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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 />below zero. The average growi ng season temperature is just over 60 <br />degrees, and the average annual temperature is between 40 and 45 <br />degrees. <br /> <br />The length of the growing season varies considerably over the area <br />and from year to year. In Monte Vista, the growing season is approxi- <br />mately 95 days. It increases to 110 days in Del Norte, which is to <br />the west. The growing season is sufficiently long to produce the <br />principal crops: potatoes, vegetables, grasses and grains, and <br />alfalfa. In Saguache County to the north the growing season is simi- <br />1 ar to Monte Vi sta. Frost can and has occurred during every month of <br />the year; the latest killing frost in the spring was recorded on July <br />7th and the earliest killing frost in the fall was measured on August <br />13th. Frost penetrates into the ground between 2 and 3 feet every <br />year, but generally 1 eaves the soil in April. <br /> <br />Wi nds are generally from the southwest and occur pri nci pally <br />during the spring and early summer. Unless preceding a storm front, <br />the winds are usually of low velocities during the fall and winter. <br />The spring winds tend to stir up considerable dust before the crops <br />have grown to significant size. <br /> <br />In general, the weather is very conducive to producing bountiful <br />crops since most of the valley's agriculture does well in the cooler <br />weather. The lack of precipitation is a limiting factor, but much of <br />the yearly precipitation occurs during the growing season. The cooler <br /> <br />r - 5 <br />