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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 is brushing by today bringing 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 a slight (20%) chance of rain this evening, then partly cloudy with patchy fog late tonight, a mix of clouds and sun with patchy AM fog, then mostly sunny and warmer Friday, mostly clear Friday night, mostly sunny and warmer Saturday, partly cloudy Saturday night, a mix of clouds and sun Sunday AM, mostly cloudy in the afternoon and evening, and partly cloudy Sunday night lows 45-52 highs 75-83-74.  Mostly sunny Monday and Tuesday, mostly clear Monday night and partly cloudy Tuesday night, and a mix of clouds and sun and cooler Wednesday, partly cloudy at night, and mostly sunny Thursday highs 83-74  lows 50-53. (seasonal averages high 74 low 45)

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including, Roseburg:  Mostly cloudy this evening,  partly cloudy tonight, sunny Friday, mostly clear Friday night, sunny Saturday, mostly clear Saturday night, and partly cloudy Sunday and Sunday night lows 45-54 highs 80-85-79. AM clouds then sunny Monday, clear Monday night, mostly sunny Tuesday, mostly clear Tuesday night,  sunny Wednesday AM, partly cloudy Wednesday afternoon,  mostly clear Wednesday night, and mostly sunny Thursday highs 83-78-84-80 lows 52-54. (seasonal averages high 79 low 48)

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Forecast for the South Oregon Coast including Coos Bay and North Bend:  Mostly cloudy this evening, partly cloudy tonight and Friday AM with patchy coastal fog, sunny Friday afternoon, mostly clear Friday night, sunny Saturday, mostly clear Saturday night, then partly cloudy Sunday and Sunday night lows 48-54 highs 68-74. Mostly sunny Monday, mostly clear at night,  sunny Tuesday AM, then partly cloudy Tuesday afternoon through Thursday AM, and sunny Thursday afternoon 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 evening mainly to the North, partly cloudy late tonight, mostly sunny and warmer Friday and Saturday, mostly clear Friday night,  partly cloudy Saturday night, then mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain mainly to the North Sunday and Sunday night while partly cloudy to the South snow level above 8,000 ft.  tonight, free air freezing level rising to 11,000 ft. Friday afternoon, 14,000 ft. Friday night, and Saturday, 13,000 ft. Saturday night, snow level above 8,000 ft. Sunday and Sunday night lows 35-43 highs 68-75-68. Mostly sunny Monday and Tuesday, mostly clear Monday night, partly cloudy Tuesday night,  a mix of clouds and sun Wednesday, partly cloudy Wednesday night, and mostly sunny Thursday  free air freezing level 13,000 ft. Monday through Tuesday, 14,000 ft. Tuesday night through Wednesday night, and 15,000 ft. Thursday  highs 72-75 lows near 45.

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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.