Editing Puyallup, Washington (section)

==Geography==
Puyallup is approximately {{convert|10|mi|km}} southeast of [[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] and {{convert|35|mi|km}} south of [[Seattle]].<ref>{{cite web |title=About Puyallup |url=https://www.cityofpuyallup.org/748/About-Puyallup |publisher=City of Puyallup |accessdate=December 28, 2021 |archive-date=November 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211130103343/http://www.cityofpuyallup.org/748/About-Puyallup |url-status=live }}</ref> It is situated along the [[Puyallup River]], which flows for {{convert|45|mi|km}} from the [[Puyallup Glacier|Puyallup]] and [[Tahoma Glacier|Tahoma]] glaciers on [[Mount Rainier]] to [[Commencement Bay]] in Tacoma. The river drains an area of {{convert|948|sqmi|sqkm}} and was formed approximately 5,600 [[years before present]].<ref name="PROS-Appendix">{{cite web |date=March 4, 2020 |title=Appendix A: Setting |pages=1–6, 9–11 |url=https://www.cityofpuyallup.org/DocumentCenter/View/11923/Appendix-A---Community-Setting |work=Puyallup Parks, Recreation and Open Space Plan |publisher=City of Puyallup |accessdate=November 26, 2024}}</ref> The city lies within the Puyallup Valley, an agricultural region that produces berries and [[daffodil]]s, for which the annual local festival is named.<ref>{{cite news |last=Needles |first=Allison |date=May 1, 2017 |title=Former owner of Bradley Lake Park property to turn 100 years old |url=https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/community/puyallup-herald/article146436564.html |work=Puyallup Herald |accessdate=November 13, 2024}}</ref>

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|14.04|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|13.93|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.11|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water, mainly consisting of the Puyallup River [[estuary]].<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web |title=U.S. Gazetteer files 2010 |url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=December 19, 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120601072332/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=June 1, 2012 }}</ref> Puyallup is surrounded by [[unincorporated area]]s; its closest municipalities include the city of [[Sumner, Washington|Sumner]] to the northeast, [[Fife, Washington|Fife]] and [[Edgewood, Washington|Edgewood]] to the north, [[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] to the northwest,  [[Summit, Washington|Summit]] and [[Midland, Washington|Midland]] to the west, [[South Hill, Washington|South Hill]], [[Graham, Washington|Graham]] and [[Frederickson, Washington|Frederickson]] to the south, McMillin and [[Orting, Washington|Orting]] to the southeast, and Alderton to the east.

The city includes wildlife habitats for urbanized bird species and small mammals, reptiles, and amphibians.<ref name="PROS-Appendix"/> The riparian areas near streams and the Puyallup River host [[coho salmon]], [[chinook salmon]], [[chum salmon]], birds, salamanders, frogs, osprey, ducks, [[North American river otter|river otter]]s, and [[beaver]]s.<ref name="PROS-Appendix"/>

===Volcanic risk===

Downtown Puyallup and nearby neighborhoods lie within the hazard zone for [[lahar]]s that could be produced in a moderate or large eruption of nearby [[Mount Rainier]]. The city's position on the Puyallup River is downstream of the western flank of Mount Rainier, which has the highest potential for producing far-traveled lahars due to the abundance of weakened clay-rich rock at high altitudes.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Driedger |first1=Carolyn L. |last2=Scott |first2=William E. |year=2008 |title=Mount Rainier - Living Safely with a Volcano in your Backyard |url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2008/3062/fs2008-3062.pdf |publisher=United States Geological Survey |accessdate=March 20, 2024}}</ref> The entire Puyallup Valley is built on deposits of the 5,600-year-old [[Osceola Mudflow]], which deposited as much as {{convert|98|ft|m}} of material and was similar to largest lahars Mount Rainier could produce.<ref>{{cite web |date=November 3, 2023 |title=Significant Lahars at Mount Rainier |url=https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mount-rainier/science/significant-lahars-mount-rainier |publisher=United States Geological Survey |accessdate=November 13, 2024}}</ref> A 2009 study by the [[United States Geological Survey]] (USGS) determined that Puyallup has the highest number of dependent-population facilities, public venues, and overall community assets within lahar hazard zones.<ref>{{cite report |last1=Wood |first1=Nathan J. |last2=Soulard |first2=Christopher E. |year=2009 |title=Community Exposure to Lahar Hazards from Mount Rainier |page=1 |url=https://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2009/5211/sir2009-5211.pdf |publisher=United States Geological Survey |accessdate=March 20, 2024}}</ref> The [[Washington State Department of Natural Resources]] estimates that the Puyallup Valley could experience $6–12 billion in damage from a major lahar.<ref>{{cite report |last1=Cakir |first1=Recep |last2=Walsh |first2=Timothy J. |date=May 2012 |title=Loss Estimation Pilot Project for Lahar Hazards from Mount Rainier, Washington |page=1 |url=https://www.dnr.wa.gov/publications/ger_ic113_mt_rainier_lahar_hazards.pdf |publisher=[[Washington State Department of Natural Resources]] |accessdate=March 20, 2024}}</ref>

To combat lahar danger, Pierce County maintains the [[Mount Rainier Volcano Lahar Warning System]], implemented in 1998 by the USGS. The system includes lahar warning sirens and volcano evacuation route signs.<ref>{{cite web |date=November 8, 2023 |title=Monitoring Lahars at Mount Rainier |url=https://www.usgs.gov/volcanoes/mount-rainier/science/monitoring-lahars-mount-rainier |publisher=United States Geological Survey |accessdate=November 13, 2024}}</ref> The Puyallup city government and [[Puyallup School District]] have also taken part in annual lahar exercises to prepare the community and test warning systems.<ref>{{cite news |last=Needles |first=Allison |date=May 6, 2019 |title=Kids will flood the streets of Puyallup and Orting this month. It's part of a drill. |url=https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/community/puyallup-herald/article229957164.html |work=Puyallup Herald |accessdate=November 13, 2024}}</ref> The 2014 drill included 5,000 students at all schools in the district; [[Puyallup High School]] was fully evacuated within four minutes and the first group of students reached a designated high-ground area in nineteen minutes.<ref>{{cite news |last=Cafazzo |first=Debbi |date=September 30, 2014 |title=Puyallup students earn praise during massive school lahar drill |url=https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/education/article25884598.html |work=The News Tribune |accessdate=November 13, 2024}}</ref> The March 2024 drill included 45,000 participants across the region and was the largest lahar evacuation drill that the USGS described as the "world's largest".<ref>{{cite news |last=Hunt |first=Katie |date=June 26, 2024 |title=Why Mount Rainier is the US volcano that troubles scientists most |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/23/science/mount-rainier-volcanic-eruption-lahar-scn/index.html |publisher=[[CNN]] |accessdate=November 13, 2024}}</ref>

===Climate===

Puyallup experiences an [[oceanic climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen classification]]: Csb; [[Trewartha climate classification|Trewartha classification]]: Do). Winters are cool and wet, with high temperatures averaging in the mid to upper 40s and lows near freezing. The surrounding hills (averaging 500 feet (150 m) above sea level) often experience the extremes of winter, with more frequent lows below freezing and greater snowfall. Snowfall is rare, and often only occurs on a few days a year, sometimes as early as November, and as late as April. Spring brings less rain and milder temperatures, with highs regularly in the mid 50s (12–14&nbsp;°C), to around 60 (15&nbsp;°C). Spring often records the first 70&nbsp;°F (21&nbsp;°C) temperature. Summers are warm and dry, with highs in the 70s most days.{{cn|date=November 2024}} The mean temperatures in Puyallup range from a low of {{convert|33|F|C}} in January to a high of {{convert|73|F|C}} in August. The highest recorded temperature is {{convert|105|F|C}}.<ref name="PROS-Appendix"/> Summer is warmest in July and August, and occasionally September. By October and the fall season, temperatures start to drop and precipitation increases.{{cn|date=November 2024}} The majority of the area's precipitation falls between October and March.<ref name="PROS-Appendix"/>