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32-689: The Inland Northwest , historically and alternatively known as the Inland Empire , is a region of the American Northwest centered on the Greater Spokane, Washington Area , encompassing all of Eastern Washington and North Idaho . Under broader definitions, Northeastern Oregon and Western Montana may be included in the Inland Northwest. Alternatively, stricter definitions may exclude Central Washington and Idaho County, Idaho . As of 2016,

64-458: A tropical savanna climate or a humid subtropical climate . These climates tend to have hot, or sometimes extremely hot, summers and warm to cool winters, with some to minimal precipitation. Hot semi-arid climates are most commonly found around the fringes of subtropical deserts. Hot semi-arid climates are most commonly found in Africa , Australia , and South Asia . In Australia, a large portion of

96-434: A location has a semi-arid climate, the precipitation threshold must first be determined. The method used to find the precipitation threshold (in millimeters): If the area's annual precipitation in millimeters is less than the threshold but more than half or 50% the threshold, it is classified as a BS (steppe, semi-desert, or semi-arid climate). Furthermore, to delineate hot semi-arid climates from cold semi-arid climates,

128-409: A mean annual temperature of 18 °C (64.4 °F) is used as an isotherm. A location with a BS -type climate is classified as hot semi-arid ( BSh ) if its mean temperature is above this isotherm, and cold semi-arid ( BSk ) if not. Hot semi-arid climates (type "BSh") tend to be located from the high teens to mid-30s latitudes of the tropics and subtropics , typically in proximity to regions with

160-469: Is given by the Köppen climate classification , which treats steppe climates ( BSh and BSk ) as intermediates between desert climates (BW) and humid climates (A, C, D) in ecological characteristics and agricultural potential. Semi-arid climates tend to support short, thorny or scrubby vegetation and are usually dominated by either grasses or shrubs as they usually cannot support forests. To determine if

192-738: Is home to the Spokane Symphony Orchestra . The Metropolitan Performing Arts Center was restored in 1988 and renamed the Bing Crosby Theater in 2006 to honor the former Spokanite. Touring stand-up comedians are hosted by the Spokane Comedy Club. Theater is provided by Spokane's only resident professional company, The Modern Theater, though there are also the Spokane Civic Theatre and several other amateur community theaters and smaller groups. The First Interstate Center for

224-637: Is served by the Tri-City Herald , a daily newspaper. Yakima is served by the Yakima Herald-Republic , a daily newspaper. The Tri-Cities and Yakima are considered one media market by Nielsen, the 122nd largest in the country. KNDU carries NBC, KVEW carries ABC, KEPR carries CBS and KFFX carries Fox. 47°00′N 118°00′W  /  47.0°N 118.0°W  / 47.0; -118.0  ( Inland Northwest ) American Northwest The Northwestern United States , also known as

256-724: The ABC Islands , the rain shadows of Hispaniola 's mountain ranges in the Dominican Republic and Haiti , parts of the Southwestern United States including California's Central Valley , and sections of South America such as the sertão , the Gran Chaco , and the poleward side of the arid deserts, where they typically feature a Mediterranean precipitation pattern, with generally rainless summers and wetter winters. They are also found in few areas of Europe surrounding

288-592: The American Northwest or simply the Northwest , is an informal geographic region of the United States . The region consistently includes the states of Oregon , Washington , Idaho , Montana and Wyoming . Some sources include Southeast Alaska in the Northwest. The related but distinct term Pacific Northwest generally excludes areas from the Rockies eastward, whereas the term " Inland Northwest " excludes areas west of

320-626: The Appaloosa , is another major agricultural region located in the gently rolling hills of southeastern Washington and extending into Idaho. In northern Idaho, the precipitation from the Pacific Ocean over the North Central Rockies forests , create the North American inland temperate rainforest . The Coeur d'Alene Mountains of this range is noted for its natural resource wealth, particularly

352-634: The Blue Mountains of Oregon and foothills of the Wallowa Mountains to the south, southeast, and encompasses the Columbia river basin (or Columbia Plateau ). Between the three mountain ranges are large, sweeping areas of semi-arid steppe , part of which has been irrigated due to the Columbia Basin Project , resulting in expansive farmland in central Washington. The Palouse , original home of

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384-541: The Cascades . The Northwestern United States is a subportion of the Western United States (which is, itself, even more ambiguous). In contrast, states included in the neighboring regions ( Southwestern United States and Great Plains ) and Utah are not simultaneously considered part of both regions. Like the southwestern United States, the Northwest definition has moved westward over time. The current area includes

416-462: The Idaho side experiences a mostly dry summer continental climate . The Inland Northwest is home to seven Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA), eight if Western Montana is included, as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. The two largest centers of population are formed out of multiple neighboring MSAs that are classified as Combined Statistical Areas . The largest in the region is the conurbation formed by

448-586: The Mediterranean Basin . In Europe, BSh climates are predominantly found in southeastern Spain . It can also be found primarily in parts of south Greece but also in marginal areas of Thessaloniki and Chalkidiki in north Greece , most of Formentera , marginal areas of Ibiza and marginal areas of Italy in Sicily , Sardinia and Lampedusa . Cold semi-arid climates (type "BSk") tend to be located in elevated portions of temperate zones generally from

480-518: The Outback surrounding the central desert regions lies within the hot semi-arid climate region. In South Asia, both India and parts of Pakistan experience the seasonal effects of monsoons and feature short but well-defined wet seasons , but are not sufficiently wet overall to qualify as either a tropical savanna or a humid subtropical climate. Hot semi-arid climates can be also found in parts of North America , such as most of northern Mexico ,

512-706: The Silver Valley with its mining heritage dating back to the 1880s. Spokane , the region's largest city, is located near where the arid, and largely unforested Columbia plateau meets the lush forests of the Selkirk Mountains . The urban area stretches east into Idaho along the I-90 corridor through the Spokane River valley. Across the border in Idaho the suburbs stretch into the cities of Post Falls and Coeur d'Alene on

544-582: The Spokane Velocity and Spokane Zephyr teams in soccer . The Spokane area is served by The Spokesman-Review , a daily newspaper, as well as the Inlander , an alternative weekly , and the bi-weekly Spokane Journal of Business . Spokane is the 73rd largest TV market in the nation according to Nielsen . KREM carries CBS on channel 2, KXLY carries ABC on channel 4, KHQ carries NBC on channel 6 and KAYU carries FOX on channel 28. The Tri-Cities

576-666: The U.S. Census Bureau additionally defines nine combined statistical areas across the Northwest, eight of which having populations of 100,000 or more. Statistical Area (2020) (Green indicates Populist Party affiliation, peach indicates the Republican Party , blue indicates the Democratic Party , and plum indicates the Bull Moose Party .) 46°N 117°W  /  46°N 117°W  / 46; -117 Semi-arid climate A more precise definition

608-637: The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the combined population of eastern Washington and north Idaho alone to be 2,240,645, comparable to that of New Mexico . Its Canadian counterpart, north of the border, is the British Columbia Interior , which together comprise the inland portion of the broader Pacific Northwest . Significant urban centers include the Spokane–Coeur d'Alene area and the Tri-Cities . There have been several proposals to politically unite

640-580: The United States' westward expansion , the country's western border also shifted westward, and consequently, so did the location of the Northwestern and Southwestern United States . In the early years of the United States, newly colonized lands lying immediately west of the Allegheny Mountains were detached from Virginia and given the name Northwest Territory . During the decades that followed,

672-589: The Arts often hosts large traveling exhibitions, shows, and tours. In the Tri-Cities, the Richland Players Theater has offered live performances annually for over 70 years. Originally known as The Village Players, the theater group was created in 1944 to bring music, comedy, and cultural opportunities to the local community. Today, the theater has more than 7,500 attendees annually attracting audiences from across

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704-670: The Davenport Arts District has the largest concentration of art galleries and is home to many of Spokane's main performing arts venues, including the Knitting Factory , Fox Theater , and Bing Crosby Theater . The Knitting Factory is a concert house that serves as a setting for many mainstream touring musicians and acts. The Martin Woldson Theater at the Fox , restored to its original 1931 Art Deco state after years of being derelict,

736-505: The Inland Northwest. In the mid and late 1860s, there was a proposal centered on Lewiston in northern Idaho for a Columbia Territory to be formed in the region from parts of what is now eastern Washington, northern Idaho and western Montana. In 1901, another proposal was made, this time to combine the Idaho Panhandle with Eastern Washington to create the State of Lincoln . A third proposal

768-721: The Northwest Territory covered much of the Great Lakes region east of the Mississippi River. As of 2016, the Northwestern states have a cumulative population of 14,297,316, with Oregon and Washington accounting for 77% of the entire five-state region's population. As of 2016, there are 25 metropolitan statistical areas in the Northwest with populations of 100,000 or more, none of which are in Wyoming . Since adjacent metropolitan areas often function as one combined agglomeration,

800-592: The Spokane and Coeur d'Alene MSAs, the Spokane-Coeur d'Alene combined statistical area, which ranks 70th in the nation. The second largest center is the Kennewick-Richland-Walla Walla combined statistical area, which is made up of the Tri-Cities and Walla Walla and ranks as the 103rd largest in the nation. * Sometimes considered to be in the region Agriculture dominates the economy across large swaths of

832-525: The mid-30s to low 50s latitudes, typically bordering a humid continental climate or a Mediterranean climate . They are also typically found in continental interiors some distance from large bodies of water. Cold semi-arid climates usually feature warm to hot dry summers, though their summers are typically not quite as hot as those of hot semi-arid climates. Unlike hot semi-arid climates, areas with cold semi-arid climates tend to have cold and possibly freezing winters. These areas usually see some snowfall during

864-633: The north shore of Lake Coeur d'Alene . The Northeastern Washington and North Idaho portion of the Inland Empire are mountainous and forested, and the crest of the Bitterroot Range of the Rocky Mountains forms part of the eastern boundary of the Inland Empire region, while the Columbia River forms a significant part of its southern boundary. The Washington side is generally semi-arid , while

896-644: The old Oregon Territory (created in 1848–Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and areas in Montana west of the Continental Divide ). The region is similar to Federal Region X , which comprises Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Alaska. It is home to about 14.3 million people (as of 2016). Some of the fastest growing cities in this region and in the nation include Seattle , Spokane , Bellevue , Tacoma , Kennewick , Pasco , Yakima , Portland , Eugene , Salem , Boise , Idaho Falls , Missoula , Bozeman , and Billings . As

928-649: The region such as Spokane, Yakima, and Walla Walla. The theater also serves the local community by bringing local retirees to shows and accommodating the visually and hearing impaired (with the participation of non-profit United Blind). The Inland Northwest is home to the Spokane Indians and Tri-City Dust Devils , professional teams in Minor League Baseball 's Northwest League ; the Western Hockey League 's Spokane Chiefs and Tri-City Americans ; and

960-576: The region. The Palouse is a major producer of wheat and lentils. The Columbia Basin Project opened up 670,000 acres of the Columbia Plateau to irrigated farming. The Yakima Valley is the nation's leading grower of hops as well as a major wine producing region. Washington is second to only California nationally in terms of wine production, with Eastern Washington being home to 19 of the state's 20 recognized American Viticultural Areas . In Spokane,

992-796: The winter, though snowfall is much lower than at locations at similar latitudes with more humid climates. Areas featuring cold semi-arid climates tend to have higher elevations than areas with hot semi-arid climates, and tend to feature major temperature swings between day and night, sometimes by as much as 20 °C (36 °F) or more. These large diurnal temperature variations are seldom seen in hot semi-arid climates. Cold semi-arid climates at higher latitudes tend to have dry winters and wetter summers, while cold semi-arid climates at lower latitudes tend to have precipitation patterns more akin to Mediterranean climates , with dry summers, relatively wet winters, and even wetter springs and autumns. Cold semi-arid climates are most commonly found in central Asia and

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1024-644: Was popularized in the late 1920s to consist of eastern Washington, northern Idaho and western Montana to the Continental Divide. Oregon (often included) Montana (sometimes included; never included as part of the Inland Empire) The region is bounded by the Cascade Mountains on the west and the Rocky Mountains (following the spine of the remote and rugged Cabinet Mountains ) on the east,

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