Winter is the wet season in The Dalles. Despite the rain shadow effect created by the Cascades, there is still enough precipitation most years to support relatively high soil moisture levels for most of the winter. This is a very similar pattern to what happens in classic Mediterranean climates – except that the temperatures are significantly colder. The area receives measurable snowfall virtually every year, but the snow totals fluctuate dramatically from one year to the next; some seasons see only one or two brief light snow events while others get major snowstorms and cumulative totals of or more. The most snowfall in a season has been between July 1949 and June 1950. Average winter temperatures are only about colder than in cities such as Portland and Seattle, and temperatures below are very rare, but not unheard of – historically occurring on three mornings out of every five winters, but only once since February 1996.