Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1890-10-17
OLYMPIA'S CLIMATE.
Mild Wintors and Cool Summers,
Both Free from Wind Storms.

bOtn Free from Wlnu STORMS.
The question of climate is naturally
one of the first and most important
questions to be considered in connec-
ton with the location of State Capt.
tai. Fortunately, Olympia is able to
substantiate her claims to mild and
healthful climate by the official reports
of the United States Signal Service at
this point, and is not obliged to depend
on the private records of interested
real estate boomers or other irreSpon-
sible persons. From the statistics
furnished for the years from 1873 to
1887 inclusive, the following summary
is obtained; Mean height of barom-
eter, 3O.99; highest barometer, 3063 ;
lowest, 291G; range of barometer,
1.47. Mean annual temperature, 49.5; /;
highest temperature in the ten years,
81 degrees, in 1886; lowest in the ten
years, degrees above zero, in 1884;
annual range of temperature, 1919;
mean temperature for spring, 4S.S;
mean temperature for summer, G0.7;
mean temperature for winter, So;
rainfall and melted snow, average
total amount, 5445; rainfall for
spring, 1901; rainfall for summer,
EGG; rainfall and melted snow for
winter, 27.84; wind, mean direction,
south; highest recorded hourly ve-
locity, 80 miles; average velocity per
hour, 1865 miles; number of clear
days. 70; number of fair days. 1873;
number of cloudy days. 159; number
of days in which O.0l inch or more of
rain or snow fell, 151; number of days
temperature rose above 80 degrees,
average for ten years, day; in 1879,
1881 and 1883 there were no days in
which it reached that height; number
of days in which temperature fell be-
low 80 degrees, or freezing point, 80;
mean relative humidity, 7S degrees.
1t will be noticed by the reader
that two degrees above zero is the
coolest weather ever recorded here
and that on only one day in the year,
on an average, has the thermometer
risen above ninety degrees, while the
mean annual temperature is little
less than fifty degrees, dropping from
an average of 60 degrees, in summer to
3S degrees in winter.
Attention is also called to the fact
that the average velocity of the wind
at Olympia is slightly less than four
miles an hour, and that high winds,
with their disagreeable accompani-
ment of dust and sand, are unknown
here. In the months of January and
February, when the Legislature will
be in session, Olympia has very mild
weather compared to that experienced
across the mountains, and the rainfall,
which is pictured by rival candidates
for the capital as being little less
than deluge, is in reality exceeded
by number OF places In the Eastern
and Central States, where no one ever
thinks of raising an objection on that
score. New Haven, Connecticut, has
about the same average rainfall as
Olympia; so have Charleston, South
Carolina, and Chattanooga, Tennessee,
as we'll as Wilmington, North Caro-
lima. Mobile has a far greater rainfall.
Jacksonville, Florida, has almost the
same. Vicksburg has more, portions
of California more, and parts of New
York as much, the fact being that the
snow of colder climates turn into rain
here, as in all warm countries.
Naturally, this mild and even eli
mate is very healthful. The report of
the Health Office shows that the death
rate in Olympia is one of the lowest in
the United States. Indeed, the health
fulness OF Olympia was so we'll recog-
nized that many delegates to the
recent Constitutional Convention
brought their families here, who re-
manned during the months of July
and August. All admitted that they
never felt better or enjoyed better
health, and one delegate, resident of
one of the rival candidates for the
capital, was SO delighted with the ef-
feet of the Olympian climate on the
health Of his wife and children that
he publicly announced that he pro-
posed to buy house here and make it
his home for several months every
year.
THERE is one acre of land on the up
per Elwha that produced this year 635
bushels OF potatoes. 1t was the first
time the ground had ever been planted
in anything, and many stumps are still
standing. The ground was titled with
only spade. This is only fair yield,
says the Port Angeles Times, for this
famous valley country. The potatoes
are large and OF the finest quality.