FLOOD09350

• County: Statewide
• Community: State of Colorado
• Basin: Statewide
• Title: Generalized Estimates of Probable Maximum Precipitation for the United States West of the 105th Meridian
• Date: 1/1/1960
• Prepared For: USDA
• Prepared By: US Weather Bureau
• Floodplain - Doc Type: Educational/Technical/Reference Information

saturated air mass stagnant over the region at a
lower elevation. However, the air flowing into a
major large-area storm in this region would have
to cross orographic barriers forcing it to rise to
7,000 feet. Thus the effective moisture-barrier
elevation for this vicinity would be 7,000 feet al-
though much of the terrain is at a lower elevation.
2.3,16 The moisture-barrier effeot is also evi-
dent in the Central Valley of California. A west
wind will bring a deep layer of moist air directly
across the valley to the Sierra Nevada, crossing
San Francisco Bay and the relatively low hills
surrounding it. A south wind will bring air
northward into the northern part of the valley
through this same gap. Thus moist air can reach
large parts of the valley without crossing the
higher barriers of the Coast Range. The southern
part of the valley can be reached through this gap

FIGURE 2-6,-Variation of maximum observed 24-hr. pre-
cipitation with elevation for stations on the western
slope of the Sierra Nevada in California.

,

STAT/OJ INOEX oL F!(;UNE 12-5
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o
o 2.0 4.0 6.0 80 10,0 12.0
MAXIMUM OBSERVED 24-HQUR PRECIPITATION (INCHES1

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'77

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_68 '60
'6 175
.,.
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'35
'2 '4
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'/0'7"37

'69 '57
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ora

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'76

'35
.15
'27

'24

'64

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STATION

LENGTIIOF
RECORDIYRS)

STATION

U:tlGTIlOF
RECORDIYRS)
1

;0' , Amu " .. Me.lter ..
W . 78 '47 '5/ , ....hcro[' " " Me.kerl3Nw "
W ". '''61 072 , Asjl<'" " " MeoaVerdeNahomJJ>..rk "
. .. lIr.Ck.n"d~. '" " Montra..Nol "
. '74 '67 '49 .. Casc4de " .. Naot "
'a r9./t!46 .n .. Call"",...l " " N<>rlhdale "
0 '42 ,. Cedaredge " .. ~,- "
Q -30 "65 .. CoIlbran " " 0..'.1 '"
-59 .1420_ ~832"i;;6 e45 '/9 .. Colorado Mallon.ol Mor<JlIIem '" " '...' "
z '~. '40 '" CoIomblne " .. P.JOoasprlng.s "
0 6 1~?-:~,l2 ". Cowmb'lneRaJlch " ro PaU.odelS "
~ " Cortn " ,.. PallsadeLU.e "
~ 4.1. -66 62rS..9 " CraIg " ". Paoma3SE ..
-6.1 "58 .. era_rwd .. ". Pllkln "
" " C""'ledBuUe .. ... R.o.ngely ..
. 16.'\~4 ... Della " ... Red Cliff "
'26 " Dilbonl! .. ... Redealo "
z e50 .. Dolor... " " ",. ..
0
.~ '2S " Durango .. .. "" "
. " E"lII. .. " Rive, Portal "
~ " Fo,lLewls .. M. SaplnuD ..
4 .. huer M " Savas. BolOlo "
" y....UalS .. ". 8lm.hone "
" Gladstone '" ". Silt "
" Glenll'OOdSprJoso3SSE " .. SIl.ulonlNE "
" Grand Juoction " ... Sleamb>atBptlnp ..
LABEL STATlOIV NUMBER " GrandLokelN " ... Surb..rn7SW "
SOURCE. WEATHER BtJREAU TECffNlCAL PAPER " GralldV.l.ley '" ". Tu:oma "
" Gr..n MwnlalnOam 4 SSW " ... T.ylorPu~ '"
NO./6 "MAXIMI./M 24-HOI.JR PHECIPITAnON '" GreYSI""", " ... T.llII.I~. ..
iN THE UNITEO STATES" n. Gunnison .. ro. TermlnalDall'l "
". Ray<lell n n. Tro,lILake ..
". a..mll .. n VolleolloDam "
... !PaclO " n. VIUnr "
... lront<>ll " " Wlll<noC....k4SE "
... Jam"" " ". Wlm.....~rk '"
~. LakeClty " " WolfCt...kP..." "
" u, u "- Wortm.n "
". -., '" " '- "

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3 4 5 6
MAXIMUM 08SERVATlONAL-DAY PRECIPITATION (INCHES)

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FIGURE 2-7.-Variation of maximum observational-day precipitation with elevation for stations weet of the Continental
Divide in Colorado.

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