Weather in eastern Washington

By Billy hunter

Washington has four unique seasons with four different weather patterns

Eastern Washington also has what is referred to as the rainshadow effect. The rainshadow effect is large

amounts of moisture from the pacific going over the mountains and emptying over the mountains thus giving

us less rain or snow

One of the four seasons we have in eastern Washington is summer now it is a lot hotter here in eastern Washington than in western Washington during the summer because west has a natural air

conditioner called the pacific ocean now thanks to the cascades the cool ocean

breeze doesn’t each us so we get to bake in the summer all season long with

temps up to the three digits!

Eastern Washington Climate

• The Rainshadow Effect has a greater effect on Eastern Washington than Western Washington

Annual Rain Fall

Climate• Washington's climate varies

greatly from west to east. An oceanic climate (also called "west coast marine climate") predominates in western Washington, and a much drier semi-arid climate prevails east of the Cascade Range. Major factors determining Washington's climate include the large semi-permanent high pressure and low pressure systems of the

north Pacific Ocean, the continental air masses of North America, and the Olympic and Cascade mountains. In the spring and summer, a high pressure anticyclone system dominates the north Pacific Ocean, causing air to spiral out in a clockwise fashion.

Eastside Lakes of Washington

Consistently ranked as one of the most pristine waters in the United States, Lake Chelan’s 55 mile length acts as a natural conduit between the rugged mountain peaks up lake and the lush, fertile down lake valley. At 1,486 feet, Lake Chelan is the third deepest lake in the nation, extending nearly 400 feet below sea level.

Lake Chelan

Banks Lake

The reservoir is 27 miles long with 27,000 water surface acres. Fishing opportunities for smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, yellow perch, rainbow trout, walleye, kokanee, black crappie, bullhead, and whitefish.

Moses Lake

Moses Lake, on which the city lies, is made up of three main arms over 18 miles (29 km) long and up to one mile (1½ km) wide. It is the largest natural body of fresh water in Grant County and has over 120 miles (190 km) of shoreline covering 6,500 acres (2,600 ha). Before it was dammed in the early 1900s and then incorporated into the Columbia Basin Project, Moses Lake was a smaller, salty, shallow lake. One of its early names was "Salt Lake". [4] To the south of the town is the Potholes Wildlife reservation that has a number of seep lakes and vast amounts of migratory birds and other fauna natural to the area. .

Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake

The length of Franklin D. Roosevelt is over 150 miles, extending from, The width of the lake generally varies from one half to one miles.

Lake Wallula

Lake Wallula, stretching more than 50 miles in length with an average width of one mile.

Palouse hills•The Palouse hills are 4983ft tall at its highest point.

•They are located near the Blue Mountains.

•The Palouse hills extend into Oregon and also

in to Idaho.

Rattlesnake Hill Rattlesnake hill is 3629ft tall at its highest peak. It is located in Yakima valley.

Horse Heaven Hills

• Horse heaven hill is located near Yakima.

• It is 4327ft tall at the highest point and is estimated to be 7,000 to 12,000 yeas old.

Eastern Washington Shrubs

BY:ANNA BLACKBURN

Elderberry

Rocky Mountain Maple Leaves

Tall Oregon Grape

Green Rabbitbrush

Green Rabbit-Brush is a freely branched shrub. Also in 20-120cm

tall.

Scabland Sagebrush

High grass/ sagebrush plateau.

Wild Tarragon

Thrives in dry bothered places.

Spineless Horsebrush

Lives on dry slopes and blooms from July to August

Antelope Bitterbrush

Found east of the Cascades in dry areas.

PURPLE SAGE (FLOWER)

This sage occurs on dry slopes.

Coyote Willow

AKA: Narrow-leaf willow, River or Sandbar willow, Gray willow, Dusky willow, or Salix

exigua. It grows at low elevations on stabilized river bars and along streams from Alaska to

California.

Snow Berry

AKA: Poison berry or Soapberry.When eaten may cause nauseating or

dizziness

Granite Prickly Phlox

This shrub only opens it’s flowers at night.

SHRUBBY PENSTEMON

Used for medical purposes in Native American tribes.

Nootka Rose

The red fruit grows on the winter.

OCEAN SPRAY

AKA: Indian arrowwood, ironwood or creambush. It is common in eastern Washington and west of the Cascade

Mountains

By Shannon Smith

Eastern WashingtonWildflowers

Trumpet Bluebells

Common Sunflower

Bitterroot

Scarlet Gilia

Forget-Me-NotSupposedly knights wore these flowers before going into battle, so that their lovers wouldn’t forget them.

Also called dragon-tongue, the penstemon is known to collect rainwater and spit it out.

(You can also squeeze the petals.)

Yellow Bells are popular flowers grown in gardens, but if gardeners

are exposed to its sap, they will get itch, rashes, and

blisters.

Highly toxic, buttercups were once used by Native Americans for poison on spear tips and to poison coyotes that ate their smoked meat supply.

These flowers mock the orange tree blossoms so that animals don’t eat them. Real orange blossoms will make the animal sick.

Mock-orange

These cacti go through a dormant stage where the plant shrinks and retains water. Unlike other cacti, they can become dormant and survive in climates where there is lots of snow

Hedgehog Cactus

The only plant on earth with blue pollen on its stamen.

LARGE-FLOWERED COLLOMIA:

Indian Paintbrush

This plant can only be pollinated by the queen bumble bee.

Mountains

Blue MountainsThe Blue Mountains are characterized by a broad uplift, reaching elevations of more than 6,000 feet above sea level. In the Blue Mountains, Grande Ronde Basalt lavas of the Columbia River Basalt Group were extruded from northwest-trending fissures. Dikes now represent the locations of these vents

Red MountainEven so, among the rolling hills of eastern Washington's desert, Red Mountain's sloping hillside is a prominent landmark, storing radiant heat for the growing vines of the valley floor. The Yakima River flows nearby, helping moderate climate extremes, as do so many major rivers in wine country regions throughout the world.

Eastern Cascade Mountains

In the North Cascade Mountains, rising to an elevation 10,778 feet (Washington third largest peak), sits glorious Mt. Baker. Back in 1998-99 winter season Mt. Baker set the United States record of the most snow fall in a single season at 1,140 inches.

Eastern Washington grasses BY ERICA OSORIO

Squirrel tail Grass

Stiff needle grass

Bulbous bluegrass

Needle and thread grass

Grows in the Columbia Basin grasslands.

FOXTAIL BARLEY WITH LONG PURPLE AWNS

mature, dry, stiff seed heads break apart at the nodes, forming sharp pointed joints with long sharp awns which can stick into the nose

and mouth of grazers, penetrating the skin. There they can cause infection and sores.

Blue bunch wheatgrass is very drought resistant, tireless and adapted to balance of

bothered soils.

Cheat grass

This plant generally outcompetes native bunchgrasses as it draws moisture and nitrogen from the soil, and in

the end, produces hot wildfires resulting in sterile burns, suitable for its rapid spread and ultimate

power

River valleys

Columbia river valley

The Columbia River is a 1,200 mile river beginning in the Canadian Rockies and emptying into the Pacific Ocean. Some Native Americans call this river Nichi-wana which means The Big River before the inhibition of the white man the Columbia River was of great importance to the Native Americans and wildlife that lived off of the river

• .

You can river raft

Snake River Valley

The Snake River originates in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, at 9,500 feet and winds through southern Idaho before turning north to form the boundary between Idaho and Oregon. It joins the Columbia River at Columbia River Mile (RM) 325, near Pasco, Washington, at 340 feet in elevation and 1,036 miles from its source. The Snake River is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, with a total drainage area about the size of the State of Oregon. Lewis and Clark traveled down the Snake and reached the Columbia River on October 16, 1805. The men set up camp on a point where the Snake meets the Columbia, today the location of the Sacajawea State Park.

Types of trees in WashingtonWestern red cedar

MaroniPacific Yew

JuniperGrand fir

Western hemlockPines

Tamarac

Map of our major forest.

Our State tree is the western hemlock Tamaracks can be found in high elevations. There are 115 different types of pines. Western cedars can grow 130-200 feet in the wild. Junipers grow low to the ground and don’t get very tall.

An evergreen tree is gymnosperm conifer, a tree that keeps its leaves through all seasons and has seed-bearing cones instead of nuts or flowers.

.

Our forest have been in decline over the last 20 years because we are cutting them down faster than we plant them.

Approximately 21 million acres in Washington are forested. Eighteen million acres are classified at "timberland" of which two million are dedicated to non timber production such as parks and wilderness areas. Major owners of Washington commercial forest lands from

National forests (federal) - 5 million acres Tribal-owned forest land - 1.38 million acres Timber industry owned lands - 4.61 million acres Non-industrial private forest landowners (also referred to small forest land owners and small tree farmers) - 2.96 million acres State and local - 2.23 million acres

Snoqualmie River Valley

It hosts runs of winter and summer steelhead as well as four species of Pacific Salmon. Silvers and pink salmon with a few Chinook and chum joining the mix. The Snoqualmie hosts an excellent run of sea-run cutthroat which are available from August until high water raises the river in late fall.

The Snoqualmie River is a 45-mile long river in King County and Snohomish County

Cowlitz River Valley

Fish in this river valley Steelhead Salmon

105 miles in length and has three major hydroelectric dams.

Satsop River Valley

The Satsop river provides good to excellent winter steelhead (Dec - March) as well as some good summer steelhead fishing. Good cutthroat fishing can also be found here from July thru Oct. Silvers can be caught here from Nov into Feb. Satsop joins the Chehalis River 3 miles south of the community of Satsop.

The Satsop river valley is 48.5 miles long.

Skagit River Valley

The Salmon, Steelhead, and Cutthroat Trout are the fast food for this river valley.

By Irish

o When there is little or no rain in Thurston or Grays Harbor counties, but heavy rain in Lewis and Pacific counties this causes flooding to occur later than normal.

o When heavy rain falls in Grays Harbor County, but not in Thurston or Lewis counties, feeder streams can fill the Chehalis and cause water to "back up" into Thurston County.

Chehalis River valleyChinook salmon Coho

• Length 115 mi (185 km)

Newaukum River valley

• The word Newaukum means “big prairie”• The Newaukum river flows 10.9 miles

before emptying into the Chehalis.

Vegetation in Western WashingtonBigleaf Maple

Bitter Cherry

Black Cottonwood

Black Hawthorn

CascaraDouglas’ Maple

Grand fir

Orange Honeysuckle

Hairy honeysuckle Trailing Blackberries

Our River Valleys

Floods of the River Valleys • IN 2007 The Chehalis river Valley flooded into the

town of Chehalis causing major damage to the roadways.

• In 2009 the Newaukum River Valley flooded at 2pm on a Wednesday.

• In 2009 the Satsop River Valley flooded at 8:30 am on January 7th followed by the Snoqualmie River Flood.

• In the winter of 2009 the Cowlitz flooded causing roads to be unusable.

THE ISLANDS OF WASHINGTON….

The San Juan consists of deep green forests and sparkling clear water.

SAN JUAN ISLANDS

Count on temperatures around 70° in the summer and 40° in the winter.

Orca Whales can be seen swimming from the shore.

Summer in Washington’s San Juan Islands is all about the weather, whales, and water. The

Olympic Peninsula’s rain shadow effect (basically, the mountains block rain-producing

weather systems) produces dry, clear, comfortable days on the San Juan’s islands……

Ocean: The temperature of the Pacific Ocean to the west stays fairly constant year-around, about 55° F (13° C). The ocean acts as a vast heat-sink moderating temperatures in western Washington. Warm winters (40's and 50's F, 4-14° C) and cool summers (60's and 70's F, 18-25° C) are the norm on Fidalgo Island. Bringing rain, moderating temperatures and delivering storms, the ocean is the major influence on climate in the Pacific Northwest US

Beginning around 18,000 years ago, these islands were sculpted by the Cordilleran ice sheet. The soil left behind is called Vashon till: sand, rocks and clay. It is similar to the glacial moraines seen in mountains

ISLAND COUNTY

San Juan

Island County

ClimateThe weather patterns over a long

period of time.

Ashton Steggall

The Climate in Western Washington

West coast marine climate is located in the lowlands of western Washington. This climate is mild with plenty of moisture throughout the year.

Climatic Regions of Washington

Precipitation amounts range from 16 to 200 inches a year. Most areas within this climatic region receive 30 to 60 inches. Much of the moisture falls from October to May.

Summer temperatures are mild, normally ranging from 65 to 85 degrees. Temperatures may occasionally reach the high 90s.

Winter temperatures are mild and range from 35 to 55 degrees. Temperatures below 32 degrees are rare. And subzero readings are uncommon.

Western Washington Vegetation

Different types and varieties.

Ashton Steggall

This is a Vine Maple, it is native to Western Washington.

This is a Cascara branch in the fall.

This is Bleeding heart in full bloom.

Shrub Tree

Groundcover

This is Yellow monkey-flower,

it is in full bloom.

Groundcover

This is a Slough sledge.

Grass-Like

Vine

This is an Orange Honeysuckle

The Plateaus in Western

Washington

By: Paola Carrillo

What is a Plateau?

A plateau is a land area having a relatively level surface considerably raised above adjoining land on

at least one side, and often cut by deep canyons.

Columbia PlateauThe Columbia Plateau

lies across Washington, Oregon and part of Idaho. It is a basalt plateau between the Rocky Mountains and the Cascade Range and it is cut by the Columbia River. Some of the cities located in this plateau

lies across parts of the U.S. states of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.[1] It is a wide flood basalt plateau between the Cascade Range and the Rocky Mountains, cut through by the Columbia River.

Mt Rainier

Mount Rainier is a massive stratovolcano located 54 miles (87 km) southeast of Seattle, United States It is the most prominent mountain in the contiguous United States and the Cascade Volcanic Arc, with a summit elevation of 14411 feet (4,392 m). Mt. Rainier is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world, and it is on the Decade Volcano list. Because of its large amount of glacial ice, Mt. Rainier could potentially produce massive lahars that would threaten the whole Puyallup River valley.

The Olympic Mountains

The Olympic mountains are a mountain range on the Olympic peninsula of western Washington. The mountains, part of the pacific coastal range, are not especially high, the highest point is only at 7,962ft.

Mount St. Helens.

Mount St. Helens is an active stratovolcano located in Skamania County, Washington, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is 96 miles (154 km) south of Seattle, Washington and 50 miles (80 km) northeast of Portland, Oregon. Mount St. Helens takes its English name from the British diplomat Lord St Helens, a friend of explorer George Vancouver who made a survey of the area in the late 18th century. The volcano is located in the Cascade Range and is part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, a segment of the Pacific Ring of Fire that includes over 160 active volcanoes. This volcano is well known for its ash explosions and pyroclastic flows.

Cascade Mountain’sby iridian mascote

Base elevation - 820 ft. Summit elevation – 10,000 ft.Vertical elevation – 460 ft. Many of the Cascade peaks rise to an elevation of 5,000 to 8,000 feat above sea level.

Information of Cascade Mountain’s

In the North Cascade Mountains, rising to an elevation 10,778 feet (Washington third largest peak),

• About one hundred to one hundred fifty miles east of where the Pacific Ocean pounds the edge of the North American continent, a 700-mile stretch of playground runs from southern British Columbia, the length of Washington state and Oregon, and into northern California. Known as the Cascade Mountain range, it is comprised of more than a dozen major peaks - many exceeding 10,000 feet in height - and many smaller mountains and buttes in California.

The Cascades

Climate

• The western slope of the Cascade

mountains has a high climate

above 3,000 feet. The lower

elevation has a west coast marine

climate. The highland climate can

change very quickly. As storms

push in from the Pacific, thick

clouds form and release heavy rain

or snow.

Hills in Western Washington

Brandy Woodward

Willapa Hills

Willapa hill is located in south western Washington.

The highest peak of

Willapa Hills is

3,087 ft.

Seattle sunset over the Olympic

Foothills

The area over the Olympic Foothills are 756 sq. mi. The highest peak is 5641 ft.

Highland climate• Summers are short and winters are

long cold and wet • Precipitation from September to

June • received a total of 1124 in. of snow

between November 1 1998 and May 12 1999.

West side Washington weather!!By Betsy Gonzalez

Weather• The state of the atmosphere at a given time

and place, with respect to variables such as temperature, moisture, wind velocity

Olympic Peninsula & West Coast

Olympic Peninsula & West Coast

Average annual temperatures High °F Low °F Place 58 44 Aberdeen 59 41 Clearwater 59 42 Forks 58 41 Friday Harbor, San Juan Island 58 44 Grayland 57 43 Long Beach 55 45 Port Angeles

Average temperatures of the year!!

• San Juan Islands, Puget Sound & South• Average temperatures for the year High °F Low °F• 60 44 Anacortes • 58 42 Bellingham • 60 44 Bremerton • 61 43 Everett • 62 43 Longview • 58 42 Olga, Orcas Island • 61 41 Olympia• 59 45 Port Townsend• 61 46 Seattle• 62 45 Tacoma• 62 42 Vancouver

Climate• The meteorological conditions, including

temperature, precipitation, and wind, that characteristically prevail in a particular region.

West coast marine Climate • Mild and plenty of moisture throughout the

year. Precipitation 16 to 200 inches per year.

• Most areas receive 30 to 60 in. • Summer temperatures raging 65 to 85

degrees.

Highland climate• Summers are short and winters are long

cold and wet • Precipitation from September to June • received a total of 1124 in. of snow

between November 1 1998 and May 12 1999.

By,

Melissa Gray

Western Washington’s Coastal Plain

What is a coastal plain?• An extensive, low-relief area that is

bounded by the sea on one side and by a high-relief province on the landward side.

Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/coastal-plain-2#ixzz1liY3uTp4

About our coastal plain• Much of our plain lies near or along our Pacific

coastline, so we refer to it as a coastal plain. • The coastal plain varies greatly from one

location the next. The southern coastal areas are gently sloping with wide sandy beaches. In contrast, the northern coastline is rugged with steep cliffs jutting from the ocean.

• Within our coastal plain there are numerous harbors and bays. They provide protection from violent surf and ocean storms.