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Here again 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 and it looks like it could keep the rain away into the middle of next week. The Autumnal Equinox occurred at 8:09 PM PDT last night beginning the Fall season and the full Harvest moon revealed itself very early this morning. A weak frontal system will brush by today bringing a few clouds, maybe a sprinkle, and that’s about it. A frontal system will move through between Saturday and Sunday and yet another frontal system will approach the state Wednesday bringing back a chance of cooler 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 AM fog and a slight (20%) chance of rain this afternoon, then partly cloudy with patchy fog tonight, AM clouds or fog, then mostly sunny and warmer Friday, mostly clear Friday night, mostly sunny and warmer Saturday, mostly clear in the evening, then mostly cloudy Saturday night highs 68-83 lows 45-48. AM clouds, then mix of clouds and sun Sunday, partly cloudy Sunday night, mostly sunny Monday (warmer) and Tuesday, mostly clear Monday night and partly cloudy Tuesday night, and a mix of clouds and sun and cooler Wednesday highs 80-85 cooling to 80 Tuesday and 77 Wednesday lows 46-53. (seasonal averages high 75 low 45)
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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including, Roseburg: Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain today, mostly cloudy in the evening, and partly cloudy tonight and Friday AM, sunny Friday afternoon, mostly clear Friday night highs 72-68-77 lows 50-54. Mostly sunny Saturday, mostly clear Saturday night, partly cloudy Sunday night through Monday night, and sunny Wednesday AM, then partly cloudy in the afternoon highs 86-81-83-78-82 lows near 54. (seasonal averages high 79 low 48)
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Forecast for the South Oregon Coast including Coos Bay and North Bend: Patchy AM fog, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain today, mostly cloudy in the evening, partly cloudy tonight and Friday with patchy fog, mostly clear Friday night highs 65-62 lows 50-47. Mostly sunny Saturday, mostly clear Saturday night, then partly cloudy Sunday through Wednesday highs 63-66 lows 52-54. (seasonal averages high 67 lows 49).
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Forecast for the Cascades of Lane County: Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain this morning and afternoon particularly to the North, a slight (20%) chance of rain in the evening, and partly cloudy late tonight, mostly sunny and warmer Friday and Saturday, mostly clear Friday night, partly cloudy Saturday night snow level above 8,000 ft. today and 8,000 ft. tonight, free air freezing level 11,000 ft. Friday, 12,000 ft. Friday night, 13,000 ft. Saturday, 14,000 ft, Saturday night lows 36-43 highs 55-74. Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Sunday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Sunday evening, mostly sunny Monday and Tuesday, mostly clear Monday night, partly cloudy Tuesday night, and a mix of clouds and sun Wednesday free air freezing level above 8,000 ft. Sunday and Sunday night, free air freezing level 12,000 ft. Monday through Wednesday highs 72-76 cooling to 74 Tuesday and near 70 Wednesday lows 46-42.
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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.