About Central Oregon
Central Oregon’s territory lies just east of the Cascades,
the mountain range which divides the dry and wet sides of
the state. The closeness of the peaks contributes to city
elevations starting at around two thousand feet above sea
level.
City & Peak Elevations in feet
| Bend |
3,630 |
| Sunriver |
4,165 |
| Redmod |
2,985 |
| Sisters |
3,165 |
| Madras |
2,130 |
| Prineville |
2,900 |
| La Pine |
4,200 |
| Warm Springs |
1,000 |
| Pilot Butte |
4,140 |
| Mt. Bachelor |
9,065 |
Temperature:
Moderate temperatures attribute to an enjoyable climate. Central
Oregon temperatures are warm in the summer and cold in the
winter. Temperatures drop in the evenings year round due to
the high elevation of the region.
| Month |
Low
|
High
|
| January |
23
|
41
|
| February |
24
|
46
|
| March |
25
|
51
|
| April |
30
|
58
|
| May |
34
|
65
|
| June |
41
|
74
|
| July |
45
|
81
|
| August |
46
|
81
|
| September |
37
|
73
|
| October |
32
|
63
|
| November |
27
|
48
|
| December |
22
|
42
|
**Average Temperature (*F)
Precipitation:
Precipitation in the form of rain, sleet, hail and snow ranges
average 8 - 15 inches. This small amount of precipitation
makes visiting popular with residents from wetter areas such
as Seattle and the Bay Area. Average precipitation is below
2 inches per month.
|
MONTH
|
BEND
|
REDMOND
|
|
January
|
1.83
|
1.04
|
|
February
|
0.97
|
0.59
|
|
March
|
0.92
|
0.65
|
|
April
|
0.60
|
0.43
|
|
May
|
0.77
|
0.58
|
|
June
|
0.86
|
0.78
|
|
July
|
0.49
|
0.34
|
|
August
|
0.58
|
0.58
|
|
September
|
0.47
|
0.26
|
|
October
|
0.65
|
0.58
|
|
November
|
1.57
|
0.98
|
|
December
|
1.99
|
1.09
|
|
Total:
|
11.70
|
7.83
|
** includes rain & snow
Rainfall: The Cascade Mountains keeps most of Oregon’s
precipitation over in the valley and on the coast, so Central
Oregon receives very little rain. Occasional showers occur
during the spring and summer seasons.
Sunshine: Central Oregon averages 300 sunny days per
year.
Snowfall: Snow will usually fly around Thanksgiving
and last through February, depending upon the severity of
the winter. Snow often falls in the evenings before melting
off during the day due to high levels of sunshine. Snowfall
in January averages 8.6 inches.
Wind: Surface winds prevail out of the South and Southeast
from October to February, then West and Northwest for the
remaining months. Wind speeds average from 5 to 7 mph most
months.
Vegetation: Central Oregon’s diverse terrain makes
the area unlike any other in the state. A few of the many
plants you can expect to see in Central Oregon include juniper,
sagebrush, manzanita, alder, pine, bitterbrush, evergreen,
and hemlock along with many species of coniferous trees.
|
