China Lake is an unincorporated community in Kern County, California.[1] It is located 2.5 miles (4 km) north-northeast of Ridgecrest,[2] at an elevation of 2,264 feet (690 m).[1] The place is on China Lake, a dry lake near the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake.[2]
China Lake | |
|---|---|
  China Lake Location in California  China Lake China Lake (the United States) | |
| Coordinates: 35°39′03″N 117°39′42″W / 35.65083°N 117.66167°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | California |
| County | Kern County |
| Elevation | 2,264 ft (690 m) |
The first post office at China Lake opened in 1948.[2]
History
editPrehistory
editThe locale was originally settled by the Coso People, who were prolific artisans in creating rock art. The Coso left archaeological evidence substantiating trade between the Coso and other Native American tribes. For example, distant trade with the Chumash People is confirmed by archaeological recovery of obsidian that has been linked to the Cosos and was discovered as far away as coastal California prehistoric sites in San Luis Obispo County.[3]
Early 1900s (origin of name)
editChinese prospectors harvested borax from the dry lake bed approximately 1.5 miles south of Paxton Ranch. The operation was known locally as "The Little Chinese Borax Works". This led to the area being called China Lake.[4][5]
Climate
editThe area around China Lake has a hot desert climate (BWh) typical of the Mojave Desert with very hot, dry summers and cool winters. Most rain falls in the winter.
| Climate data for China Lake, California, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1945–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 89 (32) |
91 (33) |
92 (33) |
104 (40) |
109 (43) |
118 (48) |
119 (48) |
119 (48) |
114 (46) |
103 (39) |
93 (34) |
81 (27) |
119 (48) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 72.6 (22.6) |
76.6 (24.8) |
85.1 (29.5) |
93.5 (34.2) |
101.5 (38.6) |
109.3 (42.9) |
112.5 (44.7) |
110.9 (43.8) |
105.7 (40.9) |
95.6 (35.3) |
82.0 (27.8) |
71.0 (21.7) |
113.6 (45.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 60.1 (15.6) |
64.6 (18.1) |
71.9 (22.2) |
78.7 (25.9) |
88.2 (31.2) |
98.5 (36.9) |
104.6 (40.3) |
103.3 (39.6) |
95.2 (35.1) |
82.7 (28.2) |
69.4 (20.8) |
59.5 (15.3) |
81.4 (27.4) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 45.5 (7.5) |
50.0 (10.0) |
56.9 (13.8) |
63.1 (17.3) |
71.8 (22.1) |
81.1 (27.3) |
87.5 (30.8) |
85.9 (29.9) |
77.8 (25.4) |
65.6 (18.7) |
53.1 (11.7) |
44.9 (7.2) |
65.3 (18.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 30.8 (−0.7) |
35.4 (1.9) |
41.8 (5.4) |
47.4 (8.6) |
55.5 (13.1) |
63.7 (17.6) |
70.4 (21.3) |
68.6 (20.3) |
60.5 (15.8) |
48.5 (9.2) |
36.8 (2.7) |
30.3 (−0.9) |
49.1 (9.5) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 20.3 (−6.5) |
24.4 (−4.2) |
29.9 (−1.2) |
34.5 (1.4) |
44.8 (7.1) |
51.0 (10.6) |
60.9 (16.1) |
58.4 (14.7) |
48.9 (9.4) |
37.0 (2.8) |
24.9 (−3.9) |
18.9 (−7.3) |
16.8 (−8.4) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 6 (−14) |
12 (−11) |
21 (−6) |
27 (−3) |
35 (2) |
42 (6) |
50 (10) |
51 (11) |
39 (4) |
20 (−7) |
16 (−9) |
8 (−13) |
6 (−14) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 0.94 (24) |
1.11 (28) |
0.55 (14) |
0.24 (6.1) |
0.10 (2.5) |
0.07 (1.8) |
0.12 (3.0) |
0.11 (2.8) |
0.24 (6.1) |
0.27 (6.9) |
0.38 (9.7) |
0.54 (14) |
4.67 (118.9) |
| Source 1: NOAA[6] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service[7] | |||||||||||||
References
edit- ^ a b c U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: China Lake, Kern County, California
- ^ a b c Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Clovis, Calif.: Word Dancer Press. p. 1016. ISBN 1-884995-14-4.
- ^ C. Michael Hogan. 2008. Morro Creek, ed. by A. Burnham
- ^ Panlaqui, Carol, What’s in a Name?, Maturango Museum, Ridgecrest, California (undated single sheet).
- ^ Allan, Lois (Summer 2013). "China Lake Personal History" (PDF). Newsletter of the China Lake Museum Foundation. Vol. 19, no. 3. China Lake Museum Foundation. Retrieved January 25, 2021.
the name, which comes from the Chinese workers who toiled in the potash mines in the area early in the 20th century, has become the unofficial and more commonly used identification
- ^ "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access – Station: China Lake NAF, CA". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
- ^ "NOAA Online Weather Data – NWS Hanford". National Weather Service. Retrieved May 26, 2023.
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