Blog III

The Koppen-Geiger Climate Classification map classifies Sandpoint, Idaho’s climate as a BSk climate. BSk indicated that Sandpoint’s main climate is Arid, it has a steep precipitation, and cold arid temperature. There greatest meso-scale climate control for Sandpoint is that it is located in a continental region.  Because this area is surrounded by land it is not humid and has mostly continental air masses that affect its climate. 

http://koeppen-geiger.vu-wien.ac.at/present.htm

As for the micro-scale climate of Sandpoint it is much like Denver, Colorado. Sandpoint is orographically situated by a mountain range. They also have a very large mountain range to the west that causes  a rain shadow effect on Sandpoint. This rain shadow effect causes Sandpoint to have decreased precipitation amounts and to be effected by strong winds. If looking at the Koppen-Geiger Climate Classification Sandpoint is one of the few areas in the northwest region to be classified as BSk most of that region is subjected to Dfb (snow climate, fully humid precipitation, and warm summers) and Dfc (snow climate, fully humid, and cool summers).  Topography really has a large part to do with Standpoint's climatology.

Sandpoint maybe affected at most part with the Big Horn Mountain range and it’s topography, however, its location also has a large part to do with its climatology.  For instance another micro-scale climate control is secondary atmospheric circulation patterns and for Sandpoint the polar fronts can cause massive blizzards for Sandpoint.  This last year Sandpoint experienced a blizzard February 24, 2011 where it snowed for 24 hours and had wind gust up to 46 mph.

http://m.spokesman.com/galleries/2011/feb/23/winter-weather-feb-23/

http://localism.com/id/sandpoint/schweitzer?page=5

http://m.spokesman.com/galleries/2011/feb/23/winter-weather-feb-23/

The best weather data for Sandpoint only goes back to 2003 so I looked at October 2003 and October 2011 to compare the change in Climatology.  There was little change overall a few increases in temperatures from 2003 to 2011, but the greatest temperature increase was the mean temperature increased by 11 degrees from 2003 to 2011.

Data from October 2003:

   

http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KSZT/2003/10/30/MonthlyHistory.html?req_city=NA&req_state=NA&req_statename=NA

Data from October 2011:

http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KSZT/2011/10/30/MonthlyHistory.html?req_city=NA&req_state=NA&req_statename=NA





Reflection Sandpoint vs Navarre

Navarre, Florida is a coastal region that is located at 30 25’ 53’’ N and 86 55’ 44’’W with an elevation of 34 feet.  Sandpoint Idaho is a continental region that is located at 48 16’N and 116 34’ W with an elevation just above 2000 feet. Each of these two places have different climates because of their region, topography, and air masses.   

Sandpoint, Idaho
Source: http://wikitravel.org/en/Sandpoint

 Source: http://amyleesellsproperty.blogspot.com/2009/03/beach-house-for-sale-navarre-beach.html

Sandpoint Idaho experiences the Maritime Polar, Continental Polar, and Continental Arctic air masses.  Navarre, Florida experience much different air mass,, the Maritime Tropic and it typically is their only air mass unless of jet streams and Rossby waves that reach their way to the panhandle.  Sandpoint’s air masses are Maritime Polar- cool and humid, Continental Polar- very cold and dry, and Continental Arctic- bitterly cold and very dry. These are all somewhat stable conditions year round. Navarre, Florida’s air mass Maritime tropic is warm and humid year round but is also unstable the entire year.  These air masses allow for unique climates in both these locations as well as their topography. 

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Weather/Selected_article/9

Sandpoint is a somewhat dry with only 17 inches of rain per year most of that is in snowfall in the months of November through February.  Navarre has almost double the precipitation with approximately 33 inches of rainfall per year.  The rainfall is not only due to the humid condition that Navarre air masses carry, but also their location.  Because Sandpoint Idaho is on the lee side of a mountain range they typically have mid latitude cyclones that cause high amounts of snow in the winter and almost no precipitation during the other parts of the year.  Whereas Navarre is located almost at sea level and has no mountain ranges.

Elevation Map of Sandpoint, ID
Source: http://www.chafe150.org/ride.shtml

Topographic Map of Navarre, FL
Source: http://www.topoquest.com/map-detail.php?usgs_cell_id=31428