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Here is my new weekly weather question. Today is your last chance this week to win. 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 trough of low pressure ( “U” shaped area) swinging in toward the Pacific Northwest. The low pressure offshore along with a surface frontal system that will march through Oregon will keep us wet. Additional storms will be aiming for us like this frontal system that will roll in over the weekend.

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Advisories:   A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM TODAY FOR JACKSON COUNTY.  A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT  UNTIL 11 AM TODAY FOR  THE KLAMATH BASIN. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 5 PM TODAY FOR NORTHERN AND EASTERN KLAMATH COUNTY, AND WESTERN, CENTRAL, AND EASTERN LAKE COUNTY. A HIGH SURF ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TODAY UNTIL 5 AM SATURDAY 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 AM rain today (0.25 in. of rain possible, more in thunderstorms), showers with possible thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening, and showers likely (60%) late tonight (0.10 in. of rain possible),  showers Saturday and Saturday evening (0.10 in. of rain possible), then a slight (20%) chance of showers late Saturday night highs 48-53 lows 38-34. Partly cloudy with a slight (20%) chance of showers Sunday, partly cloudy Sunday night, a mix of clouds and sun Monday, mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Monday night, then mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Tuesday through Wednesday night, then a (40%) chance of showers Thursday highs 52-55 lows 35-42. (seasonal  averages high 56 low 37)

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including, Roseburg:  Cloudy with rain and snow this AM, showers and a slight (20%) chance of isolated thunderstorms this afternoon  (snow level 2,000 ft. to 2,500 ft.), rain and snow showers with a slight (20%) chance of isolated thunderstorms this evening, rain and snow showers late tonight,  AM rain and snow showers likely (60%) Saturday, cloudy with rain and snow showers likely (60%) and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms Saturday afternoon (snow level 1,500 ft. rising to 2,000 ft. in the afternoon), then a good (50%) chance of showers Saturday night (snow level 2,500 ft.) highs 54-42 lows 35-37. Mostly cloudy with good (50%) chance of rain and showers Sunday AM, and a (40%) chance of showers Sunday night through Wednesday, showers likely (60%) Wednesday night, then a (%) chance of showers Thursday highs 50-55 lows 35-40. (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 rain this AM, showers with a slight (20%) chance of isolated thunderstorms this  afternoon and evening, windy (winds: S 20-25 mph decreasing to S 10-20 mph late AM and afternoon at the shore and S 10-25 mph inland), showers late tonight (snow level 2,000 ft.), AM showers Saturday, then showers with a slight (20%) chance of afternoon thunderstorms (snow level 2,000 ft.), then coastal showers likely (60%) Saturday night, and a good (50%) chance of showers inland highs 52-54 lows 40-38. Mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Sunday through Monday, Wednesday, showers likely (60%) Wednesday night, then a good (50%) chance of showers Thursday highs between 50 and 54 lows 40-45. (seasonal averages high 56 low 41).

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Forecast for the Cascades of Lane County:  Mostly cloudy with snow and rain this AM, showers in the afternoon (2-5 in. of snow possible), snow showers tonight (2 in. of snow possible), showers likely (60%) Saturday (2 in. of snow possible), a good (50%) chance of showers Saturday night snow level 3,500 ft. today, and 3,000 ft. falling to 2,500 ft. tonight, 3,000 ft. Saturday, and 3,500 ft. falling to 2,500 ft. Saturday night highs 35-38 lows 28-26. A mix of clouds and sun with a good (50%) chance showers Sunday,  a slight (20%) chance of showers Sunday night, then mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Monday through Thursday snow level 3,000 ft. rising to 3,500 ft. in the afternoon Sunday, 4,000 ft. Sunday night through Tuesday, 3,500 ft. Tuesday night, then 4,500 ft. Wednesday, then rising to 6,000 ft. Wednesday night and Thursday highs 38-42 cooling to 35 Thursday lows 26-29.

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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.