The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-06-11

Oh western washington Is discussed Dy Il. M. Hos
kinson, the observer at Port Blakeley; and that
server at Walla walla. The bulletins are printed
on a small folder. which will slip into an ordi-
| nary envelope. On the title page is the seal OF
the board-a picture of George Washington
with clasped hands below, and the legend
Washington State Board of Trade" on the
border.
The bulletins follow:
WESTERN WASHINGTON.
For fourteen years have taken three obserya-
tons daily of the temperature, rainfall and
other matters pertaining TO meterology, and
during this time there has not been hot day
Fahrenheit The highest temperature recorded
was on June 6, 1878, as follows: Morning, G.
deg; noon, "a deg; evening, 50 deg Since then
on only three days has record oil % deg. been
made The lowest temperature recorded was
on the morning of January 10, 1883, deg. above
zero, the next lowest being on February II, 1854,
deg above zero. There has not been sufficient
frost in the fourteen years to destroy potatoes
lett In the ground where they grew. November
IA, 1855, there were twenty seven varieties OF
flowers blooming IN my dooryard, and during
several winters flowers were in continuous
bloom in open ground. During the winter OF
1901 some of my flowers began to bloom in
the middle OF January, and tender geraniums
left out of doors were not killed until Febru-
ary2
There has not been month without rainfall.
The greatest precipitation was for March, 1872
1870 inches, and the least for September, 1890,
.07 inches. The rainfall for 1878 was 1888
inches 1879, CAST: 1850, 1895: 1881, 53S2; 1882
1857, 1929; 1885, 1897; 1889, 2s.67; 1890, 81 TO-
Compared with regions OF the same latitude east
OF the Rocky mountains. the snow fall is very
light. and there is rarely any sleighing. Grasses
generally are green and growing the entire year,
making the dairy business most profitable. Cy-
clones, tornadoes and Billiards are unknown,
and thunder is seldom heard As there are few,
if any, miasmatic 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 Cascade range There is great
variation in the rainfall. Mr. Bell, observer OF
the signal corps at Walla Walla, gives the fol-
lowing figures as to mean and annual precipita-
ton: Neah Bay, 1928 inches; Port Angeles,
SOD; Port Townsend, 18.47; Seattle, 50.03;
Olympia, 56.0S: Tacoma, $3.50; Bellingham Bay,
1866; Fort Vancouver. 81; Fort Candy, 67.6S,
the last named place being about 200 feet above
sea level, and the Others about on sea level
In speaking of the climate of Washington and
Oregon, Lieutenant John P. Finley. in charge of
the division OF the Pacific, United States Signal
Service, says in Bulletin No. ", issued March
IL, 1891:
''The geographical position of these two states
ofthe easterly trend of the central portion of the
Japan current they receive the full benefit of the
warmth and moisture continually rising from
this great stream. The atmospheric eddies or
areas OF low barometric pressure forming over
the Japan current enter the continent through
out the year in manner to provide most
the two great states to the Japan current is one
OF vital importance to their commercial and
| agricultural interests snd should We clearly
ofthis current that its motion in the equatorial
regions is westerly and in the temperate zone
eastery and shift its latitude few degrees to the
south, and the North Pacific coast states would
become barren and bleak as northern Canada
and Labrador. How great factor then in the
development OF q country is the supply Of heat
mary of the effects of these features of the
Japan current: o. A general equality OF
temperature unequaled in any other portion of
the heavier rains of winter to the lighter rains
OF summer, giving rise to most beneficial dis
tribution OF precipitation throughout the year.
81 In the winter the atmospheric disturbances
from the Japan current move eastward at a
lower latitude than in summer, and this shift
ing north and south of the storm centers
the two seasons. But as the change of
centers is not very great respect
ing Oregon and Washington these states
are always within the area of precipitation ac-
companying the low pressure area "a A pro.
life growth of all forms of plant life (5) CHM
attic conditions which favor to marked extent
the growth of most cereals and other staple
crops. (6.) The alienation of rain and fair
weather in such q manner as to provide most
suitable conditions for planting and harvesting
a. The absence OF excessively violent storms.
owing to the southwest DETECTION of the Japan
current at the parallel of As deg. north; the cold
Alaskan current along the California coast; and
Plateau
region. g. Computed from the records of
nearly twenty stations covering a long series of
years. the percentage of rainfall in Washington
varies from 2O5 per cent in August to 1870 per
cent. in January.
Because of these climatic conditions, this ia
an unexcelled fruit growing region Apple.
pear, plum, prune and cherry trees begin bear
ing in their third or fourth year from seed. bud
or graft Small fruits common to the temperate
zone thrive surprisingly, and many as forty.
two bushels of strawberries have been picked
r-QI IN
EASTERN WASHINGTON.
Eastern Washington's topography is such that
Ii has somewhat diversified climate The
highest temperature on rec record was log deg
was sos at Spokane in January, 1855.
and 65 per cent. for January. In ten years
was As grains of water to each cubic foot
OF air and for January 1:3 grains. The
mean annual precipitation at eight
follows, the altitude above sea-level being given
kane, 1,soo, lo,s2; Colfax, LOO, 1881 Pomeroy,
loo, 1888; Walla walla, 1000, ls Dayton,
1850, 1876; Almota, 200, 1859; Fort ColviIle,
$500, 1918; Ellensourg, 1900, s97. The mean
Temperature OF ten points is as follows: Fort
Colfax, IS deg; Ellensburg, 46 deg; Spokane
a. deg: Fort Spokane, As deg; Walla Walla. 81
deg; Pomeroy, so deg; Almota, 50 deg. The
mean temperature at Walla W2lla for eighteen
324 deg -
Precipitation and temperature depend some
what on the direction OF the slope of the coun-
try, trend OF the mountains, prevailing direc-
ton OF winds, altitude and exposure. Rainfall
on the west and southwest up slope generally is
abundant, while the down slope on the oupo-
site side gets but little of the moisture of the
Wind Thus Enensburgh, in the shadows Of the
Cascades, with twice the altitude of Walla
Walla, has but half the rainfall, while Dayton.
only thirty miles distant, but on the up slope
toward the Rockies, has nearly nine inches more
rain than Walla Walla. The small oval-shaped
Walla WaHa valley has higher temperature
than any part of the state and gardens
and orchards thrive peculiarly. North
eaSterly few miles, the elevation is greater the
temperature lower and the rainfall more abun-
dant, as shown by figures from Dayton. This is
native bunch grass country, rapidly being
turned into one vast wheat field On the
northwest across the Tukannon divide is an
other belt of slightly higher temperature and
less rainfall, of which Pomeroy 10 the center-a
great wheat country. The Snake river country.
OF sandy SOIL with an elevation OF from $50 to
40 feet, an average temperature OF % deg and
rainfall of from nine to eighteen inches is
known as the peach belt of the state, and with
irrigation viii produce anything not strictly
tropical The Palouse country, another great
wheat -raising district, OF which Coifax is the
10 1000 feet and is fertile, well watered
country. Spring frosts are later and
autumnsl frosts earlier than in the Nalla Walla
and snake river valleys. North OF this are the
spokane and CCeur d'Alene districts OF higher
altitude and degree or two lower temperature.
still further north is the Colville region, with
an altitude of $50 feet, whose climate is SINH
lar TO that of Fort Colville. The Big Bend coDn-
try, in the center OF the state has climate suit
able 10 the raising OF all cereals, and is attract
ing large share of the farmer immigrants
North OF this is the Okanogan district of greater
altitude, but containing rich, fertile valleys.