Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-11-29
OUR CALIFORNIA LETTER
Physical Treatise on California
Climate.
YrRA Cry Nov Il 1S1I

YUBA CITY, Nov. II, 1873.
Since coming to California have made
this peculiar climate an object of study,
the result of which offer to your readers.
In the first place 1 will describe wherein ]
find the climate peculiar. I find that that
part of California which lies between $50
and $50 n latitude, and in the valley of
the San Joaquin river to he cool in sum-
mer and warm in the Winter: seldom rising
above 75o or falling below 500 Fahrenheit.
While the northern part, or Sacramento
valley, say from $50 to 4lo n. latitude be.
comes heated in Summer to 1909 and some
times to llOo, and in Winter falls to from
800 to 500, but seldom much lower. In
Summer rain seldom falls in this valley
but for 8 or months in Winter this north
ern valley is subject TO almost constant
rain in showers from the South while in
the southern portion the rain gradually de-
crenses until the southern portion of Cali
fornia gradually blends with the great des-
ert of Arizona.
This peculiar physical arrangement
will endeavor TO explain. will assume
that the expansion of air and water under
the suns vertical rays causes current
which rushes northwurd to a point where
its force is opposed by an opposite current
here its line of direction becomes accident.
AL and will be governed by local circum-
stances. Now it will be readily observed
that the point of contact between these two
opposing currents must move northward or
southwark as the sun advances or recedes
in his ecliptic. Next, il becomes necessary
to notice the great plateau between the
Sierra Nevada and the Rocky mountains,
where the great opposite currents of air
meet in their full strength from the extreme
| North and South Now, the reader should
lay the map of the territories before him
and notice the gaps in the mountains
through which the air can pass sideways
eastward or westward as the point of con.
tact between those winds creates pressure
in their locality. During the Summer the
hot winds sweep northward across the
parching sands Of Arizona and Utah pas
sing northwestward across eastern Nevada
they arc met by the northern current,
which come up the Snake river valley IL
the southern portion of Idaho and south
eastern Oregon they are pressed westward
and forced through the canyon where tho
upper Sacramento passes from the Coos
lake country into this valley. This gives
California her burning north winds during
the Summer months. This wind passe
down the valley Rud coming in contact
with the cool currents from the Pacific
they turn them in their course and pres
them mp along the San joaquin southwark
This accounts for the hot Summer in noril
California as also for the cool Summer il
the southern part. And rise rersd. Whel
the line of contact between the great oppo
site currents on the "Amercan Desert
recedes into Colorado, the northern cur
rent rushing and sweeping down across til,
broad plateau outside this valley draw
;his h tier air outward and causes Il rush
ing Of the moist Pacific air in at "Godel
Gate" which in passing up this vale,
comes in contact with the snow hurdenet
air of the mountains, and as il become
chilled il cannot hold its burden of watel
in solution, aud the result is, all this uppe
valley is getting a rain shower. But al
winter never can be permanent monarch,
a few warm days now and thec will send
this southern current around and driv,
the clouds backward into the great valley
OF the San joaquin. Permit me TO say
that California presents meeting al
strange extremes. II is the hottest, tho
coldest, the wettest, and the dryest State il
the Union. More anon,
A. SHRUB.