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<br />0031,;07 <br /> <br />be used to determine characteristics of the air mass over the state, <br />relian::e upon them presents two prOblems. <br /> <br />First, scientists disagree as to how well storms can be identified <br />from sourxii1'l3s. Although new techniques employi1'l3 radiometry have shown <br />promise in identifyi1'l3 storms and seedi1'l3 potential, data to corxiuct a <br />climatology usi1'l3 these techniques are not available. <br /> <br />Secorxi, sourxii1'l3s are taken too rarely arxi at too few locations to <br />provide enough data to corxiuct a comprehensive climatology. Sourxii1'l3s are <br />taken routinely twice daily I:1f the National Weather Service at only two <br />locations in Colorado (Denver and Grarxi Jun::tion). Thus, only educated <br />guesses can be made about corxiitions in the upper atIoosphere over the <br />thousands of square miles between stations. Storms can also slip by <br />urxietected between sourxii1'l3s taken 12 hours apart. Mditional SOIll'Xli1'l3s <br />are available from field experiments in OJlorado, but their period of <br />record is too short.. Statistical considerations dictate that observations <br />be made over periods of time 101'l3 enough to allow confiden::e in results. <br />Also, collecti1'l3 data over a 101'l3 period ensures that dry, normal, and wet <br />years are in::luded in the sample. <br /> <br />Data with the areal coverage, spatial resolution am le1'l3th of record <br />necessary for a comprehensive assessment of storms am seedi1'l3 <br />opportunities do not exist. 'l11e con::lusions of this study, are tentative <br />and SUbject to revisiOn as additional data become available. In our <br />opinion, the best data available are interpolations of soumi1'l3s taken by <br />the National Weather Service at two sites in o:>lorado and at four sites in <br />borderi1'l3 states. 'ttlese interpolations, computed I:1f Dr. Owen Rhea as part <br />of his dissertation in atmospheric scien:::es at OJlorado State University <br />(Rhea, 1978), consist of values at ten border points around the portion of <br />OJlorado west of lOSW 101'l3itude for the winter rronths (November 1 through <br />April 30) from 1961-62 through 1973-74. <br /> <br />Interpolation points are shown in Figure 1. Before interpolati1'l3, <br />Rhea corrected the relative humidity profiles for lag effects of the <br />various sensors used during the 13-year period. 'ttlese data were made <br /> <br />8 <br />