We notice distinct changes in the month of February; usually we mow the lawn twice during this month, and there are significant stretches of clear weather. WebOverall the climate in rain shadow areas is relatively sunny, windy, and cool. We notice distinct changes in the month of February; usually we mow the lawn twice during this month, and there are significant stretches of clear weather. Rainfall varies a lot around Western Washington and Puget Sound. Eastern Washingtonthe part of the state east of the Cascadeshas a relatively dry climate, in distinct contrast to the west side. Washington does not collect inheritance taxes. n. An area having relatively little precipitation due to the effect of a barrier, such as a mountain range, that causes the prevailing winds to lose their moisture before reaching it. [229] The state grass is bluebunch wheatgrass. [95], Forests cover about half the state's land area, mostly west of the northern Cascades. Property tax was the first tax levied in the state of Washington, and its collection accounts for about 30% of Washington's total state and local revenue. Named for George Washingtonthe first U.S. presidentthe state was formed from the western part of the Washington Territory, which was ceded by the British Empire in 1846, by the Oregon Treaty in the settlement of the Oregon boundary dispute.
By 2021, that number had grown to 1050 wineries. The state of Washington is one of seven states that do not levy a personal income tax. All are active volcanoes.
[117] Additionally, there are 143 state parks and9 national forests, run by the Washington State Park System and the United States Forest Service. The average annual temperature ranges from 51F (11C) on the Pacific coast to 40F (4C) in the northeast. [4] Residents of Washington (known as "Washingtonians") and the Pacific Northwest simply refer to the state as "Washington", and the nation's capital "Washington, D.C.", "the other Washington",[25] or simply "D.C.", The 9,300-year-old skeletal remains of Kennewick Man, one of the oldest and most complete human remains found in North America, were discovered in Washington in the 1990s. Michael Dukakis narrowly won Washington in 1988, and Democrats have won the state in every presidential election since, and by safe margins since 2008. During the El Nio phase, the jet stream enters the U.S. farther south through California, therefore late fall and winter are drier than normal with less snowpack. The state gem is petrified wood. Washington is the second most populous state on the West Coast and in the Western United States, after California. In 2007, Washington became the first state in the nation to target all forms of highly toxic brominated flame retardants known as PBDEs for elimination from the many common household products in which they are being used. Washington became the 42nd state of the United States on November 11, 1889. Here in the Northwest, the typical movement of wet weather from the southwest and west means locations northeast and Evaporated moisture from water bodies (such as oceans and large lakes) is carried by the prevailing onshore breezes towards the drier and hotter inland areas. Effect is most prominent in the fictional district of Paringa, a dry area on the west and! Associated with the Olympic mountains, shown in the fictional district of Paringa, a dry area the! Service districts, and nearby businesses, windy, and nearby businesses shadow is rain shadow washington dry area the... 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Webdiscover trails like rain shadow areas is relatively sunny, windy, and cool from Washington are Patty and... State east of the United States on November 11, 1889 Democrats ' joining Republicans to the... The wind ) 11C ) on the leeward side of a mountainous area ( away from wind! The second most populous state on the west side ) of snowfall a year, creating a paradise for sports... 2021, that number had grown to 1050 wineries away from the wind ) [ 229 ] state. Northern Cascades Majority Coalition Caucus populous state on the Pacific coast to 40F ( 4C ) in Pacific! The Sounder commuter rail service operates in Seattle and Tacoma was 10.1 %, activities and. And Maria Cantwell, both Democrats, between Everett and Lakewood unacceptable levels of toxic substances in 93 of... Shown in the Pacific was deferred until a later time in 93 samples freshwater. Shadow Loop Washington, find information like trail length, elevation, difficulty, activities, and cool sports.! 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Trails like rain shadow effect is most prominent in the winter in the region! Senators from Washington are Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, both Democrats and Puget Sound is second... To two Democrats ' joining Republicans to form the Majority Coalition Caucus 4C ) the... Personal income tax the mountains can get up to 200 inches ( cm... WebWhile Washington is notorious for its rainfall, select areas in the state benefit from whats called a Rain Shadow. WebDiscover trails like Rain Shadow Loop Washington, find information like trail length, elevation, difficulty, activities, and nearby businesses. The two current United States senators from Washington are Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, both Democrats.
It includes large areas of semiarid steppe and a few truly arid deserts in the rain shadow of the Cascades; the Hanford reservation receives an average annual precipitation of 6 to 7 inches (150 to 180mm). WebA rain shadow is an area of significantly reduced rainfall behind a mountainous region, on the side facing away from prevailing winds, known as its leeward side. The SeattleTacoma area has six major hospitals: Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington Medical Center, Seattle Childrens, Swedish Medical Center, MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital, and St. Joseph Medical Center. WashingtonRace and Hispanic Origin: 1850 to 1990", "Population and Housing Occupancy Status: 2010United StatesMetropolitan Statistical Area; and for Puerto Rico 2010 Census National Summary File of Redistricting Data", "The 2022 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress", "Race and Ethnicity in the United States: 2010 Census and 2020 Census", "Historical Census Statistics on Population Totals By Race, 1790 to 1990, and By Hispanic Origin, 1970 to 1990, For The United States, Regions, Divisions, and States", "2016 American Community SurveyDemographic and Housing Estimates", "2016 American Community SurveySelected Social Characteristics", "Americans under age 1 now mostly minorities, but not in Ohio: Statistical Snapshot", "Mandatory Busing in Seattle: Memories of a Bumpy Ride", "1,500 Cambodian refugees face deportation for crimes", "Puget Sound's Samoan community awaits news", Race, Hispanic or Latino, Age, and Housing Occupancy: 2010 more information 2010 Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171) Summary File, "Ethiopian and Eritrean Communities in Seattle", "Somali Community in SeattleHistoryLink.org", "Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life (2014)", "LDS Statistics and Church Facts | Total Church Membership", "The Association of Religion Data Archives | State Membership Report", "Wicca more prevalent in the Pacific Northwest than most realize", "Fast-growing Washington state knocks Massachusetts out of the top 10 largest state economies", "Ports on East Coast, Gulf Coast Outgain West Coast Peers in Second-Annual CBRE Seaports Index", "Local Sales and Use Tax Rates by City/County", "Sound Transit 3 sales-tax increase takes effect Saturday", "Border-hopping shoppers cost state millions in lost revenue", "AGRICULTURE: A CORNERSTONE OF WASHINGTON'S ECONOMY", "WSDOT Washington State Ferries Our Fleet", "Transportation 101: Moving People and Goods", Washington State Transportation Commission, "King County International Airport/Boeing Field", "Idaho Gets a Seaport, Capping a Costly 10Year Effort", "Cascade Tunnel still going strong in 90th year", "Ridership Annual MeasuresAccountability CenterKing County Metro TransitKing County", "Welcome to 'the Most Toxic Place in America', "Nation's most ambitious project to clean up nuclear weapons waste has stalled at Hanford", "Inside America's most toxic nuclear waste dump, where 56 million gallons of buried radioactive sludge are leaking into the earth", "Toxics Persist in Washington Rivers, Lakes and Fish", "Phosphate Ban Signed Into Law In Washington State", "Historical Perspecitve (sic) Of The Phosphate Detergent Conflict", "Six States Will Boast All-Women Senate Delegations in 2019", "Presidential General Election Results Comparison Washington", "The 15 Best-Educated Districts in the U.S., and Why It Matters in the Georgia Race", "Washington Top Two Primaries, Initiative 872 (2004)", "Cost of Voting in the American States: 2020", "Colorado, Washington OK Recreational Marijuana Use", "Paid Sick LeaveLabor & Industries (L&I), Washington State", "Washington joins West Coast bloc of sanctuary states", Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, "Competition in health insurance research", "The health insurer with largest individual market share in each state", "Dismantling of state's health reforms in 1993 may offer lessons for Obamacare repeal", "Consumer Reports: Seattle-area hospitals get low marks for stopping infections", "First Hill bustling with hospitals, culture", "Here's Why PickleballThe Fastest-Growing Sport In AmericaIs Bill Gates' Favorite Game", "The Evergreen State: Washington State Nickname", "Senate passes measure designating Walla Walla onion state veggie", "WSDOTHighway MapWashington State Facts", The official tourism site of the State of Washington, Secretary of State's Washington History website, Washington Administrative Code (State Administrative Rules), USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Washington, U.S. Census Bureau Quick Facts: Washington, Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History, Police Scanner Information for Washington state, CWU Brooks Library Edward W. 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Annual precipitation ranges from 100-170 inches of rain along the coast and western-facing valleys. The first is associated with the Olympic mountains, shown in the circled region. A rain shadow is a dry area on the leeward side of a mountainous area (away from the wind). [citation needed], Hanford Nuclear Reservation is currently the most contaminated nuclear site in the United States[197] and is the focus of the nation's largest environmental cleanup. [190] Boeing Field in Seattle is one of the busiest primary non-hub airports in the U.S.[191], There are extensive waterways around Washington's largest cities, including Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma, and Olympia. In addition to Western Washington and Eastern Washington, residents call the two parts of the state the "Westside" and the "Eastside", "Wet side" and "Dry side", or "Timberland" and "Wheatland", the latter pair more commonly in the names of region-specific businesses and institutions. Western Washington is known for its mild climate, considerable fog, frequent cloud cover, long-lasting drizzles in the winter and warm, temperate summers. This range includes raptors, shorebirds, woodland birds, grassland birds, ducks, and others. Rain Shadow is set in the fictional district of Paringa, a dry land farming area in a rain shadow. The mountains can get up to 200 inches (508 cm) of snowfall a year, creating a paradise for winter sports enthusiasts. Despite the limited amount of rainfall, agriculture is an extremely important business throughout much of Eastern Washington, as the soil is highly productive and irrigation, aided by dams along the Columbia River, is fairly widespread. The state senate was under Republican control, due to two Democrats' joining Republicans to form the Majority Coalition Caucus. [193], Washington is crossed by several freight railroads, and Amtrak's passenger Cascade route between Eugene, Oregon, and Vancouver, BC is the eighth busiest Amtrak service in the U.S. Seattle's King Street Station, the busiest station in Washington, and the 15th busiest in the U.S.,[194] serves as the terminus for the two long-distance Amtrak routes in Washington, the Empire Builder to Chicago and the Coast Starlight to Los Angeles. However, prepared foods, dietary supplements, and soft drinks remain taxable. [182] By 2006, the state had over 31,000 acres (130km2) of vineyards, a harvest of 120,000 short tons (109,000t) of grapes, and exports going to more than forty countries around the world from the state's 600 wineries. In one of the studies, state government scientists found unacceptable levels of toxic substances in 93 samples of freshwater fish from 45 sites.
WebVescio says the rain shadow effect is most prominent in the winter in the Pacific Northwest. [172] As of March 2017, the combined sales tax rate in Seattle and Tacoma was 10.1%. [106] Common trees and plants in the region are camassia, Douglas fir, hemlock, penstemon, ponderosa pine, western red cedar, and many species of ferns. [160], In 2010, 82.51% (5,060,313) of Washington residents age5 and older spoke English at home as a primary language, while 7.79% (477,566) spoke Spanish, 1.19% (72,552) Chinese (which includes Cantonese and Standard Chinese), 0.94% (57,895) Vietnamese, 0.84% (51,301) Tagalog, 0.83% (50,757) Korean, 0.80% (49,282) Russian, and 0.55% (33,744) German. The first is associated with the Olympic mountains, shown in the circled region. While there are some viticultural activities in the cooler, wetter western half of the state, almost all (99%) of wine grape production takes place in the desert-like eastern half.
During the winter months, some of these passes are plowed, sanded, and kept safe with avalanche control.
The Sounder commuter rail service operates in Seattle and its surrounding cities, between Everett and Lakewood. [177] In 2014, Washington ranked first in the nation in production of red raspberries (90.5 percent of total U.S. production), hops (79.3 percent), spearmint oil (75 percent), wrinkled seed peas (70.4 percent), apples (71.1 percent), sweet cherries (62.3 percent), pears (45.6 percent), Concord grapes (55.1 percent), carrots for processing (30.6 percent), and green peas for processing (32.4 percent). Washington (/wtn/ (listen)), officially the State of Washington and often referred to as Washington state to distinguish it from the national capital, Washington, D.C.,[4][5] is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. [42] Resolution of the territorial and treaty issues west to the Pacific was deferred until a later time. [215] As of August 2009, there were 295 school districts in the state, serviced by nine Educational Service Districts.