Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1891-06-19
Climate Of Washington.

GdSckoO al the oSV OulCe TRANSMISSION IN
the Mails at Seconds lass Rates.
Climate Of Washington.
he state board of trade has issued ID
applet from Seattle descriptive of the
ate of Washington. The substance
Legalias follows:
EsTERN WASHINGTON. Written for
rac'i'AVashington State Board of Trade
Fir. r. NJ. Hoskinson, Observer at
Bla6ely. For fourteen years
e taken three observations daily of
temperature, rainfall and other mat
yular pertaining to meteorology, and dur
the this time there has not been a hot
.eka, nor one on which the murcnrv
to zero, Fahrenheit The high
list temperature recorded was on June
lvo, 1878, as follows: morning, $40; noon,
$40; evening, 73o. Since then on only
three days has a record of go been
made. The lowest temperature recorded
was on the morning of January Is, 1888,
30 above zero, the next lowest being on
February IL, 1884, 70 above zero
There has not been sufficient frost in
the fourteen years to destroy potatoes
left in the ground where they grew.
November IA, 1885, there were twenty
seven varieties of flowers blooming in
my doorYard, and during several win
tiers flowers were in continuous bloom
IN open ground. During the winter of
IoSO-l some of my flowers began to
bloom IN the middle of January and
tender geraniums left out of doors were
not killed until February 9.
There has not been a month without
rainfall. The greatest precipitation was
for March, 1879, 1870 inches, and the
least, for September, 1890, OF inch.
The rainfall for 1878 was 1888 inches;
1879, CAST; 1880, 1895; 1881, 1892;
1882, 1888; 1883, 1853; 1884, 34.O3;
1885, 1868; 1886, 1892; 1887, 1899;
1888, 1897; 1889, 1857; 1890, 32lO.
Compared with regions of the same lat
ltude east of the Rocky Mountains, the
snow fall is very light, and there is
rarely any sleighing. Grasses general
ly are green and growing the entire
year, making the dairy business most
profitable Cyclones, tornadoes and
bhzZards are unknown, and thunder is
seldom heard. As there are few, if any,
mlasmatIc influences, there is no call for
ague cures and drastic pills.
Figures as to temperature at any one
point IN western Washington apply in
general to every point west of the Cas-
eade range. There is great variation in
the ralpfsii. Mr.. Bell, observer of the
signal Corps at Walla Walla, gives me
the following figures as to mean annual
precipitation: Neah Bay, 105 25 inches;
Port Angeles, 1856; Port Townsend,
lS.47; Seattle, 5003; Olympia, 56.O8;
Tacoma, 1886; Bellingham Bay, 1886;
Fort Vancouver, 1887; Fort Candy,
GIGS. the last named place being about
200 feet above sea level, and the others
about on sea level.
In speaking of the climate Of Wash
ington and Oregon, Lieutenant John P.
Finley, in charge of the Division of the
Pacific, United States Signal service,
says in Bulletin No. ", issued March
II, 1891:
''Ihe geographical position of these
two states Is a most fortunate one. Lo-
Gated IN the latitude of the easterly trend
of the central portion of the Japan cur
rent they receive the full benefit of the
warmth and moisture continually rising
from this great stream. The atmospher-
&c eddles or areas of low barometric
pressure forming over the Japan current
enter'the continent throughout the wear
IN manner to provide most equable
distribution of rain. The relation of the
two Orpnt ctafaC h ho
one of vital Importance to their CONNER
cial and agricultural interests and
should be clearly understood by the
people. Reverse the direction OF this
current so that its motion in the equa-
torlal regions is westerly and in the
temperate zone easterly, and shift it's
latitude few degrees to the south, and
the North Pacific Coast states would be-
come barren and bleak as northern Can
ada and Labrador How great factor
then In the development of country is
the supply of heat and moisture The
following is brief summary of the
effects of these features of the Japan
current: (1 A general equabilitY of
temperature unequaled in any other
portion of the United States or A
gradual change from the heavier rains
o. winter TO the lighter rains of summer,
giving rise to a most beneficial distribu-
tlon of precipitation throughout the
year. (3) In the winter the atmos-
pierre disturbances from the Japan cur
tent move eastward at lower latitude
than in summer, and this shifting north
and south of the storm centeru makes
the difference in rainfall between the
t7ee seasons. But as the change Of the
,. seenters is not very great respecting Or
Iu.egon and Washington, these states are
t "a always within the area of precipitation
i 70 companying the low pressure area
80 A prolific growth of all for41s of
' nro Slnt life. 90 Climatic conditions
nciscGch favor to a marked extent tn,
The bcwth Of most cereals and other staple
fact ps. co. The alienation of rain
wed II fair weather in such a manner as tc
irop. t,vide most suitable conditions fol
retail. lting and harvesting. 60 The alb
IT, ooaee - Excessively violent storms, ow-
- Vito the southwest DETECTION of the
.ana1 pan current at the parallel of 45c
go ,ss.tsrth; the cold Alaskan current along
% i.1e- California coast; and the dry atmos.
re Ahere of the Middle Plateau region
lildi Computed from the records Of
Wat 1rly twenty stations covering long
q series of years the PERCENTAGE of rainfall
: IN Washington varies from 2.O5 pei
cent. in August, to 1870 per cent. in
= January"
Because of these climatic conditions
THIS is an unexcelled fruit growing re-