The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-08-25

Through the kindness os Local Observer
G. ~ salisbury the Post-InteEiigencer nas
received some advance ehsets from me
weather bureau, department 81 agriculture.
Washington. =. C.. coucerntns the climate
81 Alaska Il view Of the general attsTi-
tor which that territory is now receiving
these Official statements concerning It's
cllma;oloSy VIII doubtless be read with
much interest.
Under the direction % Secretary Wilson.
Wills l. Moore. chief Of the weather pu-
reau issues the following statement:
The general conception OF Alaskan cli-
mate is largely due to those who follow
the sea, and this is not strange when we
consider the vast extent OF shore Tine. over
2. coo miles. possessed by that territory.
The climates of the coast ard the interior
are unlike IN many respects. and the dtf-
ferences are intensified IN this as, perhaps,
in few other countries by exceptional
physical conditions. The natural contrast
between land and sea IL here tremendously
increased By the current OF water that inn
plnEes on the coast Of British Columbia
one branch flowing noTthward toward Sit
ka and thence westward 20 the Kadiak ard
Shumagin islands. TIE fringe of islands
that separates the mainland from the Pa
ciic ocean from Dixon sound northWard.
and also strip OF the mainland for possi-
bly, twenty miles hack from the sea. fol-
loving the sweep OF the coast as II curves
to the northvestward to the western ex-
tremity OF Alaska, form a distinct cli-
matte division. which may be termed
temperate Alaska.
The temperature rarely falls 10 zero;
winter does not set In till about December
T. and by the last Of May the snow has
disappeared. except on the mountains.
The mean winter temperature OF Sitka is
12.5. but little less than that OF Washing
r. r.
the sea influence. places further inland.
bat not over the Coast range mountains
as Killisnoo and Juneau. have also mild
temperature throughout the winter months.
The temperature changes from month to
month In temperate Alaska are small. not
exceeding . degrees from midwinter to
midsummer The average temperature of
July. the warmest month Of summer. rare
~ reaches s. degrees. and the highest tenn
perature for a single day seldom reaches
Ts degrees.
The rainfall Of temperate Alaska IS no.
torions the world over not only as re-
CARDS the quantity that falls. but also
IS to The manner Of lis falling viz in
long and incessaut rains and drizzles
Cloud and fog naturally abound there be-
ing on an average but sixty-six clear days
in tho year
Alaska is a land OF striking contrasts.
both in climate. as well as IN topography.
When the sun shines the atmosphere is re-
markahiy clear the scenic effects are
maEniiceut all nature seems 10 be In
holiday attire. But the scene changes
very Quickly. the sky becomes overcast;
tho winds Increase in force: rain begins to
fan; the evergreens sigh omlnously: and
utter desolation and loneliness prevail
North Of the Aleutian islands the coast
climate becomes more rigorous in winter,
but in summer the difference Is much less
marked Thus. az 81. Michaels a short
distance above the mouth of the Yukon.
the mean summer temperature is 50 de-
groes. only degrees cooler than AT Siti-a.
Tho mean summer temperature at Point
Farrow the most northeriv point IN the
tfrited States is 3eS ONLY four-tenfhs Of
a degree less than the temperature OF the
afr flowing across the summit OF Pixies
Peak col
TIE rainfall of the coas REGION north
Of the Yukon delta Is small, diminishing
- less than ten inches within the Arctic
circle.
The climate Of the interior including
within that signation practically all the
country except Q narrow fringe or coastal
marTln and the territory before referred
% IS temperate Alaska. IS one OF OK
trerne rigor in winter. with a brief, hut
relatively hot summer, especially when the
sky r. free from clouds.
In the Kfondike region in nni8wlnfer the
sun rises from ESQ 20 10 O'Clock a. m and
SETS from . 70 =, m. the total length 81
/ daylight being about four hours. pemem-
I herring that the sun rises but n few de-
grees above the horizon. and that Il IS
/ wholly obscure8 on a great many days.
the character II the winter months may be
easily imagined
we are Indebted 10 the United States
coast and gcodetlc survey for a series Of
six months observations on the Yukon
Ma g ~ s. sre,TF
discoveries. The observations were mode
With standard INSTRUMENTS and are Who'll
/ - reliable The mean temperature Of the
months Oet0ber, 1850 10 Aoril 1890, beth
/ inclusive = follows. October e above
Zero Novru,her 3 above: December II
/ below: January. e below r bruarv. Is
! below Marra. &c above. April % above.
/ Thc daiiy mean temperature fen and re-
| uislng5 below the freezing point from No
/ vehu7heF 20 April n. thus Swing rs DAVIS
rs the length ~ the closed season 1880.
assuming thar cgt3aof operations are con-
{ tralea by tanspera turc 1nlw. TIE lowest
/ temperature registered durius tae winter
were November So below, h december C
below. January. g below. February IS
below March t- low AprH - below.
{ l'hc ETasteEt continuous cod occurred in
+ February. wAen the datly wean FER eve
consecutive DAYS was A. degrees Ne'ow
Eero TIE weather moderated s,iT tlv
slsaas tho fat of Mares hHs the temporal
tuve stan remained below the freezing
point. Generally e}otsfv weatfe~ prevail
/ "a ere being bUt three consecutive DAYS
~ clear weather i0 ANY ore naonth dgrluE
the whole winter. snow FELL on a5o9E cno-
shEcd ~ The DAVIS iB winter.
Greater cola thsn thaE here noted has
s been experienced ln the United States for
F 2 very saert sirne bct never has Il COM
tIuaed - very c1jd for - tong a time n
IRE inteFiur 81 Alaska IRE winter sats i7
as esriv as September. when STOW storms
may he expected ia the mountains ara
rs ssss tEea1wsv dHFlnr oue - These
! storms b. lrapasa be ara ihe traveller who
i~ svarsa&sn hv fhem ts ind-e5 FORTUNATE
+ 10 Sc ee-er~e wtth hls q To- Snow storms
NJ s-ea, severity may coyu~ in any month
( r. a September to M8y inclusive
TIE changes 0f tezGaersIuFa from wi-ter
-a sssusser are rsrt8 aw nx to the great
.erTs 'H tge length ef THE Gay n Nav
( .as -ua rfees ahou; 3 o'clo-s a. SRI. and SETS
Ht shout 8 o'e'ock ~. II Jura s rlses
aHoas : En- 1r'e& Fra ths morning au7 ee.s
a. about r - 81 m-. swung ahout twertv
hours az DAYS Tft snt 8inase tVglleAf ffc
: remainder 20 the ttnr
TIE meas el-UHa@r geHnpara sure 81 rh~
}ue g5ar 81ae.scEs rar yes between 81 a~a p
degrees according te elaTastan being
+ h.Eeese In the Esl&33s and lower Yukon
( walters
Gel. Martha On boundary Greek