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Orcas Weather Forecast, WA (98280) The Mysterious Banana Belt & Orcas Island Weather Ask anyone about the climate or weather of the San Juan Islands and you will likely hear about the Banana Belt phenomenon. Look deeper and you will also learn that no one can actually define the perimeters of this mysterious area. Orcas Island Weather is influenced by the Olympic mountains that act like a lightening rod for rain. As storms come ashore from the southwest the Olympic mountains get the lion's share of the rain and the areas beyond are in what some people describe as a rain shadow.
Another factor influencing the Orcas Island Climate is the entrance to Puget Sound from the Pacific Ocean known as the Straight of Juan De Fuca. This wide stretch of water acts like a mountain pass between the Olympic mountains and Vancouver island.  As weather fronts come ashore there is a Venturi effect which speeds up the wind speed and creates a giant river of wind, water and weather that is ushered through the Straight of Juan De Fuca. This pushes the wind and rain past the San Juan Islands, sparing Orcas Island, San Juan Island, Lopez Island, Whidbey Island , and Anacortes etc. from the rain it might otherwise have received. Orcas Island does get rain but don't be frightened away by a 30% rain prediction in a 10 day forecast because this is when the Banana Belt phenomenon tends to reveal itself, granting you a perfect weather day.
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