Greetings,
Sorry if that question has already been answered, but I cannot find it anywhere.
I wanted to know what kind of weather was typical for Varisia and the outlying regions. As we're playing Rise of the Runelords, the adventure starts on the first day of Fall, yet I don't know if cold weather is comming, or if winter is mild and all.
Any real-world analogy is good enough for me. Since Paizo is located near Seatle on the west coast, I guess the Varisian weather is similar to that of Washington state. Correct me if I'm wrong.
- Zorg
I did a search on Climate Pacific Northwest, and I found a pretty useful site:
http://www.cses.washington.edu/cig/pnwc/pnwc.shtml
Here are some of the points I found that I'll be using unless the Gazeteer/Campaign Setting, or someone from Paizo, provides info that contradicts it. Note that I've left in all the references to specific real-world locations.
- Approximately two-thirds of the region’s precipitation occurs in just half the year (October-March) when the PNW is on the receiving end of the Pacific storm track. Much of this precipitation is captured in the region’s mountains, influencing both natural and human systems throughout the PNW. From late spring to early fall, high pressure to the west generally keeps the Northwest fairly dry. These seasonal variations are related to changes in large-scale atmospheric circulation occurring over the Pacific Ocean, including the Gulf of Alaska.
- Climate in the low-lying valleys west of the Cascades is characterized by mild year-round temperatures, abundant winter rains, and dry summers. Average annual precipitation in most places west of the Cascades is more than 30 inches (75 cm). Precipitation in the mountains is much higher, however. The western slopes of the Olympic and Coast mountain ranges - the first recipients of winter storms - typically receive about 118 inches (300 cm) per year, with some locations on the Olympic Peninsula exceeding 200 inches (500 cm) per year. Average annual precipitation in the Cascades typically exceeds 100 inches (250 cm) or more. The Cascades are often among the snowiest places on Earth.
- Climate east of the Cascade crest is more continental, creating a sharp contrast to the maritime climate of the western PNW. Sunshine and dry conditions become more common as the recurring winter storms brought to the PNW by the Pacific storm track drop their rain over the mountains. Average annual precipitation is generally less than 20 inches (50 cm) in the interior PNW, with some places receiving as little as 7 inches (18 cm). A greater fraction of precipitation also falls in the warm half of the year, particularly in May and June.
- Annual and daily temperature ranges east of the Cascades are considerably greater than those in the west. Winters are colder, with snow more common at lower elevations, and summer days are hotter (though nights are cooler) than areas west of the Cascades. Typical summertime high temperatures east of the Cascades are 15-25° F (8-14°C) warmer than those of coastal stations. (Examples: Summer High Temp in coastal areas was 66F (19C), Interior High Temp was 82F (28C) at Bend OR, and 90F (32C) at Richland WA.)
I was hoping to find some sample highs and lows for different parts of the year, but so far I didn't find anything that specific...
Creative Director
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Yeah... climate-wise, the lowlands of Varisia are Pacific Northwest. Northern California, Oregon Coast, Seattle, that kind of weather. Mostly that means a LOT of rain. There's also fog often during the dawn or dusk along coastal areas. Summers are nice and warm without being way too humid. It rarely snows.
The Storval Plateau is more like the badlands in South Dakota or Montana.
Thanks a lot for the answers. I guess I'll have some research to do. I'm from the northern east coast (Quebec, Canada), so the Seatle region weather is completely alien to me ;)
- Zorg
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Creative Director
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Thanks a lot for the answers. I guess I'll have some research to do. I'm from the northern east coast (Quebec, Canada), so the Seatle region weather is completely alien to me ;)
- Zorg
One way to do that research is to watch movies that are filmed in the area. "The Ring" comes to mind.
One way to do that research is to watch movies that are filmed in the area. "The Ring" comes to mind.Thanks a lot for the answers. I guess I'll have some research to do. I'm from the northern east coast (Quebec, Canada), so the Seatle region weather is completely alien to me ;)
- Zorg
I'd recommend watching reruns of "The Beachcombers" instead. It's way more Canadian. :-)
Would it be safe to presume that the subarctic region starts north of the Kodar mountains and the arctic region is where the glaciers are?
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Seeing as how I live in the Pacific Northwest I will let you all in on a rather peculiar trait of the denizens of my area. I have had friends move away from home, usually when I talk to them they make some sort of statement about how they miss the rain. A lot of people visit the Oregon coast during the winter so they can watch the spectacular storms coming in from the Ocean. My house grows moss on the north side which I have to clean off every spring once the rainy season stops (it hasn't yet). Labrador Retrievers are popular dogs for the area as they have webbed feet. And of course one of the popular college's in the area has a duck for a mascot.
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I count Wisconsin as sub-arctic =p
The sub-arctic climate technically starts at 50 degrees latitude, which is slightly above the U.S.-Canada border. However, if you live in some of the northern states during the winter, you'd beg to differ(LOL!).
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I found the weather underground website handy, pick a year and time of year and click through it daily. It will give you realistic weather and by looking ahead, you can plan a bit.
https://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KSEA/2002/10/8/DailyHistory.ht ml?&reqdb.zip=&reqdb.magic=&reqdb.wmo=