Bringing the Universe to America's Classrooms
Mountains and Rain Shadows

Packwood and Yakima, WA
A satellite image of Washington State, with tables of location data for Packwood and Yakima.

Click to view larger image

Washington State is divided by the Cascade Range into two distinct regions. The western section borders the Pacific Ocean and is green and vegetated. The eastern section is brown and less vegetated. The town of Packwood is located in the green area to the west of the Cascade mountains. The city of Yakima is positioned at approximately the same latitude and elevation as Packwood but is located in the brown area to the east of the mountains. See the alt-format document in Handouts on PBS LearningMedia for a description of the location data.

The bar graphs below show the mean monthly temperature and precipitation over the course of one year for Packwood and Yakima. Use these graphs to answer the question on the right, then respond to the Notes below.
A combined bar and line graph shows mean monthly temperature and precipitation for Packwood, Washington and Yakima, Washington.

Click to view larger image

For Packwood, Washington, temperature ranges from about 36 degrees Fahrenheit in December to 66 degrees Fahrenheit in August. Precipitation ranges from about 1 inches to 10 inches, with the driest months in the summer and the wettest months in the winter. For Yakima, Washington, temperature ranges from about 29 degrees Fahrenheit in December to 71 degrees Fahrenheit in August. Precipitation ranges from about 0.2 inches to 1.5 inches, with the driest months in the summer and the wettest months in the winter. See the alt-format document in Handouts on PBS LearningMedia for a description of the temperature and precipitation data for Packwood and Yakima, Washington.

Take Notes

Explain the differences in the climates (using temperature and precipitation) of Yakima and Packwood on either side of the Cascade Mountains. Use evidence from the satellite image and graphs to support your answer.

Produced by