Here is my weekly weather quiz question. What is “The Best Track?” And I don’t mean race track. The first person to post the correct answer as a comment on this page will win a week of free personalized weather forecasts tailored to your needs.  Good luck.

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An Upper Level Low Pressure Trough (Shaded “U” shape with blue arrows) is changing our weather pattern increasing the rain chances with slight chances of thunderstorms.  The graphics for days 1-3 show the cold front moving through Oregon. The graphics for days 3-7 show frontal systems attempting to move into the Pacific Northwest Sunday and again next Wednesday.

Note: I had 0.09 inches of rain in my rain gauge Thursday which is the first measurable rainfall in my yard since June 15th.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 38 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 35 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Cottage Grove: The Air Quality Index is 41 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Data courtesy of Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA)

 

 

 

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Advisories:

• A RED FLAG WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM TONIGHT FOR ABUNDANT LIGHTNING AND GUSTY OUTFLOW WINDS FOR THE CENTRAL MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, THE SOUTHERN BLUE AND STRAWBERRY MOUNTAINS, THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON, AND THE CENTRAL BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON.
• AN AIR QUALITY ALERT IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 12 PM TODAY FOR BENTON COUNTY, CLACKAMAS COUNTY, CLATSOP COUNTY, COLUMBIA COUNTY, HOOD RIVER COUNTY, LANE COUNTY, LINCOLN COUNTY, LINN COUNTY, MARION COUNTY,MULTNOMAH COUNTY, POLK COUNTY, TILLAMOOK COUNTY, WASHINGTON COUNTY, WASHINGTON COUNTY, CROOK COUNTY, DESCHUTES COUNTY, GILLIAM COUNTY, GRANT COUNTY, MORROW COUNTY, JEFFERSON COUNTY, MORROW COUNTY, SHERMAN COUNTY, UMATILLA COUNTY, UNION COUNTY, WILLOWA COUNTY, WASCO COUNTY, WHEELER COUNTY, THE KLAMATH BASIN, NORTHERN AND EASTERN KLAMATH COUNTY, AND WESTERN, CENTRL AND EASTERN LAKE COUNTY, BAKER COUNTY, HARNEY COUNTY, AND MALHEUR COUNTY .
• AN AIR QUALITY ALERT IS IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON COAST, THE CURRY COUNTY COAST, CENTRAL DOUGLAS COUNTY, EASTERN CURRY COUNTY, JOSEPHINE COUNTY, THE EASTERN DOUGLAS COUNTY FOOTHILLS, JACKSON COUNTY, THE SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON CASCADES, THE SOUTHERN OREGON CASCADES, AND THE SISKIYOU MOUNTAINS.
• AN AIR QUALITY ALERT IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM MONDAY FOR CROOK COUNTY, DESCHUTES COUNTY, GILLIAM COUNTY, GRANT COUNTY, JEFFERSON COUNTY, MORROW COUNTY, SHERMAN COUNTY, UMATILLA COUNTY, UNION COUNTY, WALLOWA COUNTY, WASCO COUNTY, AND WHEELER COUNTY.
• The Oregon Health Authority issued a Health Advisory for Willow Creek Reservoir, located just east of the town of Heppner in Morrow County. Water monitoring has confirmed the presence of blue-green algae and the toxins they produce in the reservoir. These toxin concentrations can be harmful to humans and animals. People should always avoid areas with visible scum that looks foamy, scummy, thick like paint, pea-green, blue-green or brownish-red. Swimming and high-speed water activities such as water skiing or power boating where ingestion and inhalation exposure can occur is discouraged. Swallowing or inhaling water droplets as a result of these water activities in areas where a bloom has been identified, or an advisory issued, can expose people to the toxins being produced. Although toxins are not absorbed through the skin, people who have skin sensitivities that come into contact with a bloom may experience a puffy, red rash at the affected area. Drinking water directly from Willow Creek Reservoir at this time is especially dangerous. OHA Public Health Division officials advise campers and other recreational visitors that toxins cannot be removed by boiling, filtering or treating water with camping-style filters.
• The Oregon Health Authority has updated the Health Advisory issued July 28 for Howard Bay (also known locally as Howards Bay or Howard’s Bay), located in the southwest corner of Upper Klamath Lake including Shoalwater Bay to the north and now all of Upper Klamath Lake. These areas of Upper Klamath Lake are located off Oregon Route 140, 15 miles west of Klamath Falls in Klamath County. Water monitoring has confirmed the presence of blue-green algae and the toxins they produce in Howard Bay. These toxin concentrations can be harmful to humans and animals. People should always avoid areas with visible scum that looks foamy, scummy, thick like paint, pea-green, blue green or brownish red. Swimming and high-speed water activities such as water skiing or power boating where ingestion and inhalation exposure can occur is discouraged. Swallowing or inhaling water droplets as a result of these water activities in areas where a bloom has been identified, or an advisory issued, can expose people to the toxins being produced. Although toxins are not absorbed through the skin, people who have skin sensitivities that come into contact with a bloom may experience a puffy, red rash at the affected area. Drinking water directly from Howard Bay and Shoalwater Bay at this time is especially dangerous. OHA Public Health Division officials advise campers and other recreational visitors that toxins cannot be removed by boiling, filtering or treating water with camping-style filters.
• A Health Advisory remains in effect for Agency Lake, located just north of Klamath Falls along U.S. Highway 97 in Klamath County. Water monitoring has confirmed the presence of blue-green algae and the toxins they produce in the lake. These toxin concentrations can be harmful to humans and animals. People should always avoid areas with visible scum that looks foamy, scummy, thick like paint, pea-green, blue green or brownish red. Swimming and high-speed water activities such as water skiing or power boating where ingestion and inhalation exposure can occur is discouraged. Swallowing or inhaling water droplets as a result of these water activities in areas where a bloom has been identified, or an advisory issued, can expose people to the toxins being produced. Although toxins are not absorbed through the skin, people who have skin sensitivities that come into contact with a bloom may experience a puffy, red rash at the affected area. Drinking water directly from Agency Lake at this time is especially dangerous. OHA Public Health Division officials advise campers and other recreational visitors that toxins cannot be removed by boiling, filtering or treating water with camping-style filters.
• A Health Advisory remains in effect for Willow Creek Reservoir, located just east of the town of Heppner in Morrow County. Water monitoring has confirmed the presence of blue-green algae and the toxins they produce in the reservoir. These toxin concentrations can be harmful to humans and animals. People should always avoid areas with visible scum that looks foamy, scummy, thick like paint, pea-green, blue green or brownish red. Swimming and high-speed water activities such as water skiing or power boating where ingestion and inhalation exposure can occur is discouraged. Swallowing or inhaling water droplets as a result of these water activities in areas where a bloom has been identified, or an advisory issued, can expose people to the toxins being produced. Although toxins are not absorbed through the skin, people who have skin sensitivities that come into contact with a bloom may experience a puffy, red rash at the affected area. Drinking water directly from Willow Creek Reservoir at this time is especially dangerous. OHA Public Health Division officials advise campers and other recreational visitors that toxins cannot be removed by boiling, filtering or treating water with camping-style filters.
• A Health Advisory remains in effect for Coffenbury Lake, located at Fort Stevens State Park about five miles northwest of US-101 ALT, Northwest Ridgefield Road near Warrenton in Clatsop County. Water monitoring has confirmed the presence of blue-green algae that can produce toxins in Coffenbury Lake. These blue-green algae levels are likely to be associated with dangerous cyanotoxin concentrations in the water that can be harmful to humans and animals.  People should always avoid areas with visible scum that looks foamy, scummy, thick like paint, pea-green, blue-green or brownish-red. Swimming and high-speed water activities such as water skiing or power boating where ingestion and inhalation exposure can occur are discouraged. Swallowing or inhaling water droplets as a result of these water activities in areas where a bloom has been identified or an advisory issued, can expose people to the toxins that can be produced. Although toxins are not absorbed through the skin, people with skin sensitivities who come into contact with a bloom may experience a puffy, red rash at the affected area. Drinking water directly from Coffenbury Lake at this time is especially dangerous. OHA Public Health Division officials advise campers and other recreational visitors that toxins cannot be removed by boiling, filtering or treating water with camping-style filters.
• The Oregon Health Authority updated the Health Advisory issued June 30 for Lake Billy Chinook, located about 12 miles west of Madras in Jefferson County. The update lifts the advisory on those areas of the Deschutes and Crooked River of Lake Billy Chinook arms affected by the advisory, and confines the advisory on the Metolius Arm to Perry South Cove. Water monitoring has confirmed that the level of blue-green algae toxins are below guideline values for human exposure. However, OHA recommends that people remain cautious when using the lake, particularly with pets because toxins are still well above the very low exposure levels established for dogs.
• A Permanent Health Advisory remains in effect for the South Umpqua River and Lawson Bar. Pools in the bedrock along the rivers edge are known to develop Blue-green Algae (cyanobacterial) blooms that can be harmful to pets and people if accidental ingestion occurs. Signs have been posted along several access areas along the river.

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Your College Football Forecast:

Saturday:

Ducks vs Nebraska, at Autzen Stadium – Kickoff: 1:30 PM PDT – A mix of clouds and sun with a slight chance of showers  72 warming to 77 by the end of the game.

Beavers vs Minnesota, at Reser Stadium – Kickoff: 7:00 PM PDT- Mostly cloudy 75, a slight chance of evening showers, cooling as the game progresses.

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

• Partly cloudy and a bit cooler with No smoke and a slight (20%) chance of showers this afternoon, just partly cloudy tonight,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a slight (20%) chance of showers Saturday afternoon, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of evening showers, just mostly cloudy at night,
• Partly cloudy Sunday AM, mostly sunny and a bit warmer in the afternoon, then mostly clear Sunday night.
• highs 76-80 lows 56-52.
• Mostly sunny and a bit warmer Monday and Tuesday, mostly clear Monday night, partly cloudy Tuesday night,
• Then partly cloudy and a bit cooler Wednesday through Thursday.
• highs 85-78 lows 54-50. (seasonal averages high 79 low 49)

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Forecast for Roseburg:

• Mostly cloudy with patchy smoke and a bit warmer this afternoon and tonight,
• Mostly cloudy with patchy AM smoke, partly cloudy and a bit warmer with patchy smoke Saturday afternoon and Saturday night,
• Partly cloudy with patchy AM smoke, sunny and a bit warmer with patchy smoke Sunday afternoon, then clear with patchy smoke at night.
• highs 79-85 lows 58-56.
• Mostly sunny with patchy smoke and a bit warmer Monday, mostly clear with patchy smoke Monday night,
• Sunny with patchy AM smoke, partly cloudy with patchy smoke and a bit cooler Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday night,
• Partly cloudy and a bit cooler with patchy smoke and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms Wednesday afternoon, patchy smoke with a slight (20%) chance of evening thunderstorms, a slight (20%) chance of showers at night,
• Then partly cloudy and a bit warmer with patchy smoke and a slight (20%) chance of showers Thursday.
• highs 89-80 lows 58-54. (seasonal averages high 81 low 53)

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

• Mostly cloudy and a bit warmer this afternoon, mostly cloudy tonight and Saturday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of evening coastal showers, partly cloudy late at night,
• Partly cloudy Sunday AM, sunny and a bit warmer in the afternoon, then clear Sunday night.
• highs 65-68 lows 55-53.
• Mostly sunny and a bit warmer Monday, mostly clear at night,
• AM sun, partly cloudy and a bit cooler Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday night,
• Partly cloudy and a bit cooler with a slight (20%) chance of showers Wednesday afternoon through Thursday (a bit warmer).
• highs 73-63 warming to 65 Thursday lows near 54. (seasonal averages high 65 low 51)

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• A M clouds, a mix of clouds and sun with areas of smoke and a bit cooler with a (40%) chance of showers this afternoon, partly cloudy with areas of smoke and a slight (20%) chance of evening showers, just partly cloudy with patchy smoke late tonight,
• A mix of clouds and sun and a bit warmer with patchy with smoke Saturday, partly cloudy with patchy evening smoke,  mostly cloudy with patchy smoke late Saturday night,
• Partly cloudy with patchy smoke Sunday AM, mostly sunny and a bit warmer with areas of smoke in the afternoon, then mostly clear with areas of smoke Sunday night.
• snow level above 8,000 ft. today, free air freezing level 14,000 ft. late tonight through Saturday night, 15,000 ft. Sunday, then 16,000 ft. Sunday night.
• highs 65-69 lows 50-46 warming back to 50 Sunday night.
• Mostly sunny and a bit warmer with areas of smoke Monday, mostly clear with areas of smoke and a slight (20%) chance of showers at night,
• Mostly sunny and a bit cooler with areas of smoke and a slight (20%) chance of showers Tuesday, partly cloudy with areas of smoke Tuesday night,
• Partly cloudy with areas of smoke and a bit cooler Wednesday afternoon through Thursday.
• free air freezing level 16,000 ft. Monday and Monday night, 15,000 ft. Tuesday and Tuesday night, 14,000 ft. Wednesday, 13,000 ft. Wednesday night, then 12,000 ft. Thursday.
• highs 78-64 lows 52-46.

 

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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.

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Get your local Eugene-Springfield and Lane County news on-line at eugenedailynews.com.

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