The Seattle Republican., 1900-11-23
THE CLIMATE OF WASHINGTON
Seattle. Wash. Nov. 20. 1900.

Seattle, Wash, Nov. 20, 1900.
The Pacific coast states are pos
sessed Of a climate peculiar to the
coast, and little understood by peo-
pie of the East as a rule. Both Ore
gon and Washington may be said to
each have two different climates,
varying greatly, produced by differ
ent causes herein discussed. It is
with the climate Of the state of
Washington, however, with which
this article will deal, the data being
compiled from government statistics
and local observations, being a syn
opsis of an exhaustive article on the
subject written by Prof. W. N. Al
len, of Washington state.
Truly, state wherein may be
found almost every phase. of genial
climes-the salubrity Of England,
tempered by the japanese current,
oceanward, and by eternal snow
capped mountains, landward, with
no few and wonderful glaciers lnrM
ing at their base; summer sunshine,
mingled with warm rains in social
ed Winter months, points where zero
weather never comes, where health
conditions are always favorable, and
midst scenery unequalled elsewhere
in America, Westinghouse little
understood and so much misunder-
stood-is entitled to general study
and better acquaintance. Of its
wonderful scenery more anon. Its
climate is Of primal importance.
A well-known United States
weather bureau official, H. F. Alicia
tore, has well said: 'For equability
and mildness of climate, absence OF
either very hot or very cold waves,
and freedom from destructive lorna
does or cyclones Washington stands
foremost among the favored states
of the American Union"
The climate Of Washington Is
much more equable than that OF
other states situated in correspond
ing latitudes. The daily and season
al range of temperature which SO
greatly affects climate everywhere is
not great in this state. The mean
temperature for the month of Janu-
ary. which is usually the coldest
month in the year, is 352 degrees
This is the average Of the mean Jan
uary temperature for ten years, taken
at stations distributed throughout
the entire state. A similar average
for July, usually the hottest month
gives GIG degrees. These aver
ages cannot be far from the true OF
normal temperature for January anc
July. The difference between these
is 29.4 degrees, the seasonal range
A comparison Of the difference be-
tween the winter and summer TEN
perature in Idaho, Montana, NORTH
Dakota, Wisconsin or Michigan, al
of which lie in the same latitude a.
Washington, with the seasona
change in this state will show tha
it is comparatively low. To thi
fact may be attributed the entire alb
sence Of sudden changes or violen
disturbances Of the atmosphere with
in the state. The average of thes'
two extremes, the temperature o
January and July, gives little les
than so degrees for the mean annua
temperature Of the state. This is
however, about one degree above tn
true or normal temperature.
The daily range, or the differenc
between the daily maximum an
minimum temperatures, is likewis
comparatively low throughout tn
yeaE The climate of Washington
free from extreme variations Of hea
or cold. The highest temperature c
the summer months gradually low
ers to the lowest Of the winte
months. The change is almost in
perceptible, especially west Of tn
Cascade mountains, where tn
flowers bloom and the grass is gree
all the year.
This equability Of climate or tn
range in the daily and season