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Thunderstorms swept through Eugene and Springfield on Monday, bringing lightning that could persist into Tuesday along with a week of scattered showers.
This story was updated to include information about a new fire start.
Low-pressure air slowly moving off the coast brought thunderstorms and rain showers to Eugene and Springfield on Monday morning, with more unsettled weather expected through Friday.
Bands of thunderstorms have swept through Lane County since late August, when 103 cloud-to-ground lightning strikes hit the Willamette Valley over a few days. They have persisted in bursts across the Cascades, complicating firefighting efforts on the uncontained Emigrant Fire southeast of Oakridge and sparking new fires, including the Foley Ridge Fire 3 miles west of McKenzie Bridge.
Treena Jensen, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said she has been tracking several lightning flashes in Eugene, though a full tally won’t be available until after the agency compiles 24-hour data. Thunderstorms could continue through the evening, lingering overnight and into Tuesday morning.
This time, the storms come with showers — a welcome change in a drought-stricken area. But Jensen said the rain won’t be enough yet to make a significant dent.
“I don’t think they’re going to provide enough rain to make a big difference,” she said. “But we do have another front approaching,” she said. “This weekend, there’s potential to have more widespread rain, and it’s too early to tell if that’s going to make a difference, but that’s kind of what we’re hopeful for.”
Oregon Department of Forestry patrol engines remained on alert for delayed ignitions and more lightning possibilities throughout the day. They responded to a fire likely started by lightning at Spencer Butte.
