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Archive for the ‘Climate’ Category

No matter where you go, the weather is always changing. Some places will be cold, others warm and some will even change by the hour. In Oregon, the weather stays near the same all year round. If you are looking for a place that isn’t too hot, or too cold then Oregon would be a good choice.

In Salem, Oregon, the averages for the year stay within a 40 degree change of temperature. Even in the coldest part of the year the lowest average is 32 degrees, so it’s not too cold. In the summer, you can plan on sunshine without all the excruciating heat as the average temperature at the peak is 82 degrees. At Central Point, Oregon it’s warmer with less annual precipitation. During July the highest average temperature is only 90 degrees while the lowest is only 30 degrees. I could keep naming the temperatures of Oregon, but I think you get the hint. Pretty much the state stays about the same throughout with a few small differences. That is what people find so great about Oregon they don’t have to prepare much for extreme heat or cold.

Now you’re thinking if they don’t have major changes in the hot and cold temperatures around the state, then what do the deal with? Well, the most they have to deal with is a lot of rain! Even or should I say especially during the winter. In the winter months almost half of the days are covered with precipitation. While in summer months there is only about 10-15% of the days where they deal with the precipitation. In fact, July is known to be the driest part of the year for Oregon. From November to March tends to be the wettest part of the year for Oregon, so if you are traveling during those months, you definitely want to pack to stay dry. When traveling, if you’re visiting Oregon during the dryer months, you still would want to pack just in case a rainfall hits. This is true especially if you are in the western part of Oregon, near the coast. They traditionally get more rainfall than the eastern edge does.

History has shown that the eastern side of Oregon has a more regular rainfall pattern, than the other parts. A lot of the weather changes in the state have to do with the mountains there and the coast. There is a lot of extra moisture on that side of the mountain, nothing you wouldn’t expect with that much water though.

As long as you don’t mind a little bit of wetness, the weather in Oregon is usually ideal for each season. The precipitation really isn’t that big of a problem as long as you’re prepared. All you need to make sure is that you have an umbrella or some type of rain jacket to keep you dry. Plus, if you visit the further side of Oregon from the coast then you will be able to stay dry and have less chance of getting soaked.

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The state of New Jersey is the most densely populated in the United States. It has a varied and rich mix of people of different languages, races and color. In this state, one can find people speaking Spanish, Italian, Mandarin Chinese, Creole, Hindi, Tagalog, Tamil, Portuguese and a host of others. One major reason why this is possible is that the state has a clement weather and climate that people of various nationalities have found conducive for habitation and work.

Unlike other states that are known to have one climatic belt, New Jersey is quite different in this regard. The state is divided into different climatic regions. Based on the slight climatic differences and variability’s, there are two major classifications. The central, south and northeast regions of the state is said to have a humid sub-tropical climate. The northwest region has a humid continental climate. However, because the northwest is situated on a higher elevation, it usually experiences cooler temperatures than other areas. The climate of New Jersey is heavily influenced by geographical features such as the Atlantic Ocean and the Delaware River.

The seasons of New Jersey have an interesting pattern. Recordings during the seasons are usually oscillating between high and low values. For example, there are hot and humid summers. During these summers, the average high temperature can reach 31oC (88oF) while the average low reading can be around 21oC (70oF). In some cases though, the temperature can go above 32oC and even shoot past 38oC. But this happens only on very rare occasions. The state’s temperature ranges from 23oC (74oF) to a cold -1oC (30oF) in January. The hottest month is usually July.

Winters in the state are cold and can be as low as -12oC (10oF) in very rare circumstances. Although the average high temperature of the winters is 3oc (38oF) and 0oC (-320F) for most parts of the state. In the northwestern regions, there are slightly colder winters because of a number of geographical factors. It is important to note, especially for the visiting tourist, that heavy clothing and some extra bundling are needed for the winter months while light clothing will be sufficient during the hot and humid summers. For the other seasons of spring and autumn, there can be very wide differences in the temperatures. The seasons can be chilling cold or warm but at degrees that are quite tolerable. These seasons also record lower values of humidity than the summer months.

Rainfall is another integral part of the weather and climate of this high-population American state. The rainfall is well-distributed all over the state. The average annual rainfall ranges from 44 inches to well over 50 inches in some areas. Apart from the fair distribution pattern, rainfalls in New Jersey are usually not too copious like some other states. There is moderate rainfall throughout the year. This however, does not change the fact that the state can experience flooding or even blizzards that are triggered by the notorious ‘northeasters’. These occurrences are mostly recorded during winters and at the start of spring time. On the whole, the good news is that natural disasters such as tropical storms, earthquakes and tornadoes are very uncommon. The good weather and relative absence of extreme natural phenomena has made the state the toast of millions.

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Climate and weather are very crucial factors in the growth, development and decline of an area. The state of New Hampshire is not immune from this universal phenomenon. The most important atmospheric conditions considered in geography are temperature and rainfall (precipitation). Other factors include solar radiation, humidity and cloud cover. The state of New Hampshire has a humid continental climate although the weather has a very high degree of variability. The four seasons vary greatly in temperature and overall general pattern. This brings to mind an old Yankee saying “If you don’t like the weather, wait a minute.” Nothing can be more descriptive of the ever-changing weather of New Hampshire.

In terms of seasons and temperature, the state enjoys warm humid summers and cold wet winters. Winter usually starts in late October which can be quite cold and snowy particularly in the northern and mountainous areas. Records have shown that the average snow fall throughout the year ranges from 60 inches (150 cm) to more than 100 inches (250 cm) and continue well into April. In the past, there have been times of extreme snow falls, such as the blizzards of 1978 and 1993. However, during the winters, ice-fishing, downhill and cross-country skiing are very popular sports.

Concerning precipitation, the state has an all-year-round precipitation. The average of this in the state is about 40 inches (100 cm), but it must be noted that there are considerable variations in the White Mountains and its surrounding areas. This is as a result of the differences in the height and the total snowfall. Talking about the other seasons, an interesting pattern is revealed. The spring season commences after the end of winter which is in the middle of March. An important fact is that it is during this season that the weather comes with its most erratic patterns. This season is regarded as the season of the ‘maple syrup’ with a lot of festivities and activities like dances and pole fishing going on. Apart from its streak of unpredictability, the season is surely an enjoyable one!

The summer is also another interesting season in the state. Summer usually begins during the middle of June and lasts till early September. During this time, there are sunny days and clear nights as the state goes all-out with the excitement of so many activities. With so much playing, canoeing, hiking and other adventurous things in the air, summer may be the best season to enjoy a vacation in New Hampshire.

On a more frightening scale, the Granite State is also prone to natural disasters, although this is on rare occasions. It has been recorded that extreme climatic events like hurricanes and tropical storms have hit the state before. As a matter of fact, the state experiences almost 20 days of thunderstorms every single year. This is apart from the fact that a couple of tornadoes cause considerable mayhem every year. On a larger scale, New Hampshire is a relatively safe and geologically-stable (there is no history of significant earthquakes). After all, it seems New Hampshire is actually as solid as granite!

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Depending on the climate of a particular area, people can find a place conducive for settlement, habitation, commerce, study or work. Areas of extreme climate like the unbearably hot deserts of the Sahara and the terribly cold wastes of Siberia are very inhospitable, offering little or no comfort to humans and animals. Therefore, the climate of a place has direct influence on its development and it has been observed that of the most of the advanced areas of the world have mild or moderate climate which promotes the influx of much-needed manpower. In this regard, the state of Missouri can be regarded as having a climate which has contributed to its greatness.

Missouri has a humid continental climate, characterized by long, hot summers and cool winters. Sometimes the winters can be bitterly cold. The state also experiences swings in temperature because of its location in the interior of the country and the palpable absence of temperature-modifying geographical feature such as mountain ranges or oceans. Thus, the major climate-influencing factor in Missouri is the cold Arctic air swooping down from the Canada and the northern plains. The other factor is the warm air blowing from the Gulf of Mexico causing heavy rainfall. The effect of this geography makes areas in the northwest to be cooler than the southeast.

The state has interesting temperature variations. The hottest period of the year is the summer which usually runs from June through August. During these periods, heat waves like the one in 1980 that claimed over 300 lives are fairly common. The coldest month is January during temperatures can plunge to -2o C (29o F). Interestingly, the coldest temperature ever recorded in the Show Me State was -40oC (-40o F) at the city of Warsaw in the February of 1905. During spring, the mean temperature is about 12oC (54o F) while it is not too different during the fall when it is about 13.6oC (56.5oF). In terms of dryness, the winter with its prevailing northwest winds is the driest period of the year.

When it comes to the rainfall (precipitation), there is a close correlation with the temperature. The lowest precipitation is around 34 inches in the northwest region while the highest rainfall recordings of about 50 inches are usually made in the southeast. There is snowfall from November through April, although most of it is in the months of December, January and February and the heaviest falls are over the northern areas. This piece of information is more relevant to lovers of winter sports.

Furthermore, the state of Missouri has its own share of extreme climatic phenomena such as cyclones, windstorms, droughts, heat waves, snowstorms, cold waves and tornadoes. Tornadoes are common occurrences in Missouri. This is because of the location of the state in the Tornado Alley of the United States. During spring, (March through May), up to 35 tornadoes can be recorded every year. This is in addition to the fact that the spring is the wettest period of the year. On the whole, Missouri has a moderate climate which encourages growth and development.

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When you travel for holidays or on business, what are a few of the things you check? You check your luggage, the bank accounts, and even more importantly the weather. Is it going to rain or snow, will you need special shoes or jackets? All these different things are important to consider, especially if you have important meetings. Well, when you go to Alaska, the same concept applies including how much daylight are you going to have? Luckily out of all places, the sun pattern is pretty predictable and finding the information is even easier, that way you can plan what months to go. Hopefully this article will make you search even easier.

In the case of how much daylight are you going to have during your trip to Alaska, you will have several months to choose from where the majority of the day the sun is out and shining. Although it also depends on where in the state you are going to be staying, and of course how much daylight you are going to be comfortable with. After all, some do find it more difficult to sleep with the sun out which would mean the fewer daylight hours the better for them.

The best months to visit Alaska are May to September. Now what are some examples for the average sunlight in specific areas? In far north of Alaska during June there are 24 hours of daylight! In the Denali National Park during September there will only be 13 hours of daylight, which would be good for the light sleeper. Due to the placement of Alaska and the separate shift between night and day the weather can shift frequently. In fact, Alaska doesn’t even have a ‘rainy season,’ the wettest part of the state is in the southeast during a typical year. This would include Juneau where the sun is out less during the day.

This begs the next question, what do you pack during your travels to be prepared for your Alaskan adventure? Since the weather does have a history of shifting unpredictably no matter the season or the area you have chose for vacation, it is best to bring lots of clothes. Not necessarily lots of outfits in case you get wet, but we’re talking about clothes you can layer, keeping you warm no matter what happens. Luckily the state is not a fancy one and casual clothes are very acceptable. Of course you also want to make sure to bring some comfortable shoes even if you weren’t planning to exercise. You may just end up doing a lot of activities that you didn’t know you were even capable of!

Now as you continue to plan your trip you can keep track on the weather daily through different Alaska based websites. Then as it gets closer you will know how many layers you want to take and just what type of other shoes other than your comfortable set of course. You might even change your itinerary once you look further into what weather and sun patterns are expected that time of year.

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