© Pete Saloutos/Panoramic Images (Washington Title Image Large)
East Cascades Climate
Eastward from the Cascade crest, the climate dries out dramatically. On the ridgeline more than 120 inches of precipitation falls annually, much of it as snow. At lower elevations, in the rain shadow over the foothills, roughly 20 inches will fall in a year.
Temperatures change as well with the move east. Cold mountain temperatures give way to milder ones at lower elevations. The growing season in the ecoregion ranges from as few as 30 days to as many as 220 days.
For details of this ecoregion within Washington, click a subheading in the left column.
View the more general description of this ecoregion in North America
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