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The United States of America (USA or U.S.A.), commonly known as the United States (US or U.S.), America, or The States, is a country primarily located in North America. The U.S. has 50 states covering a vast section of North America, 48 contiguous states occupy the middle latitudes of the continent, while the United States includes the state of Alaska, at the northwestern extreme of North America, and the island state of Hawaii, in the mid-Pacific Ocean. The conterminous states are bounded on the north by Canada, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by the Gulf of Mexico and Mexico, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. The US is the fourth largest country in the world in area (after Russia, Canada, and China). The national capital is Washington, which is coextensive with the District of Columbia, the federal capital region created in 1790. The 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia occupy a combined area of 3,119,885 square miles (8,080,470 km2).

The Appalachian Mountains are the highest mountains on the East Coast, yet their highest peaks are pale compared to the Rocky Mountain in the Western part of the country, where 58 peaks over 14,000 feet (4,300 m) are found in Colorado alone. The Great Plains are in the middle of the US, and are a broad expanse of flatland. Most or all of the U.S. states of Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota are in the Plains, along with parts of 8 other states. On the West Coast, The Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountain ranges run close to the Pacific coast. The lowest and highest points in the contiguous United States are in California, with the highest peak being Mount Whitney, at 14,505 feet (4,421 m) (while to the east, Colorado, in the Rockies and High Plains, is the highest state based on an average elevation of 6,800 feet [2,100 meters], and the highest state overall counting all 50 states). The lowest spot in the contiguous US is found in Death Valley California, at Badwater Basin, at −279 feet (−85 meters) (the lowest spot overall in all 50 states, while back east, Delaware has the lowest average elevation for any state overall, at 60 feet [18 meters]).

While the total population of the United States is large by world standards, its overall population density is relatively low. The country embraces some of the world’s largest urban clusters as well as some of the most extensive areas that are almost devoid of habitation. The U.S. population is highly diverse, with a diversity that to a great degree has come from vast and sustained global immigration. Probably no other country has a wider range of racial, ethnic, and cultural types than does the U.S.A.

The U.S. Census Bureau reported 331,449,281 residents as of April 1, 2020, making the United States the third-most-populous country in the world, after China and India. California is the most populace state with 39 million people. While many languages are spoken in the United States, English is by far the most commonly spoken and written. Yet there is no official language at the federal level. However, most US States do make English their official language. Three states and four U.S. territories have recognized local or indigenous languages in addition to English, including Hawaii (Hawaiian), Alaska (twenty Native languages), and South Dakota (Sioux). In total, 169 Native American languages are spoken in the U. S. In the US territory of Puerto Rico, Spanish is not only the official language, but is more widely spoken than English.

The climate of the United States varies due to changes in latitude, and a range of geographic features, including mountains and deserts. Generally, on the mainland, the climate becomes warmer the farther south one travels, and drier when one heads farther west. A humid subtropical climate is found in the south, except in southern Florida, which has a tropical climate, along with Hawaii. A Mediterranean climate prevails along most of the California coast; a temperate climate from the Southern Plains and lower Midwest east to the Middle Atlantic states, and continental climate in northern areas (locations roughly above 40°N, the Northern Plains, Midwest, Great Lakes and New England). Higher-elevation areas of the Rocky Mountains, the Wasatch Range, Sierra Nevada, and Cascade Range see an alpine climate. Coastal areas of Oregon and Washington have an oceanic climate, and Alaska is largely dominated by a subarctic climate, but with a subpolar oceanic climate in the southeast (Alaska Panhandle), southwestern peninsula and Aleutian Islands, along with a polar climate in the north.

The highest temperature ever recorded in the States was at Death Valley California, famous for being the hottest place on earth and driest place in North America. The world record highest air temperature of 134°F (57°C) was recorded there at Furnace Creek on July 10, 1913. At the opposite end of the scale of the thermometer, the coldest recoded temperature was set in Alaska, at -80°F (-62°C) on Jan. 23, 1971, in Prospect Creek, north of Fairbanks.

Most snow in a season was 1,140 inches (95 feet) or  2,896 centimeters, recorded at Mount Baker Ski Area (4,200 feet elevation) in Washington State during the July 1, 1998, to June 30, 1999, snow season. FYI, yes, snow has fallen in all 50 States, while Florida has seen very little (mainly around the panhandle) and in Hawaii, where on its tallest peaks they actually do see snow a few times a year. All 50 states, plus DC, on average receives 26.8 inches / 68 centimeters of snow per year. As far as rainfall goes, amounts are the highest in Hawaii, where at Waialeale on Kauai,, they see approximately 460 inches (11,684 millimeters) of rain each year, making it one of the rainiest spots in the entire world.

We currently have 29 webcams in the U.S.A on our site, here they are, grouped by State and going from the East to the West

!Please remember to use each cam's pause/stop button (lower left of cam) when you finish watching any streaming cam, to help save resources!

- Maine -

Maine, the north easternmost U.S. state, is located in the New England region of America. It is known for its rocky coastline, maritime history and nature areas. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and northwest, respectively. Maine is the largest state in New England by total area, nearly larger than the combined area of the remaining five states. Yet of the 50 U.S. states, it's the 12th-smallest by area, the 9th-least populous, the 13th-least densely populated, and the most rural. Maine's capital is Augusta, and its most populous city is Portland. Maine's total population was 68,408, as of the 2020 census. The territory of Maine has been inhabited by Indigenous populations for thousands of years, after the glaciers retreated during the last ice age.

Admission of Maine as the 23rd state of the US occurred on March 15, 1820. Acadia National Park, near Bar Harbor, is the only national park in Maine and in all of New England.

Maine has a humid continental climate, with warm and sometimes humid summers, and long, cold and very snowy winters. Winters are especially severe in the northern and western parts of Maine, while coastal areas are moderated slightly by the Atlantic Ocean, resulting in marginally milder winters and cooler summers than inland regions. Daytime highs are generally in the 75–85°F (24–29°C) range throughout the state in July, with overnight lows in the high 50s°F (around 15°C). January temperatures range from highs near 30°F (−1°C) on the southern coast to overnight lows averaging below 0°F (−18 °C) in the far north. It's record high temperature is 105°F (41°C), set in July 1911, at North Bridgton. The coldest its been was set at Big Black River, at −50°F (−46°C). Most snow on record for a snow season was in Washington County, with 200 inches of snow falling on Eastport for the 2014-2015 winter season.

Wood Island Lighthouse, Maine, United States

(From Wood Island Life Saving Station Association)

Wood Island Light is an active lighthouse on the eastern edge of Wood Island in Saco Bay, on the southern coast of Maine. The lighthouse is located at the end of the Saco River. This lighthouse is a 47-foot conical white tower of granite rubble. It's construction was started in 1808 (the same year it was opened, and it's the nation's eleventh-oldest lighthouse). It was automated in 1986. Wood Island lighthouse's height is 47 feet / 14 meters and range is 18 nautical miles (33 km; 21 mi).

Moosehead Lake at Rockwood, Maine, USA
(From The Birches Resort)

Rockwood is a village in Somerset County, Maine. The village is centered on the west side of Moosehead Lake, the largest body of fresh water in the state. The town's elevation is 1,394 feet/425 meters.

Moosehead Lake is 246 feet/75 meters deep, making it the second deepest lake in Maine. There are over 80 islands in this cold water lake, the largest being Sugar Island. The lake has 10 beaches. There is a weather station in the namesake community of Moosehead on the middle part of the western lakeshore. Moosehead Lake's area has a humid continental climate and winters are cold and snowy, whereas summers are mild. The annual temperature is about 40°F (4°C). The lake sees on average 98 inches / 250 cm of snow each season. Plus yes, the lake freezes each winter.

- New Hampshire -

New Hampshire is a U.S. state in New England in the Northeastern part of the country. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the north. Of the 50 U.S. states, New Hampshire is the fifth smallest by area and the tenth least populous, with a population of 1,377,529 residents as of the 2020 census. Concord is the state capital and Manchester is the most populous city.

New Hampshire experiences a humid continental climate and a subarctic climate in some northern highland areas. It sees warm, humid summers, and long, cold, and snowy winters. Precipitation is fairly evenly distributed all year. January temperatures range from an average high of 34°F (1°C) on the coast to overnight lows below 0°F (−18°C) in the far north and at high elevations. Average annual precipitation statewide is roughly 40 inches (100 cm) with some variation occurring in the White Mountains due to differences in elevation and annual snowfall. New Hampshire's highest recorded temperature was 106°F (41°C) in Nashua on July 4, 1911, while the lowest recorded temperature was −47°F (−44°C) atop Mount Washington on January 29, 1934. Mount Washington also saw an unofficial −50°F (−46°C) reading on January 22, 1885, which, if made official, would tie the record low for New England.

 Observatory Tower, Mount Washington, New Hampshire, U.S.A.
(From Mount Washington Observatory)

Mount Washington's elevation is 6,288 feet (1,917 meters) - the highest peak in the Northeastern United States, and the most topographically prominent mountain east of the Mississippi River.

The mountain is notorious for its erratic weather. On April 12, 1934, the Mount Washington Observatory recorded a wind speed of 231 miles per hour (372 km/h) at the summit, which was the world record from 1934 until 1996; but it still holds that record for the Northern Hemisphere and Western Hemisphere, along with the record for highest measured wind speed not associated with a tornado or tropical cyclone. The summit station of Mount Washington has an alpine climate and tundra climate. Elevations just beneath treeline have a subarctic climate which eventually transitions to a humid continental climate near the mountain's base.

Because of the high winds, the treeline here is very low, at only 4,400 feet (1,300 m), as it's too hostile to support any plant life more than a few inches (centimeters) in height. You can compare that to the Rocky Mountains out west, where the treelines there are on average around 11,000 feet. Mount Washington's official record low is −47°F (−44°C), set in January, 1934. The annual snowfall is 281.2 inches / 714 mm.

 -Vermont -

Vermont is a state in the northeastern United States, known for its natural landscape, which is primarily forested. Part of the New England region, it's also known for being home to more than 100 19th-century covered wooden bridges, scenic rolling mountains and as a major producer of maple syrup.

The state borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York to the west, and the Canadian province of Quebec to the north. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the state had a population of 643,503, ranking it the second least populated U.S. state ahead of Wyoming. Vermont is one of two states with fewer people than the District of Columbia. It is the nation's sixth smallest state in area. The state's capital of Montpelier is the least populous U.S. state capital. Its total size is at 9,614 square miles (24,900 km2), making it the 45th-largest state. It is the only state that does not have any buildings taller than 124 feet (38 m). Land comprises 9,250 square miles (24,000 km2) and water comprises 365 square miles (950 km2), making it the 43rd-largest in land area and the 47th in water area. In total area, it's larger than El Salvador and smaller than Haiti. It is the only landlocked state in New England.

In the 21st century, Vermont increasingly became defined by its progressivism. It was the first state to introduce civil unions in 2000 and the first state to legalize same-sex marriage in 2009, unforced by court challenge or ruling. On January 22, 2018, Vermont became the first state to legalize cannabis for recreational use by legislative action, and the ninth state in the United States to legalize marijuana for medical purposes.

Vermont has a humid continental climate, with muddy springs, and in general, a mild early summer with hot Augusts. It has colorful autumns with gold foliage as cold weather approaches. The highest recorded temperature was 105°F (41°C), at Vernon, on July 4, 1911. Its lowest recorded temperature was −50°F (−46°C), at Bloomfield, on December 30, 1933. The state receives between 2,200 and 2,400 hours of sunshine annually. 

Covered Bridge Webcam, Waitsfield, Vermont, U.S.A.
(From MadRiverValleyTV)

Waitsfield is a town in Washington County, Vermont. The population was 1,844 as of the 2020 census. It's located in the heart of the Mad River Valley, surrounded by spectacular natural beauty, including the Green Mountains and the Mad River. The town has a total area of 26.9 square miles (69.7 km2). It sees a lot of snow each winter, with an average of 117.7 inches (299 cm) each snow season.

- New York State -

New York is a state in the northeastern U.S., known for New York City and the towering Niagara Falls. NYC’s island of Manhattan is home to the Empire State Building, Times Square and Central Park, among many other famous places. The iconic Statue of Liberty stands in New York Harbor. To the east, Long Island has wonderful white sandy beaches (on it's south shore), the Hamptons, Fire Island and the Montauk Lighthouse, on its eastern tip. Albany is the state's capital.

The state of New York covers a total area of 54,555 square miles (141,297 km2) and ranks as the 27th-largest state by size. The highest elevation in New York is Mount Marcy in Northern New York, at 5,344 feet (1,629 meters); while the state's lowest point is at sea level, on the Atlantic Ocean on Long Island's south shore. New York has a varied geography. The southeastern part of the state, encompasses New York City, the United State's largest city; Long Island, the nation's most populous island; and the suburbs of the lower Hudson River Valley. These areas are the center of the New York metropolitan area, a sprawling urban landmass, and account for approximately two-thirds of the state's population. The much larger Upstate area spreads from the Great Lakes to Lake Champlain and includes the Adirondack Mountains and the Catskill Mountains (part of the Appalachians). The east–west Mohawk River Valley bisects the more mountainous regions of Upstate and flows into the north–south Hudson River valley near the state capital of Albany. Western New York, home to the cities of Buffalo and Rochester, are part of the Great Lakes region and borders Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, where it borders the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec to the north. The border between New York and Ontario is marked by the Niagara River, which flows from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. Central New York is anchored by the city of Syracuse; between the central and western parts of the state, the region is dominated by the Finger Lakes, a popular tourist destination. To the south, along the state border with Pennsylvania, the Southern Tier sits atop the Allegheny Plateau. 

New York was the most populous state in the US from the 1810s until 1962. As of 2023, it is the nation's fourth-most populous state, with 19,571,216 people, 92% of its residents live in an urban area, predominantly in the New York City metropolitan area. According to the 2000 census, Italian, Irish, German, African American and English were the most common ancestries. In 2019, the U.S. Census reported that 69.5% of New York's population only spoke English, with 30.6% speaking a language other than English. Spanish remained the second most spoken non-English language.

Most of New York has a humid continental climate, though New York City and Long Island have a humid subtropical climate. Downstate New York (comprising NYC, LI, and lower portions of the Hudson Valley) have hot summers with high humidity, with cold, damp winters which are relatively mild compared to temperatures Upstate, due to the downstate region's lower elevation, proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, and relatively lower latitude. Upstate New York experiences warm summers, marred by brief intervals of sultry conditions, with long and cold winters. Western New York, particularly the Great Lakes region, receives heavy lake-effect snows, especially during the earlier portions of winter, before the surface of Lake Ontario itself is covered by ice. New York State's record-high temperature is 108°F (42.2°C), reached on July 22, 1926, in Albany. Its record-low temperature is −52°F (−46.7°C) on February 18, 1979 at Old Forge. Most snow in a snow season was 466.7 inches / 1,185 centimeters, set in Hooker (near Lake Ontario) in the winter of 1976-77.

Tobay Beach, Long Island, New York, USA
(From the Town of Oyster Bay)

Long Island (sometimes called "the Island" by locals) is an expansive, densely populated island in southeastern New York State, stretching east from New York City. Along its Atlantic coast are Jones Beach, Fire Island and Montauk, the latter home to the the fourth-oldest working lighthouse in the nation, built in 1792, and still in service Montauk Point Lighthouse. Its population was 8,063,232 residents as of the 2020 U.S. census, which is 40% of New York State's entire population. It's the most populous island in any U.S. state or territory, the third-most populous island in the Americas after Hispaniola and Cuba, and the 18th-most populous island in the world. Overall, the Island stretches 118 miles/190 kilometers long (east-west), 23 miles/37 kilometers at its widest point (north-south) and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the south, Long Island Sound to the north, the East River to the west, and Block Island Sound to the east. Its total area is 1,401 mi²/3629 km².

Long Island's winter temperatures are milder than most of the state. The warmer temperatures are due to its coastal location, with the Island’s warmest temperature ever being 104°F/40°C, set on July 3, 1966. Winter temperatures are milder than most of the state, with the lowest temperature ever recorded at -23°F (-31°C) on January 22, 1961 at Islip. Long Island's average snowfall per year is 32.6 inches / 82 cm.  

For the above webcam at Tobay Beach, the beach is located just 4 miles east of historic Jones Beach on Ocean Parkway, located in the middle of Jones Beach Island, a barrier island off the South Shore of Long Island. “Tobay” is a portmanteau for the Town of Oyster Bay, which owns and manages the beach. Sadly, in 2020, it became a restricted access beach. Residents of the town are allowed entry, with limited access for non-residents. But getting back to the webcam, the view when it's looking east southeast, shows in the distance the western tip of Fire Island, it's lighthouse, water tower and the Fire Island Inlet Bridge that leads to it.

Times Square, New York City, New York, USA
(From AE Signage)

New York City or NYC (called "The City" by locals), is the most populous city in the U.S. Located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors, the city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive with a respective county. Four of its five boroughs are situated on three islands at the mouth of the Hudson River: Manhattan Island; Staten Island; and Long Island, which contains Brooklyn and Queens at its western end. With an estimated population in 2023 of 8,258,035 distributed over 300.5 square miles (778.2 km2), the city is the most densely populated major city in the States. New York City has more than double the population of Los Angeles, the nation's second-most populous city. With more than 20.1 million people in its metropolitan area and 23.5 million in its combined statistical area as of 2020, NYC is one of the world's most populous megacities. Two-thirds of the New York State's population resides in the New York metropolitan area.

New York City is a global center of finance and commerce, culture, technology, entertainment and media, academics and scientific output, the arts and fashion, and, as home to the headquarters of the United Nations. It is sometimes described as the world's most important city.

It's climate classifications is humid subtropical. The city receives an average of 49.5 inches (1,260 mm) of precipitation annually, which is relatively evenly spread throughout the year. Winters are chilly and damp, and NYC averages 29.8 inches (75.7 cm) of snow per year. Yet the Atlantic Ocean and the partial shielding from colder air by the Appalachian Mountains, keeps the city warmer in the winter than inland North American cities at similar or lesser latitudes. The daily mean temperature in January, the area's coldest month, is 33.3°F (0.7°C). Temperatures can drop at night to 10°F (−12°C) a few times per winter. Summers are typically hot and humid, with a daily mean temperature of 77.5°F (25.3°C) in July. The highest temperature ever observed in Central Park, where its official weather station is located, was 106°F (41°C) on July 9, 1936 (although LaGuardia Airport unofficially reported 107°F (42°C) on July 3, 1966). The lowest ever temp recorded is -15 °F (-26 °C) on February 9, 1934.

New York City has been described as the gay capital of the world and the central node of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) socio-ecological systems, and is home to one of the world's largest LGBT populations, with about 570,000 self-identifying gay and bisexual people, the largest in the United States. 

Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighborhood in the Midtown Manhattan section of New York City. It is formed by the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue, and 42nd Street. Together with adjacent Duffy Square, Times Square is a bowtie-shaped plaza five blocks long between 42nd and 47th Streets. Times Square is brightly lit by numerous digital billboards and advertisements as well as businesses offering 24/7 service. One of the world's busiest pedestrian areas, it is also the hub of the Broadway Theater District and a major center of the world's entertainment industry. Times Square is one of the world's most visited tourist attractions, drawing an estimated 50 million visitors annually. Approximately 330,000 people pass through Times Square daily. Times Square is also the site of the annual New Year's Eve ball drop. About one million revelers crowd Times Square for the New Year's Eve celebrations, more than twice the usual number of visitors the area usually receives daily.

Niagara Falls, New York USA and Ontario, Canada
(From https://www.niagarafallslive.com)

Niagara Falls is a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, spanning the border between the province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York in the United States. The largest of the three is Horseshoe Falls (the most powerful waterfall in North America, and also known as the Canadian Falls), which straddles the international border of the two countries. The smaller American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls lie within the United States. Bridal Veil Falls is separated from Horseshoe Falls by Goat Island and from American Falls by Luna Island, with both islands situated in New York. Formed by the Niagara River, which drains Lake Erie into Lake Ontario, the combined falls have the highest flow rate of any waterfall in North America that has a vertical drop of more than 160 ft. (50 m). The cam's view is from the U.S. side of the falls.

- Chicago, Illinois -

Chicago (often called "Chicagoland" by locals) is the most populous city in the state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 census, it's the third-most populous city in the United States after New York City and Los Angeles. The city has had several nicknames throughout its history, such as the Windy City, Chi-Town, and Second City.

Chicago's area covers 234.53 square miles (607.44 km2). It is located in northeastern Illinois on the southwestern shores of freshwater Lake Michigan. It's the principal city in the Chicago Metropolitan Area, situated in both the Midwestern United States and the Great Lakes region. The city has a continental climate, resulting in summers that are hot and humid, with frequent heat waves. In a normal summer, temperatures reach at least 90°F (32°C) on 17 days. Winters are relatively cold and snowy. Chicago's highest official temperature reading was 105°F (41°C), recorded on July 24, 1934. The lowest official temperature of −27°F (−33°C) was recorded on January 20, 1985, at O'Hare Airport. The winter of 1966-1967 set the record for most snow in Chicago in a season with a total of 68.4 inches/174 cm. Most of the city's rainfall is comes in the form of thunderstorms, averaging 38 such storms a year. 

Chicago and North Western Power House, Chicago, IL, USA
(From Steel Highway Railcams)

This webcam shows the tracks leading to Ogilvie Transportation Center and the Chicago Transit Authority's (CTA) Green/Pink lines. The rail lines also lead to the Metra Union Pacific routes West to Elburn, northwest to Harvard and north to Kenosha, Wisconsin. The elevated rail line is part of CTA hosting the Green and Pink routes.  

- Minnesota -

Minnesota is a Midwestern U.S. state bordering the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the south, and North Dakota and South Dakota to the west. It is the 12th-largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd-most populous, with about 5.7 million residents. More than 60% of Minnesotans, about 3.7 million, live in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul metropolitan area, known as the "Twin Cities". Minnesota is known as the "Land of 10,000 Lakes" (there actually more, with 11,842  lakes in the state) and has 14,380 bodies of fresh water covering at least ten acres each, including Lake Itasca, the Mississippi River’s primary source.

Minnesota experiences temperature extremes characteristic of its continental climate, with cold winters and hot summers. The lowest temperature ever recorded in the state was −60°F (−51°C) at Tower, on February 2, 1996, while the highest was 114°F (46°C) at Moorhead on July 6, 1936. The most snowfall in a snow season was 170 inches (432 cm), back in the 1949–1950 snow season, at Grand Portage State Park.

Duluth Canal Cam, Duluth, Minnesota, USA
(From Duluth Harbor Cam)

Duluth is a port city on Lake Superior in Minnesota and is a hub for cargo shipping. The population was 86,697 at the 2020 census, making it Minnesota's fifth-largest city. Duluth forms a metropolitan area with neighboring Superior, Wisconsin, called the Twin Ports. It is on the north shore of Lake Superior at the westernmost point of the Great Lakes. The city is accessible to the Atlantic Ocean, 2,300 miles (3,700 km) away, via the Great Lakes Waterway and St. Lawrence Seaway. That makes the Port of Duluth the world's farthest inland port accessible to oceangoing ships and the largest and busiest port on the Great Lakes. Duluth has a total area of 87.4 square miles (226.44 km2).

The Duluth Ship Canal is an artificial canal cut through Minnesota Point, providing direct access to Duluth harbor from Lake Superior. Building the cancal was begun privately in 1871. It is 1,720 feet (520 m) long and 300 feet (91 m) apart, constructed of concrete set on timber and stone cribbing. The canal is maintained at 245 feet (75 m) wide and 28 feet (8.5 m) low water datum, allowing passage of ocean-going ships.

Duluth has a humid continental climate, slightly moderated by its proximity to Lake Superior. Winters are long, snowy, and very cold, and it's the fifth-coldest city in the US according to NOAA. Summers are warm, and it has officially seen 100°F (38°C) temperatures on only three days, all during a July 1936 heat wave durring the Midwest's Dust Bowl years. The city's record highest temperature was set at that time, at 106°F (41°C), on July 13, 1936. The coldest temp ever that Duluth has seen was −41°F (−41°C), set on January 2, 1885. The most snow in a season took place in the 2022-2023 snow season with 140.1 inches/356 cm recorded.

- Florida -

Florida is the southeastern most U.S. state, with the Atlantic Ocean on one side (east) and the Gulf of Mexico on the other (west). It also borders Alabama to the northwest, Georgia to the north, and the Straits of Florida and Cuba to the south. It's population is over 21 million and contains the highest percentage of people over 65 (7.3%) in the US. It spans 65,758 square miles (170,310 km2), with 18% of that total being water. Florida's climate varies from subtropical in the north to tropical in the south, and it's the warmest state in the county with summers that are very humid. The hottest temperature ever recorded in Florida was 109°F (43°C), which was set on June 29, 1931, in Monticello. While winters there are mild, the coldest temperature was a very cold −2°F (−19°C), on February 13, 1899, in Tallahassee. Florida rarely sees measurable snow, and when it has occurred, it's mainly taken place on the panhandle, where on March 6, 1954, Florida's record snowfall was set when 4 inches (100 mm) fell. The state leads the US in tornadoes per area, but they do not typically reach the intensity of those in the Midwest and Great Plains. Florida is also the state that gets hit with the most hurricanes.

Underwater Ocean Cam, Florida and Atlantic Ocean, USA
(From City of Deerfield Beach)

This underwater camera is located at the bottom of the ocean off of the city of Deerfield's International Fishing Pier. It is installed on one of the pier's pilings, 320 ft. from the shore at a depth of 20 ft., in a sandy channel leading to the reef wall that drops 120 ft. to the ocean floor.

- Montana -

Montana is a western state defined by its diverse terrain ranging from the Rocky Mountains to the Great Plains. Its wide-open spaces include Glacier National Park, a vast wilderness preserve that passes into Canada. A landlocked state in the Mountain West, it borders Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbia, and Saskatchewan to the north. It's the fourth-largest state by area (147,040 square miles/380,800 km2), but the eighth-least populous state (with 1,132,812 people in 2023) and the third-least densely populated state. Its capital is Helena, and its most populous city is Billings. The western half of the state contains numerous mountain ranges, while the eastern half is characterized by western prairie terrain and badlands.

Its climate is very much varied, in part because of its elevations range from under 2,000 feet (610 meters) to nearly 13,000 feet (4,000 m) above sea level. Average daytime temperatures across the state vary from 28°F or −2.2°C in January, to 84.5°F or 29.2°C in July. Its highest observed summer temperature was very hot indeed, at 117°F or 47.2°C, at Glendive, on July 20, 1893, and that reading was also reached at Medicine Lake on July 5, 1937. Snowfall has been recorded in all months of the year in the more mountainous areas of central and western Montana, though it is rare in July and August. The coldest temperature on record for Montana is also the coldest temperature for the contiguous United States., set on January 20, 1954, at −70°F / −56.7°C at Rogers Pass in Glacier National Park. During the winter of 1998-99, Mt. Baker received 1,140 inches / 2,896 centimeter of snowfall – verified by NOAA as the World Record of snowfall during a single winter season.

Apgar Mountain, Glacier National Park, Montana, USA
(from National Park Service)

Glacier National Park is a 1,583 sq. mile/4,100 sq. km wilderness area in Montana's Rocky Mountains, with glacier-carved peaks and valleys running to the Canadian border. It's crossed by the mountainous Going-to-the-Sun Road, and more than 700 miles/1,127 kilometers of hiking trails. The National Park,  established in 1910, is located in northwestern Montana, on the Canada - United States border, adjacent to Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada and the two parks are known as the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. The park encompasses more than 1 million acres (4,100 km2) and includes parts of two mountain ranges (sub-ranges of the Rocky Mountains). It has more than 130 named lakes, more than 1,000 different species of plants, and hundreds of species of animals. This vast pristine ecosystem is the centerpiece of what has been referred to as the "Crown of the Continent Ecosystem," a region of protected land encompassing 16,000 sq. mi (41,000 km2). Now, I'm going to get personal here and say that I've been to most of the National Parks in the US and a few in Canada, and this park, along with Rock Mountain National Park in Colorado, are the two best parks overall, by far, bar none, and I'll note, the US has several great National Parks as it is!

Glacier National Park is dominated by mountains which were carved into their present shapes by the huge glaciers of the last ice age. Sadly, because of climate change, during the middle of the 20th century, scientists, from examining maps and photographs from the previous century found clear evidence that the 150 glaciers known to have existed in the park a hundred years earlier had greatly retreated and/or disappeared altogether in many cases. Repeat photography of the glaciers, such as the pictures taken of Grinnell Glacier between 1938 and 2015,has shown to provide visual confirmation of the extent of glacier retreat that is still ongoing. By 2010, only 37 glaciers remained, and only 25 of them were at least 25 acres (0.10 km2) in area. Based on the warming trend of the early 2000s, scientists have estimated that the park's remaining glaciers would be gone by 2030. Yes, very sad indeed!

As the park spans the Continental Divide, and has more than 7,000 feet (2,100 m) in elevation variance, many climates and microclimates are found here. Snowfall can occur at any time of the year, even in the summer, and especially at higher altitudes. The winter can bring prolonged cold waves, especially on the eastern side of the Continental Divide, which has a higher elevation. Since I already noted above about the park seeing the coldest temperature ever recorded in the 48 lower US States, let's look at the park's snowfall totals, recorded at the official Mt Fidelity weather station (elevation 6,250 feet/1,905 meters). Average recorded yearly snowfall from 1965 to 2012 was 564 inches/1,433 centimeters; the highest recorded snowfall year was during the 1966/67 snow season, when 847 inches/2,151 centimeters accumulated. Looking at the other end of the scale, in the 2014-15 season, only 266 inches/676 centimeters fell, the lowest ever in one season. The lowest snow season before this took place in 1929/30, when 390 inches/991 centimeters fell.

- Wyoming -

Wyoming is a landlocked state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It borders Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the southwest, and Colorado to the south. Its population of 576,851 (as of 2020), makes it the least populous state, despite being the 10th largest by area, with the second-lowest population density after Alaska. The state capital and most populous city is Cheyenne. Wyoming's western half consists mostly of the ranges and rangelands of the Rocky Mountains; its eastern half consists of high-elevation prairie, and is referred to as the High Plains. The federal government owns just under half of Wyoming's land, generally protecting it for public use. The state ranks sixth in the amount of land that is owned by the federal government. Overall, the state's total land area is 97,813 sq. mi (253,335 km2).

Wyoming's climate is semi-arid and continental and is drier and windier in comparison to most of the United States, with great temperature extremes. Summers in Wyoming are warm and winters are cold but variable with periods of extreme cold interspersed between generally mild periods, thanks to Chinook winds providing unusually warm temperatures in some locations. Being a very dry state, much of its land receives less than 10 inches (250 mm) of rainfall per year. Precipitation depends on elevation, with lower areas in the Big Horn Basin averaging just 5 to 8 inches (130 to 200 mm) a year, making this area desert like. The lower areas in the North and on the eastern plains average around 10–12 inches (250–300 mm) annually, with the climate there semi-arid. Some mountain areas do receive a good amount of precipitation, 20 inches (510 mm) or more, with much of it falling as snow, sometimes 200 inches (510 cm) or more annually. Silver Gate, Montana received 853 inches of snow during the 2022-2023 season, a record for the state. The state's highest recorded temperature was a hot 114°F (46°C) at Basin on July 12, 1900, and the lowest recorded temperature ever was −66°F (−54°C) at Riverside on February 9, 1933.

Grand Targhee Resort Summit Zoom Cam, Alta, Wyoming, USA
(From See Jackson Hole)

Alta is in western Wyoming in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest, in Teton County, Wyoming, with a population of 429 at the 2020 census. It's located between Driggs, Idaho and the Grand Targhee ski resort, located just east of the Idaho state line, approximately 5 miles (8 km) east of Driggs, at an elevation of 6,440 feet (1,963 m) above sea level. Alta has a total area of just 8.3 square miles (21 km2). It has a warm-summer humid continental climate. The hottest temperature recorded in Alta was 97°F (36 C) on July 16, 1925, while the coldest temperature recorded was −46°F (−43°C) on February 9, 1933. The town sees 113.4 inches of snow (287.46 centimeters) on average per year.

Grand Targhee Resort is a ski resort near Alta, the closest town to the resort. It is 42 miles (68 km) northwest of Jackson and is accessible only from the west, through Driggs, Idaho. The border with Idaho is less than five miles (8 km) due west. The ski resort has one high-speed six-pack, two high-speed quads, two fixed-grip quads, and one magic carpet. Its base is located at 7,851 feet (2,393 m), with its vertical drop being 2,270 feet (690 m). It averages over 500 inches (41.7 ft.; 12.7 m) of snowfall per season, which ranks it among the top five ski resorts in North America for snowfall. It's located 670 miles (1,080 km) inland and the snow that falls is nearly always powder snow, which is the case for most ski resorts in the Mountain West.

Creek by Rustic Inn, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, USA
(From See Rustic Inn)

Jackson Hole is a valley between the Gros Ventre and Teton mountain ranges, near the border with Idaho. The term "hole" was used by early trappers, or mountain men, for a large mountain valley. Jackson Hole is 55 miles (89 km) long by 6-to-13 miles (10-to-21 km) wide and is a graben valley with an average elevation of 6,800 ft. (2,100 m), with its lowest point being near the southern park boundary at 6,350 ft. (1,940 m). The valley was used by Native Americans for hunting and ceremonial purposes. It was not known to harbor year-round human settlement prior to the 1870s. The valley sees a lot of snow, with record snow at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, with an all-time snow total record of 595 inches/1,5113 mm recorded in Rendezvous Bowl.

The Creek by Rustic Inn is a 4 star resort located in Jackson, and we thank them for their wonderful cam! Check them out when you're in the area.

Old Faithful Geyser, Wyoming, USA
(From National Park Service)

Old Faithful is a cone geyser and is one of nearly 500 geysers in Yellowstone National Park, and one of six that park rangers currently predict its eruption. It is uncommon to be able to predict geyser eruptions with regularity, yet Old Faithful has lived up to its name, only lengthening the time between eruptions by about 30 minutes in the last 30 years. Thermal features change constantly and it is possible Old Faithful may stop erupting someday. Geysers and other thermal features are evidence of ongoing volcanic activity beneath the surface and change is part of this natural system. Old Faithful is not the tallest or largest geyser in the park; those titles belong to the less predictable Steamboat Geyser. The reliability of Old Faithful can be attributed to the fact that it is not connected to any other thermal features of the Upper Geyser Basin. Eruptions can shoot 3,700 to 8,400 gallons (14,006 to 3,1798 liters) of boiling water to a height of 106 to 185 feet (32 to 56 meters) lasting from 1½ to 5 minutes. The average height of an eruption is 145 feet (44 meters). Old Faithfull sits at an elevation of 7,349 feet (2,240 meters).

- Colorado -

Colorado is located in the US Mountain West, and has a diverse landscape of arid desert, river canyons, high tundra, high plains, huge sand dunes and the snow-covered Rocky Mountains, including the famous Rocky Mountain National Park. Elsewhere, Mesa Verde National Park features Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings. Perched a mile above sea level, Denver, Colorado’s capital and largest city, features a vibrant downtown area. On its eastern side is where the Great Plains end their westward trek. Colorado is the eighth largest state at 104,185 sq. mi (269,837 sq. km), and 21st most populous U.S. state. It borders Wyoming to the north, Nebraska to the northeast, Kansas to the east, Oklahoma to the southeast, New Mexico to the south, Utah to the west, and meets Arizona to the southwest, at the Four Corners, the only location in the US where four states meet (Colorado, Utah. Arizona and New Mexico).

Colorado's is the highest state in the United States, with an average elevation of 6,800 feet (2,074 meters) above sea level. At 14,440 feet/4,401 meters, Mount Elbert is the highest point in Colorado and second highest point in the continental U. S., and Leadville, at 10,158 feet/3,096 meters, is the highest-elevation city in the continental U.S. Colorado is home to fifty-eight of the nation's ninety-six mountain peaks standing at or above 14,000 feet in elevation. Known as “Fourteeners,” these peaks dominate Colorado’s skyline and shape the way people live and identify with nature in the Rocky Mountain West.

Colorado joined the U.S. as the 38th state in 1876. The region has been inhabited by Native Americans and their ancestors for at least 13,500 years and possibly much longer. The eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains was a major migration route for early peoples who spread throughout the Americas.

The estimated population of Colorado in 2023 was 5,877,610. Roughly 70% of Colorado's population resides along the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains, known as the Front Range, which lies between Cheyenne, Wyoming, and Pueblo, Colorado. This region is partially protected from prevailing storms that blow in from the Pacific Ocean region, and storms that form in the nearby high Rockies. The Front Range, with some of its locations located in the foothills, includes Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins, Loveland, Castle Rock, Colorado Springs, Pueblo, and other townships and municipalities in between.

West of the Great Plains of Colorado rises the foothills and slopes of the Rocky Mountains. Notable peaks include Longs Peak, Mount Blue Sky, Pikes Peak, and the Spanish Peaks in southern Colorado. The Continental Divide of the Americas, in Colorado, extends from north to south, following a serpentine path through Routt, Jackson, Larimer, Grand, Boulder, Gilpin, Clear Creek, Summit, Park, Lake, Eagle, Pitkin, Gunnison, Chaffee, Saguache, Hinsdale, San Juan, Mineral, Rio Grande, Conejos, and Archuleta Counties. West of the Continental Divide, water flows to the southwest via the Colorado River and the Green River into the Gulf of California. To the east, rivers like the Rio Grande and Arkansas Rivers drains to the southeast, ultimately either via the Mississippi River or the Rio Grande into the Gulf of Mexico.

The climate of Colorado is more complex than most other U.S. states. Unlike most places, southern Colorado is not always warmer than northern Colorado. Most of Colorado is made up of mountains, foothills, high plains, and desert lands, and the mountains and surrounding valleys greatly affect the local climate. The climate of the Eastern Plains is semi-arid with low humidity and moderate precipitation. In summer, this area can have many days above 95°F (35°C) and often 100°F (38°C), along with humidity readings under 10%. On the plains, the winter lows usually range from 25 to −10°F (−4 to −23°C). March is the snowiest month there. West of the plains and into the foothills, there is a wide variety of climate types. Locations merely a few miles apart can experience entirely different weather depending on the topography. This area sees semi-arid climate, like the eastern plains, but here it transitions to an alpine climate at the highest elevations. Extreme weather changes are common in Colorado. Thunderstorms are common east of the Continental Divide in the spring and summer, yet are usually brief. Hail is a common sight in the mountains east of the Divide, in their foothills, on the Front Range, and across the eastern Plains. It hails in these areas more than anywhere else on Earth, being tied with the Himalayas in India for that title. Yet in Colorado's Rockies west of the Great Divide, they see little or no hail, and few thunderstorms the further west one travels. Plus, when talking about server weather in the easter part of the state, it should be noted that the Eastern High Plains are on the western portion of Tornado Alley - which ends mainly at the Colorado Front Range.

As far as snow goes, the spot in Colorado that sees the most snow is Wolf Creek Pass, at the Wolf Creek Ski Area. At an elevation of 11,904 feet / 3,628 meters, it  receives over 400 inches/1,016 centimeters of snow each year on average. Wolf Creek holds Colorado record snowfall season with 807 inches of snow /2,0500 centimeters during the 2078-2079 season.

All of the Colorado mountains over 12,000 feet/3,658 meters will sometimes see snow in July and August. The 24 hour snowfall record in the state was at Silver Lake, when 75.8  inches/193 centimeters fell from the afternoon on April 14, into the next morning. Temperature records in Colorado are, for the highest reading: 115°F/46°C on July 20, 2019, recorded at John Martin Dam near Las Animas, and for the lowest temperature in the state, that was  -61°F/-52°C on February 1, 1985, recorded in Maybell. 

Clear Creek Tunnel 1, Colorado, USA
(From CDOT)

Clear Creek flows from the Continental Divide at Loveland Pass, eastward through a deep and wide glacial valley down to Idaho Springs, where the valley narrows and the stream gradient increases as it enters narrow, relatively undeveloped Clear Creek Canyon. Other than the two-lane US Highway 6, which hugs the creek, the canyon is nearly pristine, providing a major wilderness recreational area at the western edge of the Denver metro area. There are no buildings in the inner gorge, and most of the outer gorge has escaped encroachment by home construction and attendant roads. Although all the land was homesteaded in the late 1800s and used for cattle grazing and local hay production, a combination of rugged landscape, enlightened landowners, and local residents allowed it to remain undeveloped into the 1980s, when a combination of public and private land conservation efforts started the process of limiting development forever. Today, the Clear Creek Land Conservancy owns 600 acres on the south side of the canyon and holds conservation easements on 1,300 additional acres of private land, ensuring it will never be developed.

As far as the tunnels go, most of the roadway and tunnels through Clear Creek Canyon were built between 1937 and 1941 and between 1945 and 1952, as most construction was halted during World War II. Originally there were six tunnels, but Tunnel #4 near the intersection with State Highway 119 was closed down and is no longer in use. Built in 1939, the 191.9 foot long tunnel was barricaded from use in 1998 when the intersection joining U.S. 6 and SH 119 was relocated to the southeast.

Tunnel 1 is located on Hwy 6, east of Idaho Springs and west of Golden, Colorado (To see the cam view inside Tunnel 1, go to my Colorado Webcam site  page for it, here. To see Tunnels 2,3 and 5, go here, and to see the closed, abandoned Tunnel 4, go here).

Crestone Baca, Colorado, USA
(Zoom Mountain Tour from Colorado WebCams)

The Town of Crestone is an isolated community located in south-central Colorado, in Saguache County, in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, a mountain chain of the Rocky Mountains and one of the longest fault-block mountain ranges in the world. The webcams are located south of Crestone in the Baca Grande. The Baca is a spiritual center, with several world religions represented here, including: a Hindu temple, a couple of Zen centers, several Tibetan Buddhist centers, different retreat centers, and miscellaneous New Age happenings. Crestone's elevation is 7,923 feet / 2415 meters. However, in the Baca, the elevation varies, with an average elevation of 8,100 feet / 2469 meters. As of the 2020 census, the population of Crestone was 141, but, most of the locals live in the Baca, with an estimated population of 2,000 people.

Crestone is named for the 14,000-foot (1,917 meter) plus high mountains that lie just east of the town. Just to the south and next door to the Baca are the tallest sand dunes in North America, at the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Inside this National Park, besides the beautiful tall sand dunes, on the park's north end, bordering the Baca, is the Crestone Crater, which was possibly formed by a meteorite impact in 1892, but it's still being studied to determined if it is indeed one. You can click here if you would like to read a newspaper article I wrote about it in 2011.

The climate in Crestone brings mild summers and cold winters. Down below Crestone is the San Luis Valley, the highest and largest alpine valley in the world, and it is also a semi-desert - and a very cold one at that - as it's the second coldest valley in the lower 48 states (the Gunnison Valley, located in the next valley over to the west, is the coldest). The coldest temperature ever in the Crestone/Baca was -26°F/-32°C set on February 1, 1986, and the warmest day was 98°F/38°C on July 20, 2005. The snowiest snow season in Crestone since 1982, was in 2008-09, back when I, your webmaster, measured 99 inches / 252 centimeters of snow**. Yearly, the average snowseason recieves 64.0 inches / 163 centimeters.

This cam shows and covers about 270 degrees of the local area, including the Crestone area mountains, the northern San Luis Valley, and the San Juan Mountains to the west. Average elevation of the mountain peaks shown are just under 14,000 feet (1,917 meters). To see a list of these mountain peaks and their elevation that are seen on the cam, go here.

**Yes, Crestone is my hometown and I have been the official COOP (Cooperative Observer) reporter in the Crestone-Baca for the National Weather Service since I moved here in 2002. Plus yes, this cam and my other 4 cams (all 5 are shown on my Colorado WebCam Page) are all located up on top of my home's 30 foot high weather tower. You can checkout those cams by clicking on the link just above.

- Las Vegas, Nevada -

Las Vegas, aka Sin City or simply Vegas, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada. The Las Vegas Valley metropolitan area is the largest within the greater Mojave Desert, and second-largest in the Southwestern United States. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city, known primarily for its gambling, shopping, fine dining, entertainment, and nightlife, with most venues centered in downtown Vegas and more on the Las Vegas Strip, just outside city limits. The city had 641,903 residents in 2020, with a metropolitan population of 2,227,053, making it the 25th-most populous city in the States.

The city bills itself as the Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous for its luxurious and extremely large casino-hotels. With over 40.8 million visitors annually as of 2023, it's one of the most visited cities in the U.S. The city's elevation is approximately 2,030 ft. (620 m) and has an area of 135.86 sq. mi (351.9 km2). 

Vegas has a subtropical hot desert climate, typical of the Mojave Desert in which it lies. It has extremely hot summers, and short winters with mild days and cool nights. There is abundant sunshine throughout the year, with an average of 310 sunny days. Rainfall is scarce, with an average of 4.2 in (110 mm) per year. Las Vegas is among the sunniest, driest, and least humid locations in North America. July is the hottest month, with an average daytime high of 104.5°F (40.3°C). On average, 137 days per year reach or exceed 90°F (32°C), of which 78 days reach 100°F (38°C) and 10 days reach 110°F (43°C). Summer overnight lows frequently remain above 80°F (27°C). The all-time record high low is 95°F (35°C), set in 2005. The highest temperature officially observed in  Las Vegas is 120°F (48.9°C), set on July 7, 2024. The lowest temperature was 8°F (−13°C), recorded on two days: January 25, 1937, and January 13, 1963. Plus yes, it does snow once in a blue moon in Vegas. The most recent accumulations occurred on February 18, 2019, when parts of the city received about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5.1 cm) of snow. Unofficially, Las Vegas's largest snowfall was 12 inches (30 cm) that fell in 1909.

Aerial View of Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

 (From AE Signage)

The Las Vegas Strip is a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard in Clark County, Nevada, that is known for its concentration of resort hotels and casinos. The Strip, as it is known, is about 4.2 mi (6.8 km) long, and is immediately south of the Las Vegas city limits in the unincorporated towns of Paradise and Winchester, but is often referred to simply as "Las Vegas". Many of the largest hotel, casino, and resort properties in the world are on the Strip.

- Washington State -

Washington, officially the State of Washington, is the westernmost state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is often referred to as Washington state to distinguish it from the national capital, both named for George Washington. Washington borders the Pacific Ocean to the west, Oregon to the south, Idaho to the east, and the Canadian province of British Columbia to the north. It was admitted to the Union as the 42nd state in 1889. Olympia is the state capital, and the most populous city is Seattle. It's the 18th-largest state, with an area of 71,362 square miles (184,830 km2), and the 13th-most populous state, with more than 7.8 million people. The majority of Washington's residents live in the Seattle metropolitan area.

Mount Rainier, an active stratovolcano, is the state's highest elevation at 14,411 feet (4,392 meters), and is the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous U.S. The U.S. Geological Survey considers Mount Rainier the most dangerous volcano in the Cascade Range, due to its proximity to the Seattle metropolitan area, and most dangerous in the continental U.S. according to the Decade Volcanoes list. It is also covered with more glacial ice than any other peak in the contiguous 48 states.

Washington has a temperate climate. The eastern half has a semi-arid to warm-summer mediterranean climate, while the western side of Washington as well as the coastal areas of the state have a cool oceanic climate. Western Washington is very cloudy during much of fall, winter, and early spring. Seattle averages the least sunshine hours of any major city in the U.S. Rainfall in Washington varies dramatically going from east to west. The Olympic Peninsula's western side receives as much as 160 inches (4,100 mm) of precipitation annually, making it the wettest area of the 48 conterminous states and a temperate rainforest. Weeks may pass without a clear day. The western slopes of the Cascade Range receive some of the heaviest annual snowfall (in some places more than 200 inches or 5,100 millimeters water equivalent) in the country. In the rain shadow area east of the Cascades, the annual precipitation is only 6 inches (150 mm). Precipitation then increases again eastward toward the its border with Idaho. The highest recorded temperature in the state was 120°F (49°C) at Hanford on June 29, 2021. The lowest temperature recorded in the state was −48°F (−44°C) in Winthrop and Mazama.

Leavenworth, Washington, USA
(From Visit Leavenworth)

Leavenworth is a Bavarian-styled village in the Cascade Mountains, in central Washington State. Alpine-style buildings with restaurants serving German beer and food line Front Street. The population was 2,263 at the 2020 census. The city has a total area of 1.25 square miles (3.24 km2). Leavenworth has a continental Mediterranean climate with summers characterized by hot, sunny days and chilly nights, and cold, snowy winters. When a continental flow enters the Columbia Basin, the temperature can be very hot during the day, with the hottest temperature ever being 110°F or 43.3°C during the heat wave of July 1941. The lowest temperature recorded was −36°F (−37.8°C) on December 30, 1968.

- California -

California, a western U.S. state, stretches from the Mexican border along the Pacific Ocean for nearly 900 miles. Its terrain includes cliff-lined beaches, redwood forest, the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Central Valley farmland and the Mojave Desert. The city of Los Angeles is the seat of the Hollywood entertainment industry. Hilly San Francisco is known for the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island and cable cars. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and an international border with the Mexican state of Baja California to the south. With 38,940,231 residents across an area of 163,696 square miles (423,970 km2), it is the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by area. Los Angeles is the state's most populous city and the nation's second-most, after New York City. Its capital is Sacramento.

English serves as California's official language, with 56.08% (20,763,638) of California residents age 5 and older spoke only English at home, while 43.92% spoke another language. Spanish is the most commonly spoken language in California, behind English, spoken by 28.18% (10,434,308) of the population (in 2021).

California is the home of Hollywood, the oldest and one of the largest film industries in the world, profoundly influencing global entertainment. It is the point of origin of hippie counterculture, blue jeans, the internet, the personal computer, and skateboarding, among other things. The San Francisco Bay and the Greater Los Angeles areas are seen as the centers of the global technology and U.S. film industries, respectively.

The Sierra Nevada (Spanish for "snowy range") includes the highest peak in the contiguous 48 states, Mount Whitney, at 14,505 feet (4,421 m). The range embraces Yosemite Valley, famous for its glacially carved domes, and Sequoia National Park, home to the giant sequoia trees, the largest living organisms on Earth, and the deep freshwater lake, Lake Tahoe, the largest lake in the state by volume. The Badwater Basin, in Death Valley, is the lowest and hottest place in North America, at −279 feet (−85 meters). The highest temperature in the world, 134°F (56.7°C), was recorded there on July 10, 1913. For the record, the coldest temperature ever in California was −45°F (−43°C) on January 20, 1937, in Boca, and the highest-ever amount of snowfall recorded was seen in 1938 with 816 inches or 2,073 meters.

On the negitive side of things, California can see tsunamis, floods, droughts, damage from the Santa Ana winds, wildfires, and landslides on steep terrain and also has several volcanoes. Plus, as a part of the Ring of Fire, California is subject to many earthquakes, thanks to several faults running through the state, the largest being the San Andreas Fault. About 37,000 earthquakes are recorded each year; most are too small to be felt, but two-thirds of the human risk from earthquakes lies in California.

El Capitan, Yosemite National Park, California, USA
(From https://yosemite.org and Pixelcaster)

Yosemite National Park (/joʊˈsɛmɪti/ yoh-SEM-ih-tee) is in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains is internationally recognized for its cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, giant sequoia groves, lakes, mountains, meadows, glaciers, and biological diversity. Almost 95 percent of the park is designated wilderness, and is one of the largest and least fragmented habitat blocks in the Sierra Nevada. Established on October 1, 1890, the park occupies an area of 759,620 acres (3,074.1 km2). It's bordered on the southeast by Sierra National Forest and on the northwest by Stanislaus National Forest, and is managed by the National Park Service.

Three wilderness areas are adjacent to Yosemite: the Ansel Adams Wilderness to the southeast, the Hoover Wilderness to the northeast, and the Emigrant Wilderness to the north. The park contains thousands of lakes and ponds, 1,600 miles (2,600 km) of streams, 800 miles (1,300 km) of hiking trails, and 350 miles (560 km) of roads. Two federally designated Wild and Scenic Rivers, the Merced and the Tuolumne, begin within Yosemite's borders and flow westward through the Sierra foothills into the Central Valley of California.

Many features include Granite domes such as Sentinel Dome and Half Dome rise 3,000 and 4,800 feet (910 and 1,460 m), respectively, above the valley floor. The park contains dozens of other granite domes. The Lyell Glacier is the largest glacier in the park and one of the few remaining in the Sierra. El Capitan ("the captain", "the chief") is a prominent granite cliff that looms over the valley, and is a rock climbing favorite because of its sheer size, diverse climbing routes, and year-round accessibility. The top of El Capitan can be reached by hiking out of Yosemite Valley on the trail next to Yosemite Falls, then proceeding west. For climbers, the challenge is to climb up the sheer granite face.  

Anacapa Island Cove, Channel Islands National Park, California, USA
(From Channel Islands National Park)

Channel Islands National Park sits 22 miles off the coast of Santa Barbara in the Pacific Ocean. Touted as the “Galapagos of North America,” the chain of islands is home to 2,000+ plants and animals, many of which can only be found on the islands. Whether you enjoy watching wildlife, kayaking, scuba diving, camping or island-hopping by boat, there are many things to do and ways to explore the Channel Islands.

The Channel Islands have eight islands total, while the Channel Islands National Park contains five of them (San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Anacapa, and Santa Barbara). The entire park consists of 249,354 acres/100910 hectares, half of which are under the ocean, and is home to a wide variety of nationally and internationally significant natural and cultural resources. The park provides truly unique opportunities for visitors to experience California’s natural beauty beneath the sea. Channel Islands was designated a U.S. National Monument in 1938, and then a Biosphere Reserve in 1976. Established as Channel Islands National Park in 1980, this park includes a marine sanctuary that protects six nautical miles of water around the park itself.

The  Channel Islands has a Warm-summer Mediterranean climate and sees 11.89 inches/302 mm of rain each year. Its mean daily maximum temperature is 65.6°F (18.7°C).

Catalina West End Bald Eagle Overlook, Santa Catalina Island, California, USA

(From Institute for Wildlife Studies)

Santa Catalina Island, often shortened to Catalina Island or Catalina, is a rocky island and is one of California’s Channel Islands, lying southwest of Los Angeles. It's known for its wildlife, dive sites and Mt. Orizaba, its highest peak, which at its summit is 2,097 feet / 6,3917 centimeter. Santa Catalina is located south of Channel Islands National Park and not a part of the park. Its population in 2010 was 4,096 and the island covers about 76 square miles /197 square kilometer.

Situated in the Pacific Ocean, it's approximately 29 mi (47 km) south-southwest of Long Beach, California.

Santa Catalina Island has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate with very mild winters. Coastal fog is common during summer, but usually burns off by the afternoon. The average January maximum temperatures is 58.4°F (14.7°C) and in July the max average temperature are is 78.1°F (25.6°C). The record high temperature was 105°F (41°C) on July 6, 2018, and the record low temperature was 29°F (−2°C) on January 11, 1949. On the summit of Mt. Orizaba it' can get colder in the winter and on January 10, 1949, 8 inches of snow fell on the mountain's peak.

There are usually about 20 pairs of bald eagles breeding on 5 of the 8 Channel Islands, including on Santa Catalina Island.

Hermosa Beach, Southern California, USA

(From Good Stuff Restaurants)

Hermosa Beach (Spanish for "Beautiful") is a beachfront city in Los Angeles County, California. Its population was 19,506 at the 2010 census and is one of the three Beach Cities in the greater area, bordered by the other two, Manhattan Beach to the north and Redondo Beach to the south and east. Situated on the Pacific Ocean, Hermosa's average temperature is 70 degrees in the summer and 55 degrees in the winter. Westerly sea breezes lessen what can be high summertime temperatures in Los Angeles and elsewhere in the county and help keep the smog away 360 days of the year.

The average water temperature at the beach is 60°F (15.5°C), while in the summer it's 68°F (20°C), and in winter it's 50°F (10 C). As a general rule, the temperature is from 5 to 10°F (3 to 5.5°C) cooler than it is inland. The rainy season for Hermosa Beach is from late October through late March, but there is very little rain during the rest of the year, on average, just 14 inches.

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Morro Bay Yacht Club, California, USA
(From YouTube) 

Morro Bay is a coastal city in California. It's known for Morro Rock, an ancient volcanic mound at the end of Morro Rock Beach. The rock sits within Morro Bay State Park, home to lagoons, trails and a bird-rich saltwater marsh. Morro Bay State Park’s Museum of Natural History features exhibits on ecology and local Native American culture. Trails lead up Black Hill for views over the city and Morro Bay. Its population in 2022 was 10,696 and its elevation is 62 ft. (19 m)