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Here is this week’s weather quiz question. What is a “Radiosonde” used for in weather forecasting? Extra credit points if you can tell me what new technology is replacing radiosondes. Please post your answer as a comment after the forecasts on this page. 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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The upper air flow (yellow jet stream and dark colors for winds) shows a  trough of low pressure swinging down from the Gulf of Alaska (“U” shape offshore) which is pushing lots of moisture and, for the most part, mild air  our way.  More storms will be coming at us including this frontal system that will come in for Christmas Day. Not much of a chance of a “White Christmas” in the valleys because it will be too warm. Our best chance of valley snows usually comes in January and February.

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Advisories: A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM TONIGHT UNTIL 7 AM WEDNESDAY ABOVE 2,500 FT. FOR EASTERN CURRY COUNTY AND JOSEPHINE COUNTY.

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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 evening rain, then rain likely (60%) late tonight (0.10 in. of rain possible), rain likely (60%) Wednesday AM, scattered afternoon showers (0.10 in. of rain possible), a slight (20%) chance of rain Wednesday night,  a (40%) chance of rain Thursday AM, a slight (20%) chance of rain Thursday afternoon and Thursday night lows 33-39 highs 45-47. Mostly cloudy with a  good (50%) chance of rain Friday (Christmas Eve), rain likely (60%) Friday night, rain Saturday (Christmas Day), then rain Saturday night through Tuesday highs 48-44 lows 37-40. (seasonal averages highs 45 low 33)

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including, Roseburg:  Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers this evening, rain late tonight (snow level 3,000 ft. falling to 2,500 ft. late, rain likely (60%) Wednesday AM, a (30%) chance of rain Wednesday  afternoon (snow level 2,500 ft. rising to 3,000 ft,), a slight (20%) chance of showers Wednesday night, cloudy with a  good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers Thursday AM, cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers in the afternoon (snow level 2,000 ft. rising to 3,500 ft.), a slight (20%) chance of showers Thursday night (snow level 3,500 ft.) lows 35-39 highs 47-50. Cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Friday, rain likely (60%) Friday night (Christmas Eve), rain Saturday (Christmas Day), then rain Saturday night through Sunday evening, rain and snow showers Sunday night, then rain and snow showers likely (60%) Monday through Tuesday highs 50-45 lows 42-35. (seasonal averages high 48 low 34)

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Forecast for the South Oregon Coast including Coos Bay and North Bend: Mostly cloudy with coastal rain tonight, evening rain likely (60%) inland then rain late tonight, mostly cloudy with AM rain likely (60%), a good (50%) chance of showers Wednesday afternoon, cloudy with a  (40%) chance of showers Wednesday night, a good (50%) chance of showers Thursday and windy (wind: S 20-30 mph at the shore and S 15-25 mph inland, gusts to 40 mph increasing to 50 mph in the afternoon), a (40%) chance of showers Thursday night and windy (winds: S 20-30 at the shore and S 15-20 mph inland, gusts 50 mph decreasing to 40 mph late at night) lows 39-45 highs 49-55. Showers likely (60%) Friday and breezy, rain Friday night (Christmas Eve), rain Saturday (Christmas Day), rain and breezy Saturday night and Sunday, evening rain then showers late Sunday night and breezy, showers likely (60%) and breezy Monday, then showers likely (60%) Monday night and Tuesday highs 55-49 lows 46-39. (seasonal averages high 52 lows 39).

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Forecast for the Cascades of Lane County: Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain and snow tonight, snow likely (60%) Wednesday AM, snow showers in the afternoon (1-4 in. of snow possible), mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain and snow Wednesday night,  a (40%) chance of rain and snow Thursday and Thursday night snow level 3,500 ft. tonight, 3,000 ft. Wednesday through Thursday, and 4,000 ft. Thursday night lows 24-28 highs 35-32. Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Friday and Friday night (Christmas Eve), rain likely (60%) Saturday (Christmas Day), rain and snow Saturday night and Sunday, then snow Sunday night through Tuesday snow level 5,500 ft. Friday, 6,000 ft. Friday night, 5,500 ft. Saturday, falling to 4,000 ft. Saturday night, 3,000 ft. Sunday and Sunday night,  and 2,500 ft. Monday highs 38-30 lows between 29-23.

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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.