 72-63 lows 50-47. (seasonal averages high 61 low 39).

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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).

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Forecast for Roseburg:

• Mostly clear tonight,
• Partly cloudy with patchy AM fog, sunny and a bit warmer Saturday and in the evening, mostly clear late Saturday night,
• Partly cloudy and warmer Sunday, mostly clear Sunday night,
• Then just partly cloudy and a bit cooler Monday and Monday night.
• lows 42-50 highs 77-89 cooling to 87 Monday.
• Partly cloudy and a bit cooler with a slight (20%) chance of showers Tuesday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of evening thunderstorms, a slight (20%) chance of showers and a bit cooler Tuesday night through Thursday, then mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers Thursday night and Friday.
• highs 77-67 lows 49-47. (seasonal averages high 62 low 42).

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

• Mostly clear this evening, partly cloudy late tonight,
• Sunny and a bit cooler Saturday, partly cloudy Saturday night and Sunday AM, mostly sunny and warmer in the afternoon, mostly clear Sunday night,
• Then partly cloudy and a bit cooler Monday and Monday night.
• lows 46-55 cooling to 52 Monday night highs 67-74 cooling to 70 Monday.
• Partly cloudy and a bit cooler Tuesday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers a bit cooler Tuesday night through Wednesday night,
• Then mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of showers and a bit cooler Thursday through Friday.
• highs 65-58 lows 50-48. (seasonal averages high 55 low 43).

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Partly cloudy tonight,
• Partly cloudy and warmer Saturday and Saturday night,
• Mostly sunny and warmer Sunday, partly cloudy at night,
• Mostly sunny and a bit warmer Monday, then partly cloudy Monday night.
• free air freezing level 8,000 ft. falling to 7,500 ft. tonight, 8,000 ft. rising to 9,000 ft. Saturday afternoon, 11,000 ft. Saturday night, 12,000 ft. Sunday through Monday, then 11,000 ft. Monday night.
• lows 30-40 highs 60-72.
• Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers and thunderstorms and cooler Tuesday and Tuesday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a (30%) chance of showers and a bit cooler Wednesday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers at night,
• A mix of clouds and sun and a bit cooler with a (40%) chance of showers Thursday, mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Thursday night,
• Then mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with a (40%) chance of showers Friday.
• snow level above 8,000 ft. Tuesday and Tuesday night, 7,500 ft. Wednesday,  8,000 ft. Wednesday night, 7,000 ft. Thursday, 8,000 ft. Thursday night, then 6,500 ft. Friday.
• highs 62-52 lows near 36.

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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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