As I stated previously, Madras is nicknamed, “The Basin” due to its location in a circular-shaped valley. It is just east of the grand Cascade Mountains and sits in the high desert region of Jefferson County. The panoramic views of the white-tipped Cascade Mountains are something you will never get used to. The sights are so undeniably beautiful that it’s near impossible to take it for granted. In other words, the views never get old.

Geographically speaking, Madras straddles the famous The Dalles California Highway and the good, ole Warm Springs Highway.

Climatically speaking, the city enjoys the benefits of a steppe climate. This is a semi-arid climate where it is not as dry as a desert region but it is not plentiful in precipitation either. In fact, the town only receives an average of 11 inches or rain in a year’s time! To provide you a scale for comparison, the United States receives an average rainfall amount of 38 inches per year.

Keep in mind, though, that Madras also receives snow as well. In addition to its measly 11 inches of rainfall per year, it also receives 14 inches of snow per year. This still falls below the average snowfall rate for the United States as a whole, but it’s certainly more precipitation than a typical desert region climate.

Madras also has more cloudy days than sunny days with an average of 153 sunny days in a year’s time. For some people, that small detail doesn’t mean much, but for others, it means everything. We are all different!

As for temperatures, since Madras has a steppe climate, it’s rather comfortable. During the heat of summer in July, you can expect an average high temperature of 85 degrees Fahrenheit. During the coldest part of winter, you can expect an average low temperature of 25 degrees Fahrenheit.