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results in pleasant daytime conditions even during the winter. The climate of the plains is comparatively uniform from place to place, with characteristic features of low relative humidity, abundant sunshine, light rainfall, moderate to high wind movement, and a large daily range in temperature. Summer daily maximum temperatures are often 950 F or above, and 1000 F tempera- tures have been recorded at all plains stations. The usual winter extremes in the plains range from zero to 100 F or 150 F below zero. An important feature of the precipitation in the plains is the large pro- portion of the annual total which occurs during the growing season--70 to 80 percent in the period from April through September. Summer precipitation in the plains is largely from thunderstorm activity and is sometimes extremely heavy. Strong winds occur frequently in winter and spring. Several significant changes in climate are typical at the western edge of the plains and near the foothills of the mountains. Average wind movement is less, but areas very near the mountains are subject to periodic, severe turbu- lent winds from the effects of mountain waves generated by the flow of high westerly winds over the mountains. Temperature changes from day to day are not as great; summer temperatures are lower; winter temperatures are higher, and precipitation increases rapidly with the increasing elevation of the foothills and proximity to the higher mountains. Average annual precipitation varies widely east of the Rocky Mountains, influenced by the altitude and exposure and generally increases toward the higher elevations. The greatest precipitation--in excess of 50 inches annually-- falls on the mountains of the Continental Divide. The least precipitation also occurs in the mountainous region. The San Luis Valley and South Park, shielded by surrounding high ranges, receive from 6 to 9 inches annually. Elsewhere, annual precipitation ranges from about 11 to 16 inches per year, -4- 033'~