Is eastern Washington state a desert?

Eastern Washington state is not a desert. It has a steppe climate, characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, moist winters. The average annual precipitation is 16 inches, most of which falls in the winter months. The summers are warm and dry, with average temperatures in July and August reaching up to 90°F. The winters are cool and wet, with average temperatures in January and February dropping to 30°F. Eastern Washington state is also home to the Cascade Range, a north-south mountain range that divides the state into two distinct regions—the eastern and western regions. The Cascade Range creates a rain shadow effect, causing the eastern region to be much drier than the western region.