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Here is my new weekly weather question. This 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 this 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 to out South (position shown is Monday after passing South of us).

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Advisories:    A HIGH SURF ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT  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 patchy light rain this evening, showers likely (60%) late tonight (0.10 in. of rain possible),  scattered showers with a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening (0.10 in. of rain possible), a (40%) chance of showers late Saturday night, a mix of clouds and sun with a good (50%) chance of showers Sunday, then partly cloudy Sunday night with a (30%) chance of showers lows near 38 highs 50-56. Partly cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Monday, mostly cloudy with a  good (50%) chance of showers Monday night through Friday highs near 55 lows 35-42. (seasonal  averages high 56 low 37)

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including, Roseburg:  Mostly cloudy with showers and isolated thunderstorms this evening, rain and snow showers late tonight (snow level 2,000 ft.), AM rain and snow showers Saturday, rain and snow showers with isolated thunderstorms Saturday afternoon (snow level 2,500 ft. in the afternoon), then a good (50%) chance of showers Saturday night (snow level 2,500 ft.), a good (50%) chance of rain Sunday AM, rain likely (60%) Sunday afternoon (snow level 2,500 ft. rising to 3,500 ft. in the afternoon), and a good (50%) chance of rain Sunday night (snow level (3,500 ft. in the evening) lows 37-40 highs 52-56. Cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Monday, then mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Monday night and Tuesday, showers likely (60%) Wednesday and Wednesday night, then a good (50%) chance of showers Thursday through Friday highs 53-58 lows near 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 showers and isolated thunderstorms this evening (snow level 2,000 ft. this evening) and breezy (winds: S 15-25 mph decreasing to S 10-20 mph late), AM showers Saturday, then showers with a slight (20%) chance of afternoon thunderstorms (snow level 2,000 ft. in the afternoon), a (40%) chance of showers Saturday night, a good (50%) chance of AM coastal rain Sunday then afternoon rain likely (60%), rain likely (60%) inland, a good (50%) chance of rain Sunday night lows 38-42 highs 52-54. Cloudy with a (40%) chance of showers Monday, mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Monday night through Wednesday, showers likely (60%) Wednesday night, then a good (50%) chance of showers Thursday through Friday highs 50-55 lows 42-45. (seasonal averages high 56 low 41).

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Forecast for the Cascades of Lane County:  Mostly cloudy with periods of snow and rain this evening, snow showers late tonight (3-7 in. of snow possible), showers likely (60%) Saturday (2-6 in. of snow possible), scattered  snow showers Saturday night, mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance showers Sunday and Sunday night snow level 3,000 ft. tonight and Saturday, and 3,000 ft. falling to 2,500 ft. Saturday night, 3,500 ft. Sunday, and 4,000 ft. Sunday night lows 26-30 highs 35-40. Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Monday through Friday snow level 3,000 ft. Monday and Monday night, 4,000 ft. Tuesday, 3,500 ft. Tuesday night, then 4,500 ft. Wednesday through Friday highs 42-35 Thursday lows 27-32.

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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.