Here is my weekly weather quiz question for the last time. What is  “Fugitive Dust?” Here is the correct answer. Fugitive Dust is dust that is not emitted from definable point sources such as industrial smokestacks. Sources include open fields, roadways, storage piles, etc.  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 formed by arrows) sitting over Southwestern Canada and the Pacific Northwest continues to give us a northerly airflow which has cooled us off and cleared the air. Our air quality is back to normal, but with wildfires still scattered over the state the haze and smoke will return. The graphics for days 1-3 show the front that that moved through and is cooling us off and cleaning up the air. The graphics for days 3-7  show a frontal system moving into and through the Pacific Northwest between Wednesday and Thursday and another approaching from the northwest next Saturday.

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Air Quality Index:

Eugene/Springfield: The Air Quality Index is 46 in the Good category measuring Particulate Matter.

Oakridge: The Air Quality Index is 166 in the Unhealthy category measuring Particulate Matter.

Cottage Grove: The Air Quality Index is 33 in the Good category measuring Ozone.

Data courtesy of Lane Regional Air Protection Agency (LRAPA)

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ADVISORIES:

• AN AIR QUALITY ALERT IS IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON COAST, THE CURRY COUNTY COAST, EASTERN CURRY COUNTY, JOSEPHINE COUNTY, JACKSON COUNTY, THE SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON CASCADES, THE SOUTHERN OREGON CASCADES, THE SISKIYOU MOUNTAINS, THE KLAMATH BASIN, EASTERN KLAMATH COUNTY, AND WESTERN, CENTRAL, AND EASTERN LAKE COUNTY.

HEALTH ADVISORIES:

• A RECREATIONAL USE HEALTH ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR CULLABY, LOCATED JUST OFF OF HIGHWAY 101 BETWEEN ASTORIA AND SEASIDE IN CLATSOP COUNTY.   WATER MONITORING HAS CONFIRMED THE CYANOBACTERIA AND THE TOXINS THEY PRODUCE IN CULLABY LAKE. THE CYNOTOXIN CONCENTRATIONS FOUND CAN BE HARMFUL TO HUMANS AND ANIMALS. PEOPLE SHOULD AVOID SWIMMING AND HIGH-SPEED WATER ACTIVITIES LIKE WATER SKIING OR POWER BOATING IN AREAS OF THE LAKE WHERE CYNOTOXINS ARE IDENTIFIED. ALTHOUGH TOXINS ARE NOT ABSORBED THROUGH THE SKIN, PEOPLE WHO HAVE SKIN  SENSITIVITIES MAY EXPERIENCE A PUFFY RED RASH AT THE AFFECTED AREA. DRINKING WATER DIRECTLY FROM THE LAKE IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS TOXINS CANNOT BE REMOVED BY ANY TECHNIQUE. DRINKING WATER DIRECTLY FROM CULLABY LAKE AT THIS TIME IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS.
• A PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR HIGHER-THAN-NORMAL LEVELS OF BACTERIA IN OCEAN WATERS AT SEAL ROCK STATE PARK BEACH, LOCATED IN LINCOLN COUNTY. WATER SAMPLES INDICATE HIGHER-THAN-NORMAL LEVELS OF FECAL BACTERIA, WHICH CAN CAUSE DIARRHEA, STOMACH CRAMPS, SKIN RASHES, UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS AND OTHER ILLNESSES. PEOPLE SHOULD AVOID DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE WATER IN THIS AREA UNTIL THE ADVISORY IS LIFTED. THIS APPLIES ESPECIALLY TO CHILDREN AND THE ELDERLY, WHO MAY BE MORE VULNERABLE TO WATERBORN BACTERIA. WHILE THIS ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT AT SEAL ROCK STATE PARK BEACH, VISITORS SHOULD AVOID WADING IN NEARBY CREEKS, POOLS OF WATER ON THE BEACH, OR IN  DISCOLORED WATER, AND STAY CLEAR OF WATER RUNNOFF FLOWING INTO THE OCEAN. EVEN IF THERE IS NO ADVISORY IN EFFECT, OFFICIALS RECOMMEND AVOIDING SWIMMING IN THE OCEAN WITHIN 48 HOURS AFTER A RAINSTORM. OTHER BEACH ACTIVITIES ARE SAFE TO ENJOY.
• A RECREATIONAL USE HEALTH ADVISORY HAS BEEN LIFTED FOR THE WILLAMETTE RIVER’S ROSS ISLAND LAGOON LOCATED ABOUT 1 MILE SOUTH OF DOWNTOWN PORTLAND IN MULTNOMAH COUNTY.
• A RECREATIONAL USE HEALTH ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR WILLOW CREEK RESERVOIR, LOCATED JUST EAST OF THE TOWN OF HEPNER IN MORROW COUNTY.   WATER MONITORING HAS CONFIRMED THE CYANOBACTERIA AND THE TOXINS THEY PRODUCE ARE ABOVE RECREATIONAL VALUES FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE. THE CYNOTOXIN CONCENTRATIONS FOUND CAN BE HARMFUL TO HUMANS AND ANIMALS. PEOPLE SHOULD AVOID SWIMMING AND HIGH-SPEED WATER ACTIVITIES LIKE WATER SKIING OR POWER BOATING IN AREAS OF THE LAKE WHERE CYNOTOXINS ARE IDENTIFIED. ALTHOUGH TOXINS ARE NOT ABSORBED THROUGH THE SKIN, PEOPLE WHO HAVE SKIN  SENSITIVITIES MAY EXPERIENCE A PUFFY RED RASH AT THE AFFECTED AREA. DRINKING WATER DIRECTLY FROM THE LAKE IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS TOXINS CANNOT BE REMOVED BY ANY TECHNIQUE.
• A RECREATIONAL HEALTH ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR UPPER KLAMATH LAKE, LOCATED OFF ROUTE 140, 15 MILES WEST OF KLAMATH FALLS IN KLAMATH COUNTY.  WATER MONITORING HAS CONFIRMED THE CYANOBACTERIA AND THE TOXINS THEY PRODUCE ARE ABOVE RECREATIONAL VALUES FOR HUMAN EXPOSURE. THE CYNOTOXIN CONCENTRATIONS FOUND CAN BE HARMFUL TO HUMANS AND ANIMALS. PEOPLE SHOULD AVOID SWIMMING AND HIGH-SPEED WATER ACTIVITIES LIKE WATER SKIING OR POWER BOATING IN AREAS OF THE LAKE WHERE CYNOTOXINS ARE IDENTIFIED. ALTHOUGH TOXINS ARE NOT ABSORBED THROUGH THE SKIN, PEOPLE WHO HAVE SKIN  SENSITIVITIES MAY EXPERIENCE A PUFFY RED RASH AT THE AFFECTED AREA. DRINKING WATER DIRECTLY FROM THE LAKE IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS TOXINS CANNOT BE REMOVED BY ANY TECHNIQUE.
• A PERMANENT HEALTH ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE SOUTH UMPQUA RIVER 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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