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There are so many wonderful places and things to do here in Southern Oregon: One of my favorite resources is 541 Live! Check them out! 

Climate:  Medford sits in a weather shadow between the Cascade Range and Siskiyou Mountains called the Rogue Valley. As such, most of the rain associated with the Pacific Northwest and Oregon in particular skips Medford, making it drier and sunnier than the Willamette Valley. Medford's climate is considerably warmer, both in summer and winter, than its latitude would suggest. Summers are reminiscent of Eastern Oregon, and winters resemble the coast. In Medford, summer often includes as many as ninety days over 90°F (32°C), with temperatures over 100°F (38°C) common in July and August. In August 1980, the temperature stayed over 110°F (43°C) for over a week, with two days reaching 115°F (46°C). Medford also experiences temperature inversions in the winter which during its lumber mill days produced fog so thick that visibility could be reduced to less than five feet. These inversions could last four to six weeks, in part, because the metro area has the lowest average wind speed of all the North American metro areas.^{[citation needed]}

Medford residents experience snowfall (not necessarily accumulation) during winter months, though it usually only amounts to a few inches (5-7 centimeters). In the past, Medford has seen snowfall measurements reach 31 inches/78 centimeters (1955-1956), and in 2007, 9 inches/23 centimeters of snowfall were recorded.^[58]

Economy:  Medford's economy is driven primarily by the health care industry.^[60]

Medford is the economic and shopping center for over 460,000 people located in Southern Oregon and Northern California.^[61] The Projected 2008 retail sales in the Greater Medford Area are $7.5 billion dollars.^[62] The average is more than the expanded Portland and Eugene markets.^[61]

In the past, Medford's economy was fueled by agriculture (pears, peaches, viticulture grapes) and timber products. The largest direct marketer of fruits and food gifts in the United States, Harry and David Operations Corp., is based in Medford. It is the largest employer in Southern Oregon, with 1,700 year round and about 6,700 seasonal employees in the Medford area.^[63] Harry and David was founded in 1910 to market the harvest from the orchards of the Rogue Valley.

Musician's Friend, America's largest direct response retailer of musical instruments and related gear, is headquartered in Medford. Tom's Bronco Parts, the nationwide leader of replacement parts for the early Ford Bronco (model years 1966-1977) is located in Medford as well.^[64] Benchmark Maps, founded in Medford in 1995, produces detailed atlases and maps in 10 western states.^[65] Falcon Northwest, a personal computer manufacturing company, has been operating in Medford since 2002. There is even a film production company, called Pacific International Enterprises, which has been distributing films from Medford since at least the 1970s.

RVMC Patient Tower

Lithia Motors, the Nation's 8th largest auto retailer, has called Medford home for nearly 40 years. Publicly trade on the NYSE as LAD, Lithia operates nearly 100 dealerships west of the Mississippi River.

As there are no towns of equal or larger size within several hours' drive, Medford is a regional hub for medical services. The two major medical centers in the city employ over 2,000 people. As Medford is also a retirement destination, assisted living and senior services have become an important part of the economy.

Medford and the surrounding area is home to the expanding Oregon wine industry that includes a large variety of Bordelaise, Rhone, and Burgundian varietals including merlot, cabernet sauvignon, syrah, zinfandel, pinot noir, gewürztraminer, riesling, pinot gris, chardonnay, pinot blanc, early muscat, and Gamay Noir.

Ashland Oregon is located 10 miles South of the greater City of Medford.  It is home to Southern Oregon University and the Oregon Shakespeare Theatre.  The Festival brings 90,000 visitors to the Rogue Valley each season.  For more information about Ashland visit www.ashlandchamber.com