Shalcar soils are in depressional areas on outwash terraces, till plains and stream terraces. Elevation is 50 to 700 feet. Slopes are 0 to 2 percent. The soils formed in herbaceous organic deposits overlying alluvium or glaciofluvial deposits. Shalcar soils are in a marine climate with warm, dry summers and cool, moist winters.
Snow cover is intermittent.
Average annual precipitation is 35 to 55 inches. The frost-free season is 150 to 190 days. These are the Bellingham , Clipper , Fishtrap , Hale , Kickerville , Lynden , Norma , Pangborn , Puget , Seattle , Snohomish , Sumas , and Tromp soils. None of these soils except Pangborn, Fishtrap, and Seattle soils are Histosols. Pangborn and Seattle soils are more than 51 inches deep to mineral soil.