Thursday, April 6, 2017

Temperatures

The average annual temperature ranges from 51 °F (11 °C) on the Pacific coast to 40 °F (4 °C) in the northeast. The lowest temperature recorded in the state was −48 °F (−44 °C) in Winthrop and Mazama. The highest recorded temperature in the state was 118 °F (48 °C) at Ice Harbor Dam. Both records were set east of the Cascades. Western Washington is known for its mild climate, considerable fog, frequent cloud cover and long-lasting drizzles in the winter, and warm, temperate summers. The Eastern region occasionally experiences extreme climate. Arctic cold fronts in the winter and heat waves in the summer are not uncommon. In the Western region, temperatures have reached as high as 112 °F (44 °C) in Marietta-Alderwood.[19][not in citation given] and as low as −20 °F (−29 °C) in Longview.[20][not in citation given]
[hide]Climate data for Washington State (1895-2015)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 74
(23)		 83
(28)		 95
(35)		 103
(39)		 107
(42)		 113
(45)		 118
(48)		 118
(48)		 111
(44)		 99
(37)		 83
(28)		 74
(23)		 118
(48)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 60
(16)		 64
(18)		 73
(23)		 86
(30)		 94
(34)		 102
(39)		 109
(43)		 106
(41)		 98
(37)		 84
(29)		 67
(19)		 60
(16)		 112
(44)
Average high °F (°C) 34.8
(1.6)		 40.6
(4.8)		 47.7
(8.7)		 55.9
(13.3)		 63.6
(17.6)		 69.9
(21.1)		 78.0
(25.6)		 77.3
(25.2)		 69.4
(20.8)		 57.2
(14)		 43.2
(6.2)		 36.2
(2.3)		 56.15
(13.43)
Average low °F (°C) 23.0
(−5)		 26.0
(−3.3)		 29.6
(−1.3)		 34.2
(1.2)		 40.1
(4.5)		 45.7
(7.6)		 50.5
(10.3)		 50.0
(10)		 44.7
(7.1)		 37.2
(2.9)		 29.9
(−1.2)		 25.3
(−3.7)		 36.35
(2.42)
Mean minimum °F (°C) −19
(−28)		 −8
(−22)		 −2
(−19)		 14
(−10)		 21
(−6)		 26
(−3)		 31
(−1)		 31
(−1)		 24
(−4)		 16
(−9)		 2
(−17)		 −8
(−22)		 −20
(−29)
Record low °F (°C) −42
(−41)		 −40
(−40)		 −25
(−32)		 −7
(−22)		 11
(−12)		 20
(−7)		 22
(−6)		 20
(−7)		 11
(−12)		 −5
(−21)		 −29
(−34)		 −48
(−44)		 −48
(−44)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 6.08
(154.4)		 4.61
(117.1)		 4.23
(107.4)		 2.87
(72.9)		 2.31
(58.7)		 1.89
(48)		 0.85
(21.6)		 1.02
(25.9)		 1.93
(49)		 3.67
(93.2)		 6.22
(158)		 6.52
(165.6)		 42.2
(1,071.8)
Source #1: "Office of the Washington State Climatologist". OWSC. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
Source #2: "Comparative Data for the Western States.". WRCC. Retrieved July 27, 2016.
Average daily high and low temperatures in °F (°C)
in cities and other locations in Washington
colored and sortable by average temperature
Place Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Bellingham[21] 48 / 36
(9 / 2)		 50 / 36
(10 / 2)		 54 / 39
(12 / 4)		 59 / 42
(15 / 6)		 64 / 47
(18 / 8)		 69 / 51
(21 / 11)		 73 / 54
(23 / 12)		 74 / 54
(23 / 12)		 68 / 50
(20 / 10)		 59 / 45
(15 / 7)		 51 / 39
(11 / 4)		 46 / 35
(8 / 2)
Ephrata[22] 35 / 22
(2 / −6)		 43 / 26
(6 / −3)		 54 / 32
(12 / 0)		 63 / 38
(17 / 3)		 72 / 46
(22 / 8)		 80 / 54
(27 / 12)		 88 / 60
(31 / 16)		 87 / 59
(31 / 15)		 78 / 50
(26 / 10)		 62 / 39
(17 / 4)		 45 / 29
(7 / −2)		 34 / 21
(1 / −6)
Forks[23] 47 / 36
(8 / 2)		 49 / 35
(9 / 2)		 51 / 37
(11 / 3)		 55 / 39
(13 / 4)		 60 / 43
(16 / 6)		 63 / 48
(17 / 9)		 67 / 51
(19 / 11)		 69 / 51
(21 / 11)		 66 / 47
(19 / 8)		 58 / 42
(14 / 6)		 50 / 38
(10 / 3)		 46 / 35
(8 / 2)
Paradise[24] 35 / 23
(2 / −5)		 36 / 22
(2 / −6)		 38 / 24
(3 / −4)		 42 / 26
(6 / −3)		 49 / 32
(9 / 0)		 55 / 36
(13 / 2)		 63 / 43
(17 / 6)		 65 / 44
(18 / 7)		 58 / 40
(14 / 4)		 48 / 33
(9 / 1)		 37 / 25
(3 / −4)		 34 / 21
(1 / −6)
Richland[25] 41 / 29
(5 / −2)		 47 / 30
(8 / −1)		 58 / 35
(14 / 2)		 65 / 41
(18 / 5)		 73 / 48
(23 / 9)		 80 / 54
(27 / 12)		 88 / 59
(31 / 15)		 88 / 58
(31 / 14)		 78 / 50
(26 / 10)		 64 / 40
(18 / 4)		 49 / 34
(9 / 1)		 38 / 27
(3 / −3)
Seattle[26] 47 / 37
(8 / 3)		 50 / 37
(10 / 3)		 54 / 39
(12 / 4)		 59 / 42
(15 / 6)		 65 / 47
(18 / 8)		 70 / 52
(21 / 11)		 76 / 56
(24 / 13)		 76 / 56
(24 / 13)		 71 / 52
(22 / 11)		 60 / 46
(16 / 8)		 51 / 40
(11 / 4)		 46 / 36
(8 / 2)
Spokane[27] 35 / 24
(2 / −4)		 40 / 25
(4 / −4)		 49 / 31
(9 / −1)		 57 / 36
(14 / 2)		 67 / 43
(19 / 6)		 74 / 50
(23 / 10)		 83 / 55
(28 / 13)		 83 / 55
(28 / 13)		 73 / 46
(23 / 8)		 58 / 36
(14 / 2)		 42 / 29
(6 / −2)		 32 / 22
(0 / −6)
Vancouver[28] 47 / 33
(8 / 1)		 51 / 33
(11 / 1)		 56 / 37
(13 / 3)		 60 / 40
(16 / 4)		 67 / 45
(19 / 7)		 72 / 50
(22 / 10)		 78 / 54
(26 / 12)		 79 / 53
(26 / 12)		 75 / 48
(24 / 9)		 63 / 41
(17 / 5)		 52 / 37
(11 / 3)		 46 / 32
(8 / 0)
Winthrop[29] 31 / 15
(−1 / −9)		 39 / 18
(4 / −8)		 51 / 26
(11 / −3)		 62 / 32
(17 / 0)		 71 / 40
(22 / 4)		 78 / 46
(26 / 8)		 86 / 50
(30 / 10)		 86 / 49
(30 / 9)		 78 / 41
(26 / 5)		 62 / 32
(17 / 0)		 42 / 25
(6 / −4)		 29 / 14
(−2 / −10)
Yakima[30] 39 / 23
(4 / −5)		 46 / 26
(8 / −3)		 56 / 30
(13 / −1)		 64 / 34
(18 / 1)		 72 / 42
(22 / 6)		 80 / 48
(27 / 9)		 88 / 53
(31 / 12)		 87 / 52
(31 / 11)		 78 / 44
(26 / 7)		 64 / 34
(18 / 1)		 48 / 27
(9 / −3)		 36 / 21
(2 / −6)

Flora and fauna

Black-tailed deer graze at Deer Park in Olympic National Park
See also: List of flora of Washington (state), List of fauna of Washington (state), and List of federal lands in Washington (state)
Forests cover 52% of the state's land area, mostly west of the North Cascades. Approximately two-thirds of Washington's forested area is publicly owned, including 64% of federal land.[31] Other common trees and plants in the region are camassia, Douglas fir, hemlock, penstemon, ponderosa pine, western red cedar, and many species of ferns.[32] The state's various areas of wilderness offer sanctuary, with substantially large populations of shorebirds and marine mammals. The Pacific shore surrounding the San Juan Islands are heavily inhabited with killer, gray and humpback whales.[33]
Mammals native to the state include the bat, black bear, bobcat, cougar, coyote, deer, elk, gray wolf, moose, mountain beaver, muskrat, opossum, pocket gopher, raccoon, river otter, skunk, and tree squirrel.[34] Because of the wide range of geography, the State of Washington is home to several different ecoregions which allow for a varied range of bird species. This range includes raptors, shorebirds, woodland birds, grassland birds, ducks, and others.[35] There have also been a large number of species introduced to Washington, dating back to the early 1700s, including horses and burros.[36] The channel catfish, lamprey, and sturgeon are among the 400 known freshwater fishes.[37][38] Along with the Cascades frog, there are several forms of snakes that define the most prominent reptiles and amphibians.[39][40] Coastal bays and islands are often inhabited by plentiful amounts of shellfish and whales. There are five species of salmon that ascend the Western Washington area, from streams to spawn.[33]
Washington has a variety of National Park Service units. Among these are the Alta Lake State Park, Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, San Juan Islands National Wildlife Refuge, as well as three national parks, the Olympic National Park, North Cascades National Park and Mount Rainier National Park.[41] The three national parks were established between 1899 and 1968. Almost 95% (876,517 acres, 354,714 hectares, 3,547.14 square kilometers) of Olympic National Park's area has been designated as wilderness under the National Wilderness Preservation System.[42] Additionally, there are 143 state parks and 9 national forests, run by the Washington State Park System and the United States Forest Service.[43] The Okanogan National Forest is the largest national forest located on the West Coast, encompassing 1,499,023 acres (606,633 ha). It is managed together as the Okanogan–Wenatchee National Forest, encompassing a considerablely larger area of around 3,239,404 acres (1,310,940 ha).[44]
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