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<br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br />I <br /> <br />Saguache counties. This area can be classified as arid with severe <br />winters. The average annual precipitation from approximately 40 years <br />of record is about 8.6 inches per year with over 30 percent occurring <br />during July and August. Very little precipitation occurs in June, the <br />month during which crops require moisture to genninate and begin <br />growing. Annual extremes have ranged from over 16 inches (at Del <br />Norte) to less than 4 inches (at Monte Vista). <br /> <br />Precipitation increases dramatically to the west into the San Juan <br />~4ountains. South Fork, within the edge of the mountains, receives <br />about 12 inches of precipitation per year on average, and annual pre- <br />cipitation exceeds 20 inches and more in the mountains further west. <br />The seasonal distribution of the precipitation for the project service <br />area averages: spring - 24%; summer - 45%; fall - 19%; and winter <br />-12% (average of several stations). The average annual accumulated <br />snovlfall depth is about 30 inches (measured at Saguache) but varies <br />and increases greatly from east to vrest. <br /> <br />The principal source of moisture in the valley is showers and <br />thunderstorms that fonn over the mountains and move down into the <br />valley during the afternoon hours. Many of the showers are too light <br />to benefit growing crops, and some thunderstorms contain crop damaging <br />hail. <br /> <br />The temperature ranges are from ~aximum values of sl ighly over 90 <br />:egrees Fahrenheit to minimums of less than 35 degrees Fahrenheit <br /> <br />I - " <br />