Banana Belt Region (Seattle, Anacortes, Pacific: living, price, airplane)

[fourfirs]

I would like to know where to find a map of the "BananaBelt" region in Western Washington.

[Wisteria]

I think you're referring to the San Juan Islands area -- it's a little sunnier than the Seattle area (which is horribly rainy). They're beautiful up there, however, keep in mind that there are no major cities, and you must take a ferry back and forth to the mainland, plus housing is very expensive -- and the tourists. Other than that, it's a gorgeous area.

If you want warmth and sun in Washington, you need to go east. Sorry.

[scirocco22]

Wisteria is correct. But I'll expand that a bit.

Western Washington's so called banana belt is considered to generally cover the rain shadow marked in yellow on the map below.

This would include the areas both east and west of the San Juan Islands. You'll hear quite frequently that Sequim is in the "banana belt." Sequim is on the Olympic Peninsula west of the San Juans. You'll also hear Anacortes being in the "banana belt" and it's located to the east of the San Juans.

http://www.sherwoodassistedliving.com/images/rainshadow.gif (broken link)


--'rocco

[scirocco22]

An added note: the rain shadow area --or banana belt of western WA-- is not typical of the weather for the remainder of the western part of the state.

Here's a quote from one of the tourist sites or possibly a realtor's site that I've had archived in my notes:

Airplane pilots refer to the Sequim area as the "Blue Hole". Sequim is within a rain shadow and is THE prime location within Washington State's Banana Belt.

The Sequim area has the driest Pacific Coast climate north of Los Angeles, California. The average annual precipitation is only 17 inches of rain per year.

I've got a couple of other references to the Sequim area too. If I can find them I'll post later.


--'rocco

[fourfirs]

Thanks! Do you know of a larger map that might also depict the townships?

[scirocco22]

No, I don't have one handy.

But, you can use the map in the link below, visually overlay the yellow area in the first map, and then click on the individual numbers in that area to get each city's rainfall data.

http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/summary/climsmwa.html


--'rocco

[magrack]

Originally Posted by scirocco22

.....
I've got a couple of other references to the Sequim area too. If I can find them I'll post later.


--'rocco

Gonna tell them how to pronounce it or let them swing? 8>)

Sequim was a mini-vacation spot for me for years (three or four times a year) and I always thought I would retire there, but I got priced out of the market.

[scirocco22]

Pronouce Sequim? ...and what, not let them embarrass themselves the first time in town?

But yeah, it is getting expensive out there. I looked there for a brief second too but quickly decided against it.


--'rocco

[scirocco22]

...forgot to put a smilie after the first sentence of my previous post. *lol*



--'rocco

[Symi81]

Here is a giant USA map depicting annual percipitation. (warning its really big ) You can see the NE tip of the Olympic Penninsula is rather dry compared to the surounding area. If you want hardcore sunshine, go to Eastern Washington's Columbia Basin, look how dry it is!

Sidenote: I LOVE the variety of weather on the West Coast! Look how diverse Washington is! Washington is the most diverse state in the union for annual percipitation! The east is soooo dull! http://barney.gonzaga.edu/~psymingt/Average_precipitation_in_the_lower_48_states_of_th e_USA.png (broken link)