THE NORTHWEST’S INLAND SEA: WINDY, DRY, OR WET Three weather patterns mark west- ern Washington’s climate. North- easters roar down the Fraser River Valley, spilling over Bellingham and the San Juan Islands all the way to Sequim and dropping temperatures 20°F (11°C) in a few hours, which can kill otherwise hardy plants. The rain shadow—protected from rainstorms by Olympic and Van- couver Island mountains—covers much of the same area, holding rainfall at 15 to 30 in. per year. Pacifi c storms drench the rest of Puget Sound with 36 to 66 in. of annual rainfall.
Vancouver Islands Juan San Victoria
Rain Shadow
101 Sequim
Olympic Peaks
Seattle Tacoma Olympia Rainier Mt. 5 Seaside Western Washington
Long Beach
5 5 Astoria 4 Longview OREGON 6 0 20 40 60 miles
Pe Ell 4
Fraser Bellingham Baker Mt. 101 Raymond 101 Queets 1A 4
1A Olympus Mount 101 4 Angeles Sequim Port 4 5 5 Seattle Sooke 5 1 4 4 Saanich Victoria Islands Juan San Harbor Townsend Port Keystone 5 5 405 Oak 5 5 4
Anacortes 4
20
Sedro Woolley
Mt. Vernon 1A Darrington Arlington 1A Everett Sultan 4