Map #96: August 20, 2018

Difficulty Level: 4

Click here for a full-size version of this week’s map.

This map is an isoline map of the United States. (Do you need a refresher on what an isoline map is? Visit our “Basics” page for a quick primer.) This map was submitted by one of our regular guessers, Luke. Luke has produced a map with some intriguing and specific detail. As always, your job is to figure out what this isoline map represents.

Stumped? Check back Wednesday, Friday, next Tuesday, and next Friday for hints about where to focus your investigation. The answer will be posted on Monday, September 3, 2018. Good luck!

Wednesday’s hint: The first question you should be asking yourself about this map is what impact major mountain ranges have on the isolines and colors.

Friday’s hint: One feature of this map that you’ll want to make sure to note is that little band of yellow running south along the California coast to San Francisco. Helpfully for our map, but unfortunately for the people who live there, San Francisco has been in the news a lot this week. Do you know why?

Tuesday’s hint: That orange bit on the western side of Florida corresponds more or less to the swath of the Florida coast from the Tampa/St. Petersburg metropolitan area down to the Everglades. It’s an area that encompasses the likes of Sarasota, Naples, Cape Coral, and Fort Myers. Thanks to the marketing genius of one mayor of St. Petersburg, this area has used a particular phrase to attract tourists ever since the 1950s. What phrase?

Friday’s hint: It is interesting to note that the ten largest solar power plants in the United States are all in areas colored by the two darkest shades of red on this map.

Answer: Click here to see an explanation of the answer to this week’s map question.

Next map: Click here to try out our newest map question.