A desert climate exists in the southeastern third
of the state, east of the Sierra Nevada and Peninsular ranges and
in the southwestern part of the San Joaquin Valley. Cut off by
mountains from moisture-laden Pacific storms, this region receives
very little
precipitation. Here lies Owens Valley, celebrated by author Mary
Austin as "the land of little rain" and scene of one
of the most bitter water disputes in California history.
Summer temperatures
in this region are the highest in the state, averaging over 100
degrees Fahrenheit in July in Death Valley. The
highest temperature ever recorded in the United States, 134 degrees,
was recorded in Death Valley on July 10, 1913.
