Introduction

The climate of Sonoma County is characterized by moderate temperature and precipitation. Along the coast temperatures remain cool throughout the summer and seldom drop below freezing during the winter. Inland there is a wider temperature range, with high readings occasionally exceeding 100° and lows sometimes falling several degrees below freezing. Even during the warm period of the year, however, the night temperatures usually drop into the lower 50s. Precipitation is concentrated in six months of the winter period with only light amounts reported during the rest of the year. Along the immediate coast low clouds and drizzle at night during the summer may provide enough moisture to keep pastures green. Inland, however, the summer dry period is long enough that stored moisture in the soil is depleted and range dries up. Winds are relatively light most of the time, although they blow rather persistently during the summer, particularly during the summer, particularly in coastal areas. Sunshine is abundant during the summer over most of the county, except for considerable cloudiness along the immediate coast.