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Here is my new weekly weather question. Why is it dangerous to drive your car on to a flooded street? 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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A Reminder: The Vernal Equinox occurs at 4:21 PM Pacific Daylight Time next Sunday March 20th.

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The jet stream shows a cold trough of low pressure ( “U” shaped area) swinging in toward the Pacific Northwest. A frontal system pushed in Tuesday bringing more rain and wind. Another frontal system will hit us Thursday. Additional storms will be aiming for us like this frontal system coming in over the weekend.

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Advisories:  A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT THROUGH NOON  TODAY FOR THE NORTH OREGON CASCADES AND THE CASCADES OF LANE COUNTY. A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM TODAY ABOVE 5,000 FT. FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTH OREGON CASCADES,  AND THE SISKIYOU MOUNTAINS.  A HIGH SURF ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM THROUGH 3 AM THURSDAY FOR THE SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTH OREGON COAST.

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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 occasional showers today (0.25 in. of rain possible, more during thunderstorms) with a (30%) chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening, showers likely (60%) tonight (.10 in. of rain possible), a good (50%) chance of showers Thursday and Thursday evening, rain likely (60%) late Thursday night, mostly cloudy with rain likely (60%) Friday (0.10 in. of rain possible, and showers likely (60%) Friday night highs 50-52 lows 34-37. Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Saturday and Saturday night, then a good (50%) chance of rain Sunday through Monday highs near 55 lows near 35. (seasonal  averages high 56 low 37)

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including, Roseburg:  Mostly cloudy with rain and snow showers today (snow level 2,000 ft. rising to 2,500 ft., 1 in. of snow possible) and isolated  afternoon and evening thunderstorms, rain and snow showers likely (60%) late tonight (snow level 2,500 ft. falling to 2,000 ft. late), a (40%) chance of AM rain and snow showers, showers showers likely (60%) Thursday afternoon (snow level 2,000 ft. rising to 2,500 ft. in the afternoon), evening showers likely (60%), rain late Thursday night (snow level 3,500 ft. falling to 3,000 ft.), rain Friday (snow level 3,000 ft. rising to 3,500 ft), then rain likely (60%) Friday night highs 47-54 lows 38-42 cooling to 37 Friday night. Mostly cloudy with  AM rain and snow showers likely (60%) , showers likely (60%) Saturday Saturday afternoon, a good (50%) chance of showers Saturday night through Sunday night, showers likely (60%) Monday, then rain likely (60%) Monday night, and a good (50%) chance of rain Tuesday highs 52-54 lows near 38. (seasonal averages high 60 low 38)

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Forecast for the South Oregon Coast including Coos Bay and North Bend: Mostly cloudy with showers and isolated thunderstorms today, coastal showers likely (60%) with possible thunderstorms this evening, showers likely (60%) with isolated evening thunderstorms this evening inland, a good (50%) chance of showers late tonight, showers likely (60%) Thursday (snow level 2,000 ft. in the AM) ,  evening showers, then rain late Thursday night and breezy (wind: S 20-30 mph at the shore and S 15-20 mph inland), rain Friday, then rain likely (60%) Friday night highs 46-54 lows 39-44. Mostly cloudy with showers likely (60%) Saturday and Saturday night, a good (50%) chance of showers Sunday, showers likely (60%) Sunday night and Monday, then rain likely (60%) Monday night and Tuesday highs near 50 lows near 40. (seasonal averages high 55 low 41).

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Forecast for the Cascades of Lane County:  Mostly cloudy with snow showers today (3-6 in. of snow possible), snow showers likely (60%) this evening, snow showers likely (60%) late tonight (2 in. of snow possible), snow showers likely (60%) Thursday (2 in. of snow possible) and Thursday evening, a good (50%) chance of snow late Thursday night, snow and rain likely (60%) Friday (2-5 in. of snow possible), snow showers likely (60%) Friday night snow level at the surface today and tonight, 2,500 ft. Thursday afternoon,  3,000 ft. Thursday night and Friday, and at the surface Friday night highs 35-39 lows near 25. Mostly cloudy with snow showers likely (60%) Saturday, a good (50%) chance of snow showers Saturday night through Sunday night, a good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers Monday, then mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of snow Monday night and Tuesday snow level at the surface Saturday, 2,500 ft. Saturday night and Sunday,  3,000 ft. Sunday night and Monday, then 2,500 ft. Monday night, and 3,000 ft. Tuesday highs near 40 lows near 28.

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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.