Editing Snohomish County, Washington (section)

==Geography==
[[File:Snohomish County, Wash.svg|thumb|right|Map of Snohomish County, showing incorporated places and major highways]]

Snohomish County is part of the [[Puget Sound region]] of [[Western Washington]], bordered to the south by [[King County, Washington|King County]], to the west by [[Puget Sound]] and other inland waters, to the north by [[Skagit County, Washington|Skagit County]], and to the east by the [[Chelan County, Washington|Chelan County]] at the crest of the [[Cascade Range]].<ref name="Times-Guide">{{cite news |last=Mahdoubi |first=Kathy |date=September 27, 2006 |title=A remarkable place: An insider's guide to Snohomish County |page=T2 |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/guidetosnohomishcounty/2003276468_county27n.html |work=The Seattle Times |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070503004556/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/guidetosnohomishcounty/2003276468_county27n.html |archive-date=May 3, 2007 |accessdate=December 18, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=RCW 36.04.310: Snohomish county. |url=https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=36.04.310 |work=[[Revised Code of Washington]] |publisher=[[Washington State Legislature]] |accessdate=February 28, 2024}}</ref> According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the county has a total square area of approximately {{convert|2,196|sqmi|sqkm}}, of which {{convert|2087|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|109|sqmi}}, or 5.0%, is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web |url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_53.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=July 16, 2015 |date=August 22, 2012 |title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref> It is the 13th largest county in Washington by land area and is larger than the states of [[Delaware]] and [[Rhode Island]].<ref name="Times-Guide"/><ref name="Pop">{{cite web |title=The Population of Snohomish County |page=1 |url=https://snohomishcountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/7176  |work=Snohomish County Area Plan on Aging 2012–2015 |publisher=Snohomish County |accessdate=December 18, 2021}}</ref>

The county's surface is covered by plains and rolling hills in the west, where the majority of settlements are, and mountainous terrain in the east. The Cascade Range passes through the eastern part of the county and is largely protected from development as part of the [[Mount Baker–Snoqualmie National Forest]]. The mountain range includes the highest point in Snohomish County: [[Glacier Peak]], at {{convert|10,541|ft|m|2}} above [[sea level]].<ref name="About">{{cite web |title=About Snohomish County |url=https://snohomishcountywa.gov/2577/About-Snohomish-County |publisher=Snohomish County |accessdate=December 18, 2021}}</ref> Several major rivers originate in the Cascades and flow west towards Puget Sound and other parts of the [[Salish Sea]], including the [[Stillaguamish River|Stillaguamish]] and [[Snohomish River|Snohomish]] (fed by the [[Skykomish River|Skykomish]] and [[Snoqualmie River|Snoqualmie]] rivers). These rivers form several [[valley]]s used for agriculture that occasionally flood during major weather events, such as [[atmospheric river]]s.<ref>{{cite news |last=Velush |first=Lukas |date=January 17, 2005 |title=Big floods feared |url=https://www.heraldnet.com/news/big-floods-feared/ |work=The Everett Herald |accessdate=December 18, 2021}}</ref><ref name="FEMA-FloodStudy">{{cite web |date=September 16, 2005 |title=Flood Insurance Study for Snohomish County, Washington And Incorporated Areas |pages=5–9 |url=https://snohomishcountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/7138/Volume-1 |publisher=[[Federal Emergency Management Agency]] |via=Snohomish County |accessdate=December 18, 2021}}</ref>

===Climate===

The lowland areas of western Snohomish County generally has a temperate [[Mediterranean climate]] similar to the rest of the central Puget Sound region with dry summers and wet winters.<ref name="About"/> The county's weather is heavily influenced by maritime systems, pushed by prevailing westerly winds but dampened by the [[Olympic Mountains]]. The mean monthly temperatures for the county range from {{convert|20 to 40|F|C}} during the winter and {{convert|55 to 65|F|C}} in the summer.<ref name="FEMA-FloodStudy"/> The record highest temperatures were set during a [[2021 Pacific Northwest heat wave|June 2021 heat wave]], with highs of up to {{convert|109|F|C}} recorded in several areas.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sheil |first=Hannah |date=June 28, 2021 |title=Heater repeater: Temperatures spike and the county bakes |url=https://www.heraldnet.com/news/heater-repeater-temperatures-spike-and-the-region-bakes/ |work=The Everett Herald |accessdate=December 18, 2021}}</ref> Annual precipitation ranges from {{convert|35|in|cm}} in the west to {{convert|180|in|cm}} in the upper elevations of the Cascades; the majority of the region's precipitation falls between October and March. The county's lowlands also has an average annual snowfall ranging from {{convert|10 to 20|in|cm}}.<ref name="FEMA-FloodStudy"/> The [[Puget Sound Convergence Zone]], a known meteorological phenomenon, runs through southwestern Snohomish County and causes narrow bands of precipitation.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sistek |first=Scott |date=December 17, 2015 |title=What Is A Puget Sound Convergence Zone? |url=https://komonews.com/weather/faq/what-is-a-puget-sound-convergence-zone |publisher=KOMO News |accessdate=December 18, 2021}}</ref>

===Flora and fauna===

Approximately 68 percent of land in Snohomish County is classified as forestland, which is predominantly located in the eastern portions. These forests are dominated by conifer species such as [[Douglas fir]]s, [[Tsuga|hemlock]]s, and [[Cedrus|cedar]]s, with pockets of deciduous species in logged areas.<ref name="About"/><ref name="FEMA-FloodStudy"/>