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Here again is my weekly weather quiz question. What is a fire tornado? 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 trough of low pressure ( “U” shaped area) preparing to swing down and it is already bringing winter weather ahead of and then with it. A burst of cold Arctic air will hit behind a cold front that is sliding down from the North. All of this could spell a serious “snow storm” for all of the Pacific Northwest between tonight and Thursday night.

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Advisories: A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM THURSDAY FOR THE NORTH AND CENTRAL OREGON COAST AND COAST RANGE, THE NORTH OREGON CASCADE FOOTHILLS AND THE FOOTHILLS OF LANE COUNTY, THE NORTH OREGON CASCADES AND THE CASCADES OF LANE COUNTY, THE LOWER COLUMBIA-I-5 CORRIDOR, THE GREATER PORTLAND AND VANCOUVER AREAS, AND THE WESTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE, THE CENTRAL AND SOUTH WILLAMETTE VALLEY, AND THE UPPER HOOD RIVER VALLEY. A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT 4 PM THURSDAY FOR THE CENTRAL OREGON COAST. A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM THURSDAY AFTERNOON FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTH OREGON COAST, CENTRAL DOUGLAS COUNTY, THE EASTERN DOUGLAS COUNTY FOOTHILLS,  THE SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTH OREGON CASCADES AND SISKIYOU MOUNTAINS, JACKSON COUNTY, EASTERN CURRY, AND JOSEPHINE COUNTY, AND THE SOUTH CENTRAL OREGON CASCADES.

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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 rain and snow this evening, snow showers this evening, snow showers late tonight (snow level 500 ft. this evening, 1-4 in. of snow possible), snow showers Thursday (1-3 in. of snow possible), evening snow showers likely (60%), a (40%) of snow showers Thursday night (colder, 1 in. of snow possible), mostly cloudy Friday AM, and partly cloudy Friday night, partly cloudy Friday afternoon, mostly clear and cold Friday night, just partly cloudy Saturday, mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of rain and snow Saturday night lows 30-14 warming to 27 Saturday night highs 34-44. Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain Sunday through Monday, A good (50%) chance of rain Monday night, then rain likely (60%) Tuesday through Wednesday highs 44-55 lows 35-38. (seasonal  averages high 52 low 35)

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including, Roseburg: Mostly cloudy with rain and snow showers this evening, snow showers late tonight (2-3 in. of snow possible at lower elevations with 2-4 in. above 1,500 ft.), snow showers Thursday (2-5 in. of snow possible), snow showers likely (60%) Thursday night (1 in. of snow possible),  mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of snow showers Friday,  partly cloudy with a (20%) chance snow showers Friday night, just partly cloudy Saturday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of snow showers Saturday night lows 32-20 warming to 29 Saturday night highs near 40. Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of snow showers Sunday and Sunday night, then a (40%) chance of rain and snow showers Monday, showers Monday night, rain Tuesday, showers likely (60%) Tuesday night, then rain likely (60%) Wednesday highs 43-53 lows 35-40. (seasonal averages high 56 low 37)

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Forecast for the South Oregon Coast including Coos Bay and North Bend: Mostly cloudy with coastal rain and snow showers inland this evening and snow showers late tonight, snow showers inland tonight (2-3 in. of snow possible),  snow showers Thursday (2-4 in. of snow possible), snow showers likely (60%) Thursday night (1 in. of snow possible), a slight (20%) chance of snow showers Friday, partly cloudy Friday evening,  clearing Friday night,  just partly cloudy Saturday, mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of rain and snow showers Saturday night lows 34-24 warming to 36 Saturday night highs near 40. Mostly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Sunday and (40%) Sunday night, cloudy with showers likely (60%) Monday and rain Monday night through Wednesday highs  46-53 lows 40-45. (seasonal averages high 55 low 41).

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Forecast for the Cascades of Lane County:  Mostly cloudy with snow showers tonight (6-10 in. of snow possible) and colder, snow showers Thursday (3-6 in. of snow possible), snow showers and very cold Thursday night (2 in. of snow possible), partly cloudy Friday with a slight (20%) chance of snow showers, partly cloudy and very cold Friday night, just partly cloudy Saturday, and mostly cloudy with a (30%) chance of snow Saturday night snow level at the surface tonight through Friday, free air freezing level at the surface Friday night and Saturday lows 14-4 warming to 17 Saturday night highs 19-25.  Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of  snow Sunday through Monday night, snow likely (60%) Tuesday and Tuesday night, then rain and snow likely (60%) Wednesday snow level at the surface Sunday through Monday night, snow level rising to 3,000 ft. Tuesday night and 4,000 ft. Wednesday highs 29-34 lows 21-29.

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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.