WSP04643 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

C'J -' e: ~.. .; l-lAPTER I GENERAL DESCRlPI'I0N Q.limate Valleys in the vicinity of the project are quite dry and have only sparse natural vegetation. The mountains receive sufficient pre- cipitation to support luxurious growths of vegetation. The relative humidity is low, averaging 39 percent, and allows a wide daily range in temperature. The highest temperature recorded at Crawford is 930 and the lowest is -250. The frost-free season is short, averaging only 137 days. It is suitable for the production of general feed crops but not for the pro- duction of diversified fruits and vegetables. Dry farming has been attempted in the area but has proved unsuccessful because of inadequate rainfall. A weather station was operated at Crawford from 1909 to 1922. Another station, located at nearby Paonia, has been operated for more than 50 years. This station is not as favorably located with respect to the project area as the Crawford station but is considered more repre- sentative because of its longer record. Pertinent climatological data from both stations are presented in the following table. . Month January 40.1 25.4 lO.S 0.77 37.0 25.1 14.4 1.31 February 39.4 26.9 14.4 0.51 43.0 31.S 19.4 1.37 l1arch 4S.0 35.2 22.3 0.55 51.S 3S.7 26.2 1.51 April 56.S 42.9 29.0 0.S7 63.S 47.7 33.8 1.53 May 66.2 52.0 37.7 0.89 71.3 58.3 40.8 1.34 June 77.2 61.9 46.6 0.81 S1.7 65.0 47.6 0.71 July 82.0 67.8 53.6 1.25 87.7 71.4 53.7 1.01 August 80.1 65.9 51.7 1.20 85.3 69.3 52.8 1.38 September 73.4 58.4 43.3 1.16 77.1 61.4 45.5 1.39 October 62.8 4$.2 33.5 1.11 66.5 50.8 35.5 1.59 November 51.5 37.2 22.9 0.87 52.0 38.4 26.0 1.12 Qecember 8. 2 .4 12.4 0.91 39.6 27.7 16.6 1.31 Annual 5~._. ._45.__ .3l_~L 1.0..1t(L _~3.g. _.lt~& . _ .1.4_~}L 15.57 3 'oj