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001233 Dr aft - 9/ 8 1 Climate2 As ment ioned above, Colorado's climate is a funct ion not only of its own topography but of the topography of surround ing .states as "ell. Most of the moisture that falls in Colorado during winter months is associated with "eather systems origi- .nating off the northwest coast of the country. Forced up"ard by the high barriers of the Western Plateau and the Central Moun- tains, the "ater vapor in the mo ist masses of air condenses into clouds that may produce either rain or snow. This is "hy C"lo- rado's heaviest precipitation occurs in the high mountains "est of the Cant inentai Divide and is more dependab le in that reg ion than on the Eastern Slope. The Eastern Plains ~-~., The climate of the plains is characterized by low relative humidity, a large amount of sunshine, moderately high wind move- ment, large daily temperature fluctuat ions, hot summer days, and protracted cold spells in the winter. The average growing season on the plains ranges from about .11>0 to 170 days, depending less on the elevation than on such factors as local air drainage. In the transition area from the plains to the mountains, the area generally known as the Front Range, the climate has less daily and yearly temperature fluctuation, less wind, and notably warmer "inter temperatures. However, th is reg ion is subject to violent downslope windstorms that usually occur in the winter months. The Central Mountains The mountain areas are subject to very cold temperatures; the mercury may dip below freezing at any time of year at higher 2Sources: 1971> . Gitt ings, Edwin B., 191>1; U. S. Bureau of Reclamation, 3