The climate is characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters. Average annual precipitation ranges from 9 to 12 inches. The frost-free period is 140 to 180 days. These are the Malott , Peshastin , Roosevelt , Soaplake , and Skaha soils, and the competing Bakeoven soils. Malott soils are very deep and coarse-loamy.
Peshastin soils are very deep and loamy-skeletal.
Roosevelt soils are moderately deep to a lithic contact and are coarse-loamy. Soaplake soils are loamy. Skaha soils are very deep and are sandy-skeletal. Livestock grazing, wildlife habitat, and watersheds are the principal uses. The native vegetation consists of bluebunch wheatgrass, Thurber needlegrass, Sandberg bluegrass, snow eriogonum, Hood phlox, arrowleaf balsamroot, big sagebrush, and antelope bitterbrush.