Sequim, Washington
City in Washington, United States / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Sequim (/ˈskwɪm/ (
listen) SKWIM) is a city in Clallam County, Washington, United States. It is located along the Dungeness River near the base of the Olympic Mountains. The 2010 census counted a population of 6,606.
Sequim, Washington | |
|---|---|
 John Wayne Marina in Sequim | |
 Sequim, Washington | |
| Coordinates: 48°4′41″N 123°6′5″W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Washington |
| County | Clallam |
| Government | |
| • Type | Council–manager[1] |
| • Mayor | Tom Ferrell[2] |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.40 sq mi (16.58 km2) |
| • Land | 6.32 sq mi (16.37 km2) |
| • Water | 0.08 sq mi (0.21 km2) |
| Elevation | 184 ft (56 m) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 8,018 |
| • Estimate (2021)[5] | 8,241 |
| • Density | 1,252.81/sq mi (483.59/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-8 (Pacific (PST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-7 (PDT) |
| ZIP code | 98382 |
| Area code | 360 |
| FIPS code | 53-63385 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1531505[6] |
| Website | City of Sequim |
Sequim lies within the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains and receives, on average, less than 16 inches (410 mm) of rain per year – about the same as Los Angeles, California – giving rise to the region's local nickname of Sunny Sequim. However, the city is relatively close to some of the wettest temperate rainforests of the contiguous United States. This climate anomaly is sometimes called the "Blue Hole of Sequim".[7] Fogs and cool breezes from the Juan de Fuca Strait make Sequim's climate more humid than would be expected from the low average rate of annual precipitation.
Some places have surprisingly luxuriant forests, dominated by Douglas-fir and western red cedar. Other trees growing in the area include black cottonwood, red alder, bigleaf maple, Pacific madrone, lodgepole pine and Garry oak, all of which can grow to a significant size. Historically, much of the area was an open, oak-studded prairie, supported by somewhat excessively-drained gravelly and sandy loam soil; agriculture and development of the Dungeness valley have changed this ecosystem. Most soils under Sequim have been placed in a series that is named after the city.[8] This "Sequim series" is one of the few Mollisols in western Washington and its high base saturation, a characteristic of the Mollisol order, is attributed to the minimal leaching of bases caused by low annual rainfall.[9]
The city and the surrounding area are particularly known for the commercial cultivation of lavender, supported by the unique climate. It makes Sequim the "Lavender Capital of North America", rivaled only in France. The area is also known for its Dungeness crab.
Sequim is pronounced as one syllable, with the e elided: "skwim". The name developed from the Klallam language.