How does the Olympic rain shadow work?
The Olympic mountains create a dramatic rain shadow effect when storms and moisture arrive off the Pacific Ocean from the south and west, the prevailing storm track in the Pacific Northwest. When the moisture-laden air hits the Olympic Massif it is forced to rise. When the moist air rises, it expands and cools.
What causes the Olympic rain shadow?
The blue hole is actually the result of a rain shadow effect caused by the Olympic Mountains directly to the south of Sequim Washington. As the air rises over the Olympic mountain peaks, the air quickly cools, triggering 100% relative humidity and then rainfall on the side of the mountains facing the prevailing winds.
What the rain shadow effect is?
A rain shadow is a patch of land that has been forced to become a desert because mountain ranges blocked all plant-growing, rainy weather. On one side of the mountain, wet weather systems drop rain and snow. On the other side of the mountain—the rain shadow side—all that precipitation is blocked.
Where is the rain shadow on the Olympic Peninsula?
Sequim
Located in the Dungeness Valley on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, Sequim lies in the heart of the Rain Shadow. With an average of about 16 inches of rain per year it is the Shadow’s Dry Spot.
Is Port Hadlock in the rain shadow?
Port Ludlow is located in the Olympic Peninsula Rain Shadow. Port Ludlow receives an average rainfall of 27 inches per year compared to 40 inches or more in other Puget Sound communities.
Why is Sequim WA so dry?
the moisture-laden air is blocked by the Olympic Mountains. This air is forced up and cools, making the moist air expand and creates precipitation over the mountains in the form of rain or snow. Once this air has moved over the peaks it’s lost most of its moisture.
Which desert would be found on the Leeside of a mountain range?
Rainshadow deserts form on the leeward side of mountain ranges. Moisture in the winds approaching from the windward side experience adiabatic cooling, initiating precipitation on the windward side.
Is Port Townsend in a rain shadow?
The Olympic Rain Shadow is a small region northwest of the city of Seattle which experiences significantly dryer and brighter weather than surrounding locations. The rain shadow encompasses the towns of Sequim, Port Angeles, Port Townsend, Coupeville, and Victoria BC, as well as much of the San Juan Islands.
Is Oak Harbor in the rain shadow?
The City of Oak Harbor (population 23,000+) is situated on the northern portion of Whidbey Island, approximately a two-hour drive north of Seattle, and is accessible by both land and ferry. Located in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, Whidbey Island experiences half the annual rainfall of Seattle.
Is La Conner in the rain shadow?
Due to its unique location in the “rain shadow” of the Olympic Mountains, La Conner receives less precipitation than areas outside the “rain shadow”, an average of only 30″ of rain a year. This location and mild marine temperatures help make La Conner a popular recreation area, and a pleasant tourist destination.
Does Sequim get snow?
Sequim, Washington gets 23 inches of rain, on average, per year. The US average is 38 inches of rain per year. Sequim averages 2 inches of snow per year. The US average is 28 inches of snow per year.
What is the Olympic rain shadow?
The Olympic Rain Shadow is a small region northwest of the city of Seattle which experiences significantly dryer and brighter weather than surrounding locations.
What is the rain shadow effect in the Pacific Northwest?
The Olympic mountains create a dramatic rain shadow effect when storms and moisture arrive off the Pacific Ocean from the south and west, the prevailing storm track in the Pacific Northwest.
What is the rain shadow effect?
Furthermore, it descends, and warms, giving it more ability to hold moisture, preventing the formation of clouds, rain, fog, and resulting in a dryer, sunnier climate in places like Sequim, Port Townsend, and San Juan Island. The formation of a sunny, dryer area like this is know as the rain shadow effect.
Why does it rain in the Olympic Mountains?
The Olympic mountains create a dramatic rain shadow effect when storms and moisture arrive off the Pacific Ocean from the south and west, the prevailing storm track in the Pacific Northwest. When the moisture-laden air hits the Olympic Massif it is forced to rise. When the moist air rises, it expands and cools.