The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1915-12-31
SOUTHERN IDAHO
CLIMATE LEADS
Our Climate Best to Be FOnnd West
of the Rockies

He who for the first time seeks in
southern Idaho is usually surprised
first by the wide variety of conditions
to be found, and second by the fact
that everywhere the climate is milde1
and more equable than that found at
the corresponding latitude and ele-
vation east of the Rocky mountains.
es from about 36 degrees in the
neighborhood of the SawtootL noun
tains to about SIS degrees along the
middle reaches of the Snake River.
This is a range greater than that
found in going from Bismark, N. D.,
to st. Louis, Mo. The mean annual
precipitation ranges from about 8
inches in parts of the Snake River
Plain, to about 38 inches in the Sew
en- Devils mountains. This is a
range equal to that found in travel
ing from Albany, NJ Y, to Phoenix,
Ariz
The agricultural portion of south
eastern Idaho, embracing the great
valley of the upper Snake River to-
gether with the valleys of its tribu-
taries, as well as the Lost River Re-
gion and the valleys of Bear River
and Bear Lake, has a mean annual
temperature ranging from about 40
degrees to 4S degrees. This is about
the temperature of Wisconsin and
central and southern Minnesota, ex-
cept that in Idaho the winters are
milder and the summers cooler.
Pocatello has a winter temperature
agreeing closely with that of Bloom
ington, Ills, while its summer tenn
perature is the same as that at Eau
Claire, Wis. At Idaho Falls the
summer temperature is like that OF
Fargo, N. D., while the winter tenn
perature is almost as high as that Of
Des Moines, Iowa. There is some
below zero temperature in winter,
particularly in the higher districts,
and in summer there are few days
with temperature above 95 degrees.
The summer temperatures are not
oppressive, however, owing to the
prevailing low relative humidity.
The precipitation in the broader
valleys and on the open plains of
southeastern Idaho ranges general
ly from 10 to Is inches annually.
There are a few places with less than
10 inches while in the foothills great
er amounts are received. Consider
able areas Of the higher lands are de-
voted to dry farming, but the lower
lands are irrigated. The heaviest
precipitation is in the winter and
spring months, but good showers in
summer are not uncommon. Snow
lies on the ground during much of
the winter, particularly in the more
elevated districts. Sunshine is
abundant during the growing season.
In the agricultural portion of
southwestern and extreme southern
Idaho, embracing the lower part of
the Snake River Plain together with
the lower valleys of the Wood, Boise,
Payette, Weiser and Bruneau rivers,
the mean annual temperature ranges
from 48 degrees to 55 degrees, which
is about the temperature found in
southern Iowa and northern Mis-
souri, At Boise the winter tempera-
ture is like that of Wichita, Kansas,
while the summer temperature COM
pares closely with that of Lacrosse,
Wisconsin.
I The change in temperature from
day to day is less than in other sec
tions. At Boise, in January, it aver
ages Al degrees while at Wichita
the average for the same month is
6 z degrees. In the last Is years,
there have been IL days at Boise
with temperature below zero, the
lowest in that period being degrees
below Temperatures of 100 de-
grees or higher are experienced in
the warmer portions of this section
every year, but these are invariably
by low relative humid
ity and heat prostrations are practi-
cally unknown.
The precipitation in this section !
ranges generally from 8 to 13 inch
es and is generally insufficient for
ever, some Of the foothill districts
have as much as 20 inches annually,
and in such districts crops are grown
irrigation. The heaviest pre-
cipitation is in the winter months,
but good rains occur in the spring |
and fall, and occasionally in sum-
mer. The precipitation is largely in
the form OF, rain. Snow enough for
sloi o binp som fi1nae falls h11f py- |