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It’s time for  my new weekly weather quiz question. Here it is. In meteorology what are elves? 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) swinging through the Pacific Northwest. This frontal system will continue moving through the Pacific Northwest spreading showers and some thunderstorms through Oregon. Another frontal system will be pushing in on Saturday.

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Advisories: A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM UNTIL 4 PM THURSDAY FOR CENTRAL AND EASTERN LAKE COUNTY.

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I just have to show you a picture I took this afternoon from my yard. It show “Cumulus Mammatus” clouds. They are the rounded shapes in the lower center of the picture behind the wires. Mammatus clouds are formed by the turbulent winds aloft that swirl them into rounded shapes. I have found that when they are present there is usually at least a thunderstorm not too far away. Radar showed storms passing by to my East on a line moving South to North at that 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: Mostly cloudy with a good 50%) chance of showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms this evening (0.10 in. of rain possible, more in thunderstorms with small hail possible), a good (50%) chance of showers and a slight chance of thunderstorms Thursday (0.10 in. of rain possible, more in thunderstorms with small hail possible), and cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Thursday night, AM showers likely (60%), showers Friday, rain Friday night, then showers likely (60%) Saturday and Saturday night lows 38-42 highs 57-52. Mostly cloudy with showers likely (60%) Sunday, cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Sunday night, mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Monday through Tuesday night, then a (40%) chance of rain Monday highs 52-56 lows near 40. (seasonal  averages high 57 low 37)

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Forecast for the Umpqua Basin including, Roseburg:  Mostly cloudy with isolated thunderstorms early this evening, a good (50%) chance of showers this evening, rain likely (60%) late tonight (snow level 3,500 ft. falling to 2,000 ft late at night),  rain and snow likely (60%) Thursday AM, rain (snow level 2,500 ft.) likely (60%) with isolated afternoon and evening thunderstorms, rain and snow showers late Thursday night (snow level 3,000 ft. falling to 2,500 ft. late), AM rain and snow showers likely (60%) Friday, showers likely (60%) Friday afternoon (snow level 2,000 ft. rising to 3,000 ft.), rain likely (60%) Friday night, rain Saturday, then rain likely (60%) Saturday night lows 37-42 highs 52-55. Mostly cloudy with  a good (50%) chance of showers Sunday through Tuesday night, then mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain Wednesday highs 55-57 lows near 40. (seasonal averages high 61 low 39)

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Forecast for the South Oregon Coast including Coos Bay and North Bend: Cloudy with isolated thunderstorms early this evening, showers likely (60%) this evening, rain late tonight and breezy (wind: SE 5-10 mph increasing to S 15-25 mph late), AM rain Thursday, showers likely (60%) with isolated thunderstorms Thursday afternoon, then showers likely (60%) with isolated evening thunderstorms, showers likely (60%) late  Thursday night, showers likely (60%) Friday (snow level 2,000 ft. in the AM), rain Friday night and breezy late (wind: S 15-25 mph), then rain Saturday, and rain likely (60%) Saturday night lows 40-43 highs 50-54. Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers Sunday through Monday, and a (40%) chance of showers Monday night through Tuesday night, mostly cloudy with a (40%) chance of rain Wednesday highs near 55 lows 42-45. (seasonal averages high 56 low 42).

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Forecast for the Cascades of Lane County:  Mostly cloudy with a good (50%) chance of showers and a slight (20%) chance of thunderstorms this evening, rain and snow showers likely (60%) late tonight, rain and snow showers likely (60%) Thursday (3-6 in. of snow possible) with a slight (20%) chance of afternoon and evening thunderstorms, rain and snow showers likely (60%) Thursday night (4-6 in. of snow possible), and  snow showers likely (60%) Friday (2 in. of snow possible), rain and snow likely (60%) Friday night (2 in. of show possible),  snow level 3,500 ft. tonight, 3,000 ft. Thursday, 3,500 ft. Thursday night, then  2,500 ft. Friday, and 3,000 ft. Friday night lows 28-20 highs 40-37. Mostly cloudy with  rain and snow showers likely (60%) Saturday, snow showers likely (60%) Saturday night, a good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers Sunday, rain and snow showers likely (60%) Sunday night through Tuesday, a good (50%) chance of rain and snow showers Tuesday night, then a (40%) chance of snow and rain Wednesday snow level 3,000 ft. Saturday through Sunday night, 3,500 ft. Monday, then 3,000 ft. Monday night,  4,000 ft. Tuesday and Tuesday night, then 3,000 ft. Wednesday highs near 40 lows 24-29.

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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.