El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1897-08-24

| Under the direction of Secretary OF
Agricu ture James Wilson, Willis l..
Moore, chief of the weather bureau,
gives out the following:
U. S. Dept. OF AGRIC E. W'R BUR'U
| WASHINGTON, d. c., July 20, 1897.
| THE CLIMATE OF ALASKA.
| The general conception of Alaskan
climate is largely due to those who
| follow the s. a, and this is Lot strange
when we consider the vast extent of
| shore line lover 26, 900 miles, possessed
by that territory. The climates OF the
coast and the interior are unlike in
many respects, and the differences are
intensified in this as perhaps in few
other countries by exceptional physical
conditions. The natural contrast be-
tween land and sea is here tremendous
water that impiDgeS on the coast OF
British Columb ia, one branch flowing
northward toward Sitka, and thence
westward to the Kadiak and Shumagin
islands. The fringe of islands that
separates the mainland from the Pacific
ocean and Dixon sound nOrthward, and
also a strip of the mainland for possibly
20 miles back from the sea, following
the sweep of the coast as it curves to
the northweslward to the western ex-
tremity of Alaska, form distinct eli
matte division which may be termed
temperate Alaska.
The temperature rarely falls to zero:
winter does not set In until about De-
cember l, and by the last of May the
snow has disappeared except on the
mountains. The mean winter tempe
nature of Sitka is 32.5 degrees, but lit
tie less than that of Washing on, D. G..
influence, places farther inland but not
over the coast range of mountains, as
KillisnOO and Juneau, have also a mild
temperature throughout the winter
months. TIE temperature changes
from month to month in temperate
Alaska are small, not exceeding % de-
grees from midwinter to midsummer.
The average temperature of July, the
warmest month of summer, rarely
reaches 55 degrees and the highest
temperature for a single day seldom
reaches IS degrees.
The rainfall of temperate Alaska is
notorious the world over not only as
regards the quantity that falls, but also
as to the manner of its falling, viz:
In long and incessant rains and driz-
zles. Cloud and fog naturally abound,
there being on an average but 66 clear
days in the year.
Alaska is a land of striking contrasts
both in climate as we'll as topography.
When the sun shines, the atmosphere
is remarkably clear, the scenic effects
are magnificent, all nature seems to be
in holiday attire. But the scene may
change very quickly: the sky becomes
overcast: the winds increase in force:
rain begins to fall: the evergreeus sigh
ominous!y, and utter Isolation and
loneliness prevail.
North of the Atlantic islands the
coast climate becomes more rigorous in
winter, but in summer the differenre is
much less marked. Thus, at ST. Mi
chaels, a short distance above the
mouth of the Yukon, the mean summer
temperature is so degrees, but 4 de-
grees cooler than at Sitka. The mean
summer temperature of Point Barrow,
the most nOrtherly point n the Uni, ed
States, is 36.S degrees, but four tenths
of degree less than the temperature
of the air flowing across the summit of
Pixies Peak, Colorado.
The rainfall of the coast region north
of the Yukon delta is small, diminish
ing to less than 10 inches within the
Arctic circle.
The climate of the interior, includ
ing in that designation, practically all
of the country except narrow fringe
of coastal margin and the territory be-
fore referred to as temperate Alaska,
il one of extreme rigOr in winter, with
relatively hot summer, esp ecially
when the sky is free from cloud.
In the Klondike region in midwinter
the sun rises from $3.50 to 10 a. m. and