The area has a total annual precipitation of 120 cm along Digby Neck and the Islands and the coastal zones of Digby County.  The northern interior region of Digby County has upwards of 150 cm annually and the coastal region of Annapolis County has a total annual precipitation of between 120 cm and 140 cm.  The average temperature in January is between -3°C and  -6°C while the average July temperature is in the range of +13°C and +19° C.  Nova Scotia also has microclimates. These occur due to the areas' unique circumstances, such as proximity to the Bay of Fundy (a large ice-free body of water), two mountain ranges and the Digby Neck and Islands formation. As with most aspects of life in the Maritimes, the ocean plays a large role in our climatic conditions.  The waters of the Bay of Fundy heat up and cool down at a slower rate than the air around them.  The Bay of Fundy has an average summer water temperature of between 8-12C and winter temperatures of 0-4C.  This results in cooler summer temperatures and warmer winter temperatures. The North and South Mountain Ranges shelter the valley region from various forces of nature such as the winds from the Bay of Fundy.  Factors such as this give the valley the highest average temperatures with up to 140 frost-free days and the lowest average precipitation levels of anywhere on the mainland.  Areas such as Brier Island, Long Island and Digby Neck are very much exposed to the influence of onshore weather patterns.  This gives the area a high percentage of fog days, lower snowfall, and cooler summer temperatures by an average of 4°C-5°C compared with the interior regions of the two Counties.