Here is my weekly weather quiz question for the last time. What is a “Bow Echo?” Here is the correct answer. A Bow Echo is a radar echo which is linear but bent outward in a bow shape. Damaging straight-line winds often occur near the “crest” or center of a bow echo. Areas of circulation also can develop at either end of a bow echo, which sometimes can lead to tornado formation – especially in the left (usually northern) end, where the circulation exhibits cyclonic rotation. I’ll have a new weekly weather quiz question for you starting Monday. 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 slowly moving away from the Willamette Valley, but another trough is close behind and will help push the next frontal system over Oregon bringing cooler temperatures and much needed rain. As a result the smoke returned to the southern Willamette Valley and will retreat again with the rainy weather that begins today. The graphics for days 1-3 show the frontal system pushing through the Pacific Northwest now. The graphics for days 3-7 show a frontal system moving southeastward toward Oregon next Sunday.

Note: The Autumnal Equinox officially ushers in the the season of Autumn this Friday September 22nd at 1:02 PM.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene-Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 88 in the Moderate category measuring Particulate Matter.

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 135 in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups category measuring Particulate Matter.

Cottage Grove: The Air Quality Index is 65 in the Moderate category measuring Particulate Matter.

Data courtesy of Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA)

Note: The LRAPA AQI program is currently not functioning. The numbers will be updated when the problem has been rectified.

 

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Advisories:

• A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT FOR THE NORTHERN OREGON CASCADES, THE WESTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE, AND THE CENTRAL COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE.
• AN AIR QUALITY ALERT IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING FOR LANE COUNTY.
• AN AIR QUALITY ALERT IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM MONDAY FOR WASCO COUNTY AND HOOD RIVER 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.
• 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:

September 23rd: Preliminary forecast:

Ducks vs Arizona State, at Sun Devil Stadium, Tempe, Arizona  – Kickoff: 7:00 PM PDT – Clear 82, cooling as the game progresses, Wind: SSW 5-10 mph.

Beavers have a BYE week.

Next Beavers game-

September 30th:

Beavers vs Washington, at Reser Stadium.

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

• Cloudy with evening rain, showers decreasing late tonight (0.25 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with showers and a bit cooler Monday and a slight (20%) chance of afternoon and evening thunderstorms (0.25 in. of rain possible, more in storms), showers late Monday night (0.50 in. of rain possible),
• Showers likely (60%) Tuesday AM, rain and a bit cooler in the afternoon and at night,
• Mostly cloudy with showers and a bit cooler Wednesday, showers likely (70%) in the evening, then a good (50%)  chance of showers late Wednesday night.
• lows 52-46 highs 62-60.
• Mostly cloudy and a bit warmer with a good (50%) chance of showers Thursday and in the evening, partly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers late Thursday night,
• A mix of clouds and sun with a (30%) chance of showers and a bit warmer Friday, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers evening showers, just partly cloudy late Friday night,
• Patchy AM fog and low clouds Saturday AM, a mix of clouds and sun and a bit warmer in the afternoon, partly cloudy with patchy fog late Saturday night and Sunday AM, then mostly sunny and a bit warmer Sunday afternoon.
• highs 63-76 lows 48-46. (seasonal averages high 77 low 47)

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Forecast for Roseburg:

• Mostly cloudy with rain and areas of smoke tonight (0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with areas of AM smoke, patchy smoke and a much cooler Monday afternoon, showers likely (70%) with patchy smoke in the evening, showers late Monday night (0.25 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with showers and a bit cooler Tuesday, rain at night,
• Mostly cloudy with AM showers likely (70%), showers and a bit cooler Wednesday afternoon, evening showers likely (70%), a good (50%) chance of showers late at night.
• lows 53-47 highs 62-60.
• Cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers and a bit warmer Thursday and Thursday night,
• Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Friday AM, partly cloudy and a bit warmer Friday afternoon and at night,
• Partly cloudy and a bit warmer Saturday through Sunday AM, then sunny and a bit warmer Sunday afternoon.
• highs 62-80 lows 50-48. (seasonal averages high 78 low 51)

 

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

• Cloudy today with coastal rain this evening and rain likely (70%) late tonight while inland rain tonight (0.10 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of AM showers Monday, showers and a bit cooler in the afternoon (0.10 in. of rain possible) and at night (0.25 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy and a bit warmer with showers Tuesday, rain at night,
• Then mostly cloudy and a bit cooler with showers likely (70%) Wednesday and Wednesday night.
• lows 53-50 highs 60-62 cooling back to 60 Wednesday night.
• Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers and a bit warmer Thursday and Thursday night,
• A slight (20%) chance of AM showers Friday, partly cloudy and a bit warmer in the afternoon through Saturday night,
• Partly cloudy in the AM, then sunny and a bit warmer Sunday afternoon.
• highs 62-66 lows 52-50. (seasonal averages high 65 low 50)

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Forecast for the Cascades in Lane County:

• Cloudy with evening rain, showers late tonight (0.50 in. of rain possible),
• Mostly cloudy with showers and much cooler Monday (0.50 in. of rain possible), rain and snow showers at night (1 in. of rain possible, 4-8 in. of snow possible),
• AM showers, mostly cloudy and a bit warmer with rain Tuesday afternoon and at night,
• Then mostly cloudy showers and a bit cooler Wednesday and Wednesday night.
• snow level above 8,000 ft. tonight, 7,500 ft. falling to 6,000 ft. Monday, 5,500 ft. Monday night and Tuesday, 6,500 ft. Tuesday night, 6,000 ft. Wednesday, then 5,500 ft. Wednesday night.
• lows 39-32 highs 42-40.
• Mostly cloudy with showers likely (70%) and a bit warmer Thursday and in the evening, a good (50%) chance of showers late at night,
• A mix of clouds and sun and a bit warmer Friday with a good (50%) chance of showers, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of evening showers, partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Friday night and Saturday AM, just partly cloudy and a bit warmer in the afternoon and at night,
• Partly cloudy Sunday AM, then mostly sunny and a bit warmer in the afternoon.
• snow level 5,500 ft. Thursday, 6,000 ft. Thursday night and Friday, 6,500 ft. Friday night, 7,500 ft. Saturday, free air freezing level 10,000 ft. Saturday night, then 12,000 ft. Sunday.
• highs 43-62 lows 34-37.

 

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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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