Spokane, WA (approximately 250 air miles North of Boise) has an elevation of 2,3

Question

Spokane, WA (approximately 250 air miles North of Boise) has an elevation of 2,372 feet and an annual precipitation of roughly 17 inches.  Coeur d'Alene, ID is 20 miles east of Spokane, has an elevation of 2,320 feet and an annual precipitation of 26 inches.  Despite having the same elevation, why does Coeur d'Alene receive almost 10 inches more precipitation.  Be as descriptive as possible (2-3 paragraphs), including weather patterns, topography, etc.  You can use the internet or your textbook for research.

Explanation / Answer

It is because Coeur d'Alene is further away from the rain shadow of the Cascade mountains and higher in elevation. If you see the map of annual precipitation in the Pacific Northwest, you could observe how the changes in elevation in Idaho causes a noticeable increase in annual precipitation. It's damp and wet in North Idaho and on the Idaho/Montana border for the same reason it is wetter on the western side of the Cascades , rising elevation will force the air up, cools it, condenses the moisture in air therefore causing precipitation.

Since the Cascades makes the eastern parts of Oregon and Washington to be considerably drier than the western parts and the total region is subjected to the similar weather patterns. The air on the Pacific Ocean oscillates between clockwise and counter-clockwise continuously all the year , clockwise during the spring and summer and counter-clockwise in autumn and winter. When the air is coming from the northwest, it's very dry and sunny and thats why the Pacific Northwest has a renowned good summer weather. During winter this air comes from the southwest and brings warmer, moist air from the Pacific Ocean to this region. This is why it's always wet, soggy, and drizzling all the year on the western side of the Cascades. Because it is colder on the eastern side of the mountains, the same weather pattern will dump snow instead of rain on the Inland Northwest.

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