The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-06-12
THE CLIMATE OF WASHINGTON.

OLYMPIA. June 1.-The following ON
the climatic conditions Of Washington has
been carefully compiled from data fur
nished by H. r. Alciatore director of the
Washington weather service:
For equaoility and miidness of climate.
absence OF either very hot or very cold
waves. and freedom from destructive tor
nadoes or cyclones. Washington stands
foremost among the favored states Of the
American Union.
The state has . mean annual tempera-
ture Of so degrees. ranging from s. the
lowest. in Stevens county to 81. the highest,
in Waila Walia county. Thus it will be
seen that between the warmess and coolest
mean annual temperatures there is .
difference of only 8 degrees.
Washington is naturally divided into
two grand climatoiogical divisions by the
Cascades; these are Western Washington.
comprising all the counties to the west of
that range, and Eastern Washington. the
remainder Of the state.
In Western Washington the mean an
nual temperature ranges between S. de-
grees in the western half Of Lewis county
and AZ degrees along the middle Sound
coast line of Ciallam county. Comparing
the mean temperature for each month, we
find that the coolest month in the year is
January. with = mean Of 81 degrees. and
that from that month on the mean rises
about 4 degrees each month till July. when
the maximum 10 reached at 63 degrees;
from July to December tho mean de-
creases at rate Of about Z degrees each
month. The mean temperature of the
summer months is sensibly the same, be-
ing 60 in June. IS in July and 81 in Au-
gust When to this mild summer heat is
added the fact that the greatest number Of
clear and fair days occur at that time of
year, it will be seen that Western WASH
ington enjoys an ideal summer climate
that will compare favorably with portions
of the Golden State.
The mean annual temperature of East
ern Washington ranges between 81 deg,
the highest, in Walla county. and As deg,
the lowest, IN Stevens county. A COM
parison Of the mean temperature for each
month discloses the fact that, az in West
ern Washington, the coolest month 10
usually January. with q mean of % deg,
and the warmest month July, with mean
Of y deg. In this portion of the state the
mean monthly temperature rises rapidly
at rate of about s deg each month till
July is reached. when it falls at an equally
rapid rate till December. Between July
and August there Is difference of only
deg. in their mean temperature. Although
the mean annual temperature Of Western
and Eastern Washington is sensibly the
same, viz: so. deg. in the former and 40. Tin
the latter. the mean winter temperature in
Eastern Washington is much colder, and
the mean summer temperature much
warmer than that Of corresponding pc
RODS in Western Washington.
Typical curves of monthly mean tenn
perature for both Eastern and Western
Washington have been drawn by the obser-
yer for purpose Of comparison and brief
notice of these typical curves discloses
some interesting features. The mean
monthly temperature for January in
Western Washington. for instance, 10 usu.
ally about II deg. higher than that of
Eastern Washington; in February it is 8
degrees, while in March the difference is
only deg. From April to September, in
elusive. the conditions are reversed, the
monthly mean temperature in April
in Western Washington being deg.
higher than that of Eastern Washington,
s deg. in May. s deg. in June. 0 deg. in
July. 8 deg. In August and deg. in Sep
tember. From October to December, in
elusive, the former conditions again pre-
vail, the October mean being deg. higher
in Western than in Eastern Washington,
6 deg. in November and Sdeg. in December.
In short January, February, November
and December are much warmer, and
May, June, July and August much cooler
in Western Washington than the corre-