As a historian in the midst of writing a 150 year history of Mendocino County I spend a lot of time reading the first county history printed in 1880. In this tome there is nothing in this county that is NOT worth lavish praise, including the weather, no matter how extreme it is.
When this volume was written it was a “Come Settle Here” advertising tool. If you already lived here is was “How Could You Be So Lucky!” Any negativity could be reworded, verbosely, into something positive. Here are some comments from that text.
The climatography section informs readers of the wonderful diversities of climates. While the coast is always moisture laden just inside the first range of mountains the air is shorn of a measure of moisture and the wind is shorn of chilling fog. Inland the sun will pour its unimpeded rays in a merciless manner in proving to mankind it can shine more fervidly today than yesterday. In spring the merry sunshine kisses with loving tenderness the newborn offspring of Mother Earth.
Addressing town sites we read Point Arena has tradewinds that come in off the ocean laden with moisture and seem to penetrate the very marrow of strangers who are unaccustomed to it. You are reassured that you get used to this when you become a settler. Of the Big River (Mendocino) area there is but little variety, but, there are days of unparalleled beauty and brightness are only the more appreciated on account of the contrast with the damp days that are so frequent. The pure unadulterated sea air, full of fog and oxygen, charged with ozone, salubrious, salsuginous, invigorating, and life giving, makes pulses leap and brings roses to the cheeks in Mendocino City. Extremes of both heat and cold are unknown.
In Calpella the climate is ismply delightful and too much cannot be said in commendation of its wonderful salubrity and healthfulness. The summer sun may send its rays down in direct lines raising the temperature above 100 degrees, but the air is pure.
In Sanel (Hopland) the summer heat is robbed of its fierceness but gentle bracing breezes. The fogs that infest the coast do not reach this valley.
The climate of Ukiah cannot be surpassed because again, if the mercury ascends to the 100 degree mark the air is light and not felt to be oppressive. Personally I think this “light” air comment is written by someone from the East Coast who understood what humidity felt like. In the Little Lake section (Willits) the climate was unexcelled in the state as the area was sheltered from heavy fog and strong winds from the coast. But…when you want those breezes, the author states while the elevation causes it to be quite cold in the winter season the climate is tempered by sea breezes laden with warmth absorbed from the ocean and comes over the mountains and through the valley making everyone glad.
Round Valley was mild in the summer time but rather rigorous in winter. Air is so light in the summer season extreme heat is not as bad as it is in the lower valleys. Ten Mile area on the coast got a comment that it is not considered a luxury to revel in the almost eternal fogs of the section.
So there’s your weather prospects from a century ago. No matter where you live or visit in Mendocino County there was something superlative to say about it.
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