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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 evening at 8:09 PM PDT beginning the Fall season and the full Harvest moon reveals itself  very early Thursday morning. A frontal system (position shown on Friday) will move through on Thursday just brushing by us then move North as a warm front. Another upper level low will move down from along British Columbia sending surface waves into the Pacific Northwest. A frontal system will push through the state late in the weekend (Sunday) bringing back a chance of  Autumn weather again.

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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:  Mostly cloudy with patchy fog this AM, a mix of clouds and sun this afternoon, partly cloudy with patchy fog late tonight, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Thursday afternoon, then partly cloudy Thursday night highs 70-66 lows 46-49. A mix of clouds and sun Friday through Tuesday highs 76-82 cooling to 75 Sunday, warming to 80 Monday, back down to 75 Tuesday  lows 52-54. (seasonal averages high 75 low 46)

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including, Roseburg:  Mostly cloudy with areas of fog this AM, mostly sunny this afternoon, partly cloudy at night, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Thursday,  mostly cloudy in the evening, and partly cloudy Thursday night and Friday AM, sunny Friday afternoon, mostly clear Friday evening, and partly cloudy at night highs 72-65-79 lows 44-53. Partly cloudy Saturday and Saturday night, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Sunday AM,  mostly cloudy Sunday afternoon through Monday, and partly cloudy Monday night and Tuesday  highs 85-78-82-80 lows near 54. (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 patchy fog this AM at the shore, partly cloudy in the afternoon, and evening, mostly cloudy tonight with patchy fog at the shore, mostly cloudy Thursday, AM fog at the shore, with a slight (20%) chance of rain, mostly cloudy in the evening, partly cloudy Thursday night  highs 60-65 lows 44-48. Partly cloudy Friday through Saturday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Saturday night and Sunday AM, mostly cloudy Sunday afternoon through Monday evening, partly cloudy at night and Tuesday AM, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Tuesday afternoon highs 62-66 lows 47-55. (seasonal averages high 67 lows 50).

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Forecast for the Cascades of Lane County:  A mix of clouds and sun and warmer today, partly cloudy  with a slight (20%) chance of rain at night,  mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Thursday afternoon and  evening, and partly cloudy late Thursday night, free air freezing level  9,000 ft. today, snow level above 8,000 ft.  tonight and Thursday, 8,000 ft. Thursday night  highs 53-56 lows near 37. A mix of clouds and sun Friday and Saturday, mostly clear Friday night, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain late Saturday night,  mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Sunday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Sunday evening,  partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Sunday night, a mix of clouds and sun Monday and Tuesday, and partly cloudy Monday night free air freezing level 9,000 ft. Friday, 11,000 ft. Friday night and Saturday, snow level above 8,000 ft. Saturday night through Sunday night, free air freezing level 11,000 ft. Monday through Tuesday highs 65-70 through Saturday, 68-72 Sunday through Tuesday 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.