A stream in Chautauqua County is pictured. Submitted photo

Have you ever wondered why plants and animals thrive the way they do here in Chautauqua County? After moving here, I took a dive deep into learning about local geography and the county’s natural surroundings. As a geography graduate, maps are a fascination of mine, and I couldn’t resist exploring the 42nd parallel north, the line of latitude where Jamestown lies. It made me wonder how our location compares to others along the same parallel.

WHAT IS THE 42ND PARALLEL, AND WHY DOES IT MATTER?

The 42nd parallel north is an imaginary line that circles the Earth. It spans roughly 16,104 miles, making it about 64% of the length of the equator. Jamestown sits at approximately 42 degrees 5′ 43.9″ N, 79 degrees 14′ 18.9″ W. This latitude doesn’t just show our position – it also connects us with several cities across the United States and beyond. Let’s take a closer look at some of the places that share this parallel.

WHAT CITIES SHARE OUR LATITUDE?

• Erie, Pennsylvania

• Ames, Iowa

• Marshalltown, Iowa

• Kalamazoo, Michigan

• Benton Harbor, Michigan

• Braintree, Massachusetts

• Medford, Oregon

While these cities may lie along the same line of latitude, their climates and characteristics differ because of geographical and environmental factors. Let’s see how these places vary, even with the same parallel.

DIFFERENT CLIMATES, SAME LATITUDE

One of the most surprising things about the 42nd parallel is how diverse the climates can be along this line:

• Medford, Oregon sits in the Rogue Valley between the Cascade Range and Siskiyou Mountains. It has a Mediterranean climate, with warm summers and mild winters – much warmer than expected for a place on this parallel.

• Ames, Iowa experiences a humid continental climate, with hot, humid summers and cold, snowy winters – typical of the Midwest.

• Benton Harbor, Michigan also shares this climate, but its proximity to Lake Michigan means higher snowfall due to lake-effect snow.

• Braintree, Massachusetts, just south of Boston, has a similar humid continental climate, with warm, humid summers and cold, rainy winters.

Despite sharing the same latitude, each of these places has distinct weather patterns influenced by nearby mountains, bodies of water, and other factors.

GLOBAL CONNECTIONS: WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE

Along the 42nd parallel, many regions are connected by an abundance of freshwater, just like Chautauqua County. For example:

• Heaven Lake, a volcanic crater lake in Korea, is located along the 42nd parallel.

• The Caspian Sea, the world’s largest inland body of water, sits along this line.

• Hokkaido, Japan, is also on the 42nd parallel and is known for its lakes and rivers.

What makes Chautauqua County especially notable is the freshwater around us – Lake Erie to the north and Lake Michigan to the west. We’re part of a region rich in freshwater, a resource that’s becoming more valuable worldwide.

WHY CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY IS SPECIAL

While many places share our latitude, our area stands out for a few key reasons. First, the sheer amount of freshwater surrounding us is unparalleled. Chautauqua County is nestled between the Great Lakes, offering us a wealth of water resources including our unique watershed that many regions around the world can only dream of. Our climate, influenced by proximity to Lake Erie and the surrounding hills, offers moderate summers, snowy winters, and fertile soil – ideal for agriculture and outdoor activities. It’s not going to take long for the rest of the world to see how lucky we are. Next time you look at a map, remember that the 42nd parallel does more than mark our location – it connects us to a world full of similarities, differences, and natural wonders. It makes me appreciate everything here so much more.

Chautauqua Watershed Conservancy is a not-for-profit organization with a mission to preserve and enhance the quality, scenic beauty, and ecological health of the Chautauqua region’s lands and waters for our community. For more information, visit chautauquawatershed.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.