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It’s time for my new weekly weather quiz question. Here it is. What is a blocking ridge?  Please post your answer as a comment by clicking on “no comments” in the upper right hand portion of this page under the caption, then add your comment. The first person to post the correct answer will win a week of free personalized  weather forecasts tailored to your needs. The answer has to be a comment to win. An email answer will not count. Good luck.

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The jet stream shows a high pressure ridge (shaded “arch” shape offshore) is aiming the airflow straight South toward the Pacific Northwest. The ridge will start to build in and that will keep us under a relatively calm weather pattern through the rest of the week. Remember that, particularly this time of the year, often when it’s not raining it is usually fogging. The next major frontal system should move in between Friday night and Saturday.

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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: Patchy fog early this AM, a mix of clouds and sun this afternoon, and partly cloudy tonight with areas of fog late at night and Thursday AM, a mix of clouds and sun Thursday afternoon, then partly cloudy with patchy fog Thursday night highs 48-54 lows 28-35. A mix of clouds and sun Friday, mostly cloudy Friday night, mostly cloudy with rain likely (60%) Saturday and Saturday night, mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain Sunday through Monday night, and rain likely (60%) Tuesday highs 56-48 lows 42-37. (seasonal  averages high 50 low 35)

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including, Roseburg: Mostly cloudy with patchy fog this AM, s at least partly cloudy this afternoon,  mostly clear tonight with areas of fog and freezing fog, mostly clear tonight, areas of fog and freezing fog late tonight and Thursday AM, sunny Thursday,  partly cloudy with patchy fog late at night and early Friday AM, mostly cloudy Friday, a  slight (20%) chance of rain late Friday night highs 48-57 lows 32-39. Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain Saturday, a good (50%) chance of rain Saturday night and Sunday, mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain Sunday night, mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Monday and Monday night, then rain likely (60%) Tuesday highs 58-52 rising to near 55 Monday and back to near 50 Tuesday lows 38-42. (seasonal averages high 54 low 36)

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Forecast for the South Oregon Coast including Coos Bay and North Bend: Mostly clear with areas of patchy fog this AM, sunny this afternoon, mostly clear with areas of fog late tonight, sunny Thursday, partly cloudy Thursday night, mostly cloudy Friday, then mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain late Friday night highs 52-59 cooling to 54 Friday lows 36-45. Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of rain Saturday, rain likely (60%) Saturday night and Sunday, a good (50%) chance of rain Sunday night, then mostly cloudy rain likely (60%) Monday through Tuesday highs 49-56 cooling to 49 Tuesday lows near 45. (seasonal averages high 54 low 41).

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Forecast for the Cascades of Lane County: Mostly sunny today and Thursday, mostly clear tonight, partly cloudy Thursday night, a mix of clouds and sun Friday, mostly cloudy Friday night free air freezing level 3,000 ft. today, 7,000 ft. tonight, 8,000 ft. Thursday, 9,000 ft. Thursday night and Friday, and 7,500 ft. Friday night highs 42-49 lows 24-32. Mostly cloudy with snow and rain likely (60%) Saturday and Saturday night, a good (50%) chance of snow Sunday, a good (50%) chance of rain and snow through Monday night, and mostly cloudy with rain and snow likely (60%) Tuesday snow level 4,500 ft. Saturday, and 3,500 ft. Saturday night, 2,500 ft. Sunday, 3,500 ft. Sunday night, and 4,500 ft. Monday, 5,000 ft. Monday night, and 4,000 ft. Tuesday highs 42-37 lows 28-25.

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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.