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<br />12. Flood of 17 June 1965. The flood-producing rains of 13-19 <br /> <br />June were the result of a strong, persistent weather pattern that had <br /> <br />existed over the western United States for about 4 months. The general <br /> <br />pattern of the upper-level windflow was from the Gulf of Alaska, down <br /> <br />the west coast, across southern California, then through Arizona and <br /> <br />New Mexico, and out over the high pl~ins. This general system of upper- <br /> <br />air circulation was present throughout the storm period and was most <br /> <br />pronounced during 16-17 June with unseasonably cool air at 20,000 feet. <br /> <br />By 14 June the increasing surface pressures over the central plains, <br /> <br />coupled with a low-pressure area centered over Chihuahua, Mexico, induced <br /> <br />an inflow of moist Gulf air into northeastern New Mexico and eastern <br /> <br />Colorado, damming it up against the Rocky Mountains beneath the cold <br /> <br />air aloft. This combination of surface and. upper air conditions resulted <br /> <br />in extremely unstable atmospheric conditions and reinforced by mechanical <br /> <br />lifting and convergence produced phenomenal rains and tremendous floods, <br /> <br />13. Heavy rains occurred over the upper Fountain Creek and contiguous <br /> <br />areas and over the right bank tributaries of the Arkansas River in <br /> <br />Colorado east of Rocky Ford. In southeastern Colorado there was an 18- <br /> <br />inch storm center over southern .Prowers County, and a 16-inch center over <br /> <br />eastern Prowers County. A supplemental rainfall report in southern <br /> <br />Prowers County, 28 miles SSE of Lamar, indicated 15.5 inches of precipitation <br /> <br />from midnight until 2:00 p.m. on 16 June. Holly reported a 24-hour total <br /> <br />of 11.08 inches oy 6:00 a.m. on the 17th. The gage at Granada recorded <br /> <br />5.38 inches on the 17th with a maximum intensity of 1 inch in an hour. <br /> <br />5 <br />