Editing San Juan Islands (section)

== Geography ==
[[File:SanJuanIslandAtNight.JPG|thumb|Battleship Island at night looking south towards Henry Island and the Haro Straight]]
The [[United States Geological Survey]] (USGS) defines the San Juan Islands as the archipelago north of the [[Strait of Juan de Fuca]], west of [[Rosario Strait]], east of [[Haro Strait]], and south of [[Boundary Pass]].<ref name=gnis>{{cite gnis|1510684|San Juan Islands|2011-01-31}}</ref> To the north lie the open waters of the [[Strait of Georgia]]. All these waters are within the [[Salish Sea]]. The USGS definition of the San Juan archipelago coincides with [[San Juan County, Washington|San Juan County]]. Islands not in San Juan County are not part of the San Juan Islands, according to the USGS. [[NOAA]] notes that, while geopolitically divided, the San Juan Islands and Canadian [[Gulf Islands]] geologically form part of a larger Gulf Archipelago.<ref name="NOS Archipelago">{{cite web |author1=NOAA |title=What is an archipelago? |url=https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/archipelago.html |website=National Ocean Service |access-date=10 May 2023}}</ref>

At mean high tide, the San Juan Islands comprise over 400 islands and rocks, 128 of which are named, and over {{convert|478|mi|km}} of shoreline.<ref name="Scherer2004">{{cite book |last=Scherer |first=Migael |title=A Cruising Guide to Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands: Olympia to Port Angeles |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RDGbLROMn-AC&pg=PT201 |access-date=2011-06-23 |year=2004 |publisher=McGraw-Hill Professional |isbn=978-0-07-142039-6 |page=201}}</ref>

The majority of the San Juan Islands are quite hilly, with some flat areas and valleys in between, often quite fertile. The tallest peak is [[Mount Constitution]], on Orcas Island, at an elevation of {{convert|2407|ft}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://moranstatepark.com/mount-constitution/|title=Mt. Constitution – Moran State Park}}</ref> The coastlines are a mix of sandy and rocky beaches, shallow inlets and deep harbors, placid coves and reef-studded bays. Gnarled, ochre-colored madrona trees<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://moranstatepark.com/obstruction-pass/|title = Obstruction Pass Park – Moran State Park}}</ref> (''[[Arbutus]]'') grace much of the shorelines, while evergreen fir and pine forests cover large inland areas.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/sajh/learn/nature/environmentalfactors.htm|title = Environmental Factors - San Juan Island National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service)}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/sanjuans/habitat.php |title=San Juan Islands Habitat Oregon/Washington BLM |access-date=April 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190408201340/https://www.blm.gov/or/resources/recreation/sanjuans/habitat.php |archive-date=April 8, 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The San Juan Islands get substantially less rainfall than [[Seattle]], about {{convert|65|mi|km}} to the south, due to their location in the [[rain shadow]] of the [[Olympic Mountains]] to the southwest.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.olympicrainshadow.com/olympicrainshadowmap.html|title = Olympic Rain Shadow Map and Location}}</ref> Summertime high temperatures are around {{convert|70|F|C}}, while average wintertime lows are in the high 30s and low 40s Fahrenheit (around 5 degrees Celsius). Snow is infrequent in winter, except for the higher elevations, but the islands are subject to high winds at times; those from the northeast sometimes bring brief periods of freezing.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://weatherspark.com/y/145243/Average-Weather-at-Orcas-Island-Airport-Washington-United-States-Year-Round|title = Average Weather at Orcas Island Airport, Washington, United States, Year Round - Weather Spark}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nps.gov/sajh/learn/nature/weather.htm|title = Weather - San Juan Island National Historical Park (U.S. National Park Service)}}</ref>

{{wide image|SanJuanIslands1.jpg|900px|alt=Panoramic view of the Olympic National Park as seen from the Hurricane Ridge visitor center|Panoramic view of the San Juan Islands from the ferry}}