ESSENTIALS | GEOGRAPHY & CLIMATE - Portland Connected

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
TEMPERATURE	39.6	43.6	47.3	51.0	57.1	63.5	68.2	68.7	63.3	54.5	46.1	40.2
RAINFALL (IN)	5.35	3.85	3.56	2.39	2.06	1.48	0.63	1.09	1.75	2.67	5.34	6.13

Geography

"Portland is situated at 20 feet above sea level, near the confluence of the Columbia and Willamette Rivers, about 65 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. Portland lies midway between the lower Coast Range to the west and the high Cascades Range to the east, each about 30 miles distant. The skyline is dominated by two Cascades Range volcanoes, Mount St. Helens (8,300 feet high) about 40 miles northeast of Portland, and Mt. Hood (11,238 feet) about 40 miles to the east.

Portland is also located at the northern end of the Willamette Valley, a rich and diverse agricultural region. The long growing season and mild temperatures of the Willamette Valley are favorable for a diversity of agricultural products. Due to the high ground water level, irrigation is widely used to raise cannery crops, berries, and pastures. Table beets, green beans, sweet corn, carrots, and pumpkins are grown in large quantities, then processed at the many processing centers in the Willamette Valley. Peaches, pears, cherries, plums, berries, and rhubarb are canned, with cherries and pears being the most numerous. Other agricultural products are apples, prunes, peppermint, spearmint, tomatoes, and cucumbers. Non-irrigated ranches and farms produce large amounts of hay, grain, grass seed, livestock, tree fruits, and nuts.

Portland is internationally known as the Rose City because Portland is home to test rose gardens. Every June, Portland residents celebrate their floral heritage with the Rose Festival and Parade." - Climate of Portland Oregon, by Clinton C.D. Rockey

Climate

"The Coast Range provides the Portland area limited shielding from the Pacific Ocean storms. The Cascades offer a steep slope for orographic lift of moisture-laden westerly winds, resulting in moderate rainfall for the region. The Cascades also act as a barrier, preventing the colder continental air masses originating in the arctic areas of Canada from invading western Oregon. Occasionally, however, cold air does work its way into western Oregon through the Columbia River Gorge.

Rain is a part of life during the winter months in the Portland area. Nearly 90 percent of the annual rainfall occurs from October through May. Only 9 percent of the annual rainfall occurs between June and September, with 3 percent in July and August combined! Precipitation falls predominantly as rain, with an average of only five days per year recording measurable snow. Snowfall accumulations are rarely more than two inches, and often melt within a day or two. Portland essentially has 3 seasons: winter, spring/autumn, and a short summer.

The winter season is characterized by mild temperatures, cloudy skies and rain. Winds are predominately either southerly during with mild rainy spells, or easterly during colder dry spells. Outbreaks of cold arctic air from east of the Cascades will occasionally spill into the Portland area, bringing cold blustery east winds. If the east winds occur when the rain is falling over the metropolitan area, a shallow layer of cold air forms along the Columbia River. In and near this cold sub-freezing air, freezing rain and even snow will occur over eastern and northern Portland.

The cold easterly winds also bring the coldest air to the Portland area. Temperatures below zero degrees are rare, occurring only six times over the last 125 years! Most temperatures during the winter reach the 40s during the day and fall back into the low to middle 30s at night.

Spring is a transitional time as the weather patterns shift from winter to summer. As a result, March and April are wet and cool, while May and June turn drier. Temperatures during May and June often take a roller coaster ride, ranging predominantly in the 60s and 70s, occasionally reaching the 90s for a day or two. Even though the number of rain days decrease in May and June, there are still many cloudy days.

Summer finally arrives in middle to late June, when the temperature is finally able the reach the 80s on a daily basis. Northwesterly winds bring cool air from the Pacific Ocean down along the Columbia River. Summer can be quite warm, with the temperatures frequently reaching the middle 90s, although these warm days do not last long before the cool marine air arrives with temperatures in the 70s. Temperatures above 100 degrees are rare.

Autumn is the reverse of spring, with many warm days in September. By the middle of October, the rains are beginning to arrive. In addition, cooler temperatures arrive, with afternoon highs in the 50s and 60s. Fog begins to occur on a nightly basis during late October and November, with visibilities often under one mile. During this time, fog can be persistent for several days.

Destructive storms are infrequent in the Portland area. Surface winds seldom exceed gale force (wind speeds sustained at 50 mph or greater) and have rarely exceeded 75 mph. Thunderstorms can occur during any month, but are not common. Thunderstorms during the winter and spring are weak, producing brief gusty winds and small hail. Thunderstorms during the summer tend to be stronger, with frequent lightning, strong winds and hail. Occasionally, thunderstorms produce funnel clouds, but tornadoes are exceedingly rare. The most famous tornado occurred in June of 1972, producing damage and injuring many people as it moved from near Jantzen Beach across the Columbia River into south Vancouver.

On average, the last occurrence of 32 degrees in the spring is March 30th, while the first occurrence of 32 degrees in the autumn occurs on November 8th. This provides for a long growing season." - Climate of Portland Oregon, by Clinton C.D. Rockey

ANNOUNCEMENT

"36 Hours in Portland, Ore"
www.nytimes.com

Portland | One of the top humane cities in the US when it comes to celebrating animals and confronting cruelty. Third, to be exact.
www.humaneindex.org

Farmers' Markets! | It's that time of year. Our Farmers' Markets section, listed under Food & Drink, offers a complete listing of markets in and around Portland.

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