, 1889-01-31
PUGET SOUND CLIMATE.
Port Townsend's Advantages.

Eldridse Morse writes long and
interesting article for the Snoho-
mish Eye, from which we make. the
following extracts:
That the summers are much cool
er here than in the eastern states,
and that the winters are less severe;
that q great deal of rain falls all over
the Puget Sound region are things
generally admitted by nearly all who
live On Puget Sound. 1t is also gen
orally understood that the mildness
of the winters is caused by the great
ocean current coming across the Pa
citic from the indian ocean and Jap
an; but many other things connected
with the climate of this region are
not considered Ly residents of this
region. Thus, most Puget Sound
people would be greatly surprised if
they were told that large portion
OF the Puget Sound basin was
clas~ed among the "Rid" or ''semi
arid" regions of the United States;
yet such is the case.
In describing the soil, climate and
productions of Puget Sound most
persons write as if there were no 10.
cal differences. as if a true descrip-
ton OF one portion would truly des-
cribe every part of this country. In
fact few regions have greater local
differences which need to be noted.
And IN no respect are the variations
greater than in the amount OF rain
fall Of one portion of Puget Sound
Something like fifteen years ago
Mr. z NJ Hoskinson began making
observations on the temperature, an g
nual rain fall, etc, near Port Blake
Iy on cambridge island, some nine
miles from Seattle
| MR.. HosKIHsoN's OBSERVATIONS.
Most of these figures present a
close average of his observations for
the past ten years az taken from pub
lished reports of the same.
Average annual temperature 50 deg.
. temp , summer months. 50 -
| - - winter :. 4I -
:" . warmest d" .....59
. c0Idest . .45 -
- q OF July warmest month. 81 I"
. . of Jan. coolest ''..... 80 -
The above represents the degrees
Of temperature above zero.
Highest temp. past ten years ..93 deg.
! Lowest do -....- )
Average annual rainfall 10 inches
q fall OF Snow 20
The rainfall from year to year
varies greatly, therefore it makes a
great difference what years are chCs-
en- on which an average Is based.
Thus in 1879 the total rainfall was
nearly 65 inches; in 1883, 1884, 1856
and 1888 it was only about 81 inches,
The snow fail varies still more from
year to year In 1885 it was only
two inches In 1879 and 1883 it was
only about five inches; while in 1885
there fell about 60 inches, the heavi-
est snow fall ever known on Puget
Sound.
Perhaps Il fair average for, say, a
term of twenty years for Mr. Hosk-
insCn's station would be an average
of 80 inches annually of snow and
rain together; the snow baing calcu-
lated and measured on the basis OF
the number of inches Of rain the
snow would make if melted. Many
people have taken this as average
for all the Sound country, while
probably 10 inches would be nearer
an average for the whole; four-fifths
falling in six winter months and one
fifth during the rest of the year
Thus the annual average rainfall al
Astoria, Oregon, for % years was 7S
inches; at Neah Bay, the entrance o.
the Straits of Fuca, over I12 inche:
fell in one year, and the average /,
about 80 inches. West OF the Coas
range of mountains in Washington
Tertiary the rainfall varies from Il
TO 80 inches annually.
RAIN-FALL OF THE SOUND.
On the straits and around The
Sound the rain fall is about as fol-
lows:
Place. Inches
From Neah Bay to Pychst river. . 81
lJulScIleSS' ......- -.Zi
ioft townsend. II
] Sop Island