Laserfiche WebLink
• in Hayden. Data from both locations are presented in this permit application, in order to provide the best <br />information pertaining to the mine plan area and to indicate the variability in climatological characteristics <br />that may be expected within short distances. <br />General descriptions of the climate of western Colorado are difficult due to the rugged topography of the <br />region. Temperatures tend to decrease and precipitation tends to increase with increased elevation. The <br />climates of local areas are affected not only by altitude, but also by the orientation of mountain ranges and <br />the effect they have on prevailing winds and local air movements. The elevational difference between the <br />highest and lowest point in the Hayden -Steamboat Springs region is over a vertical mile. Along the <br />Yampa River in the vicinity of Craig and Hayden, elevations are about 6,500 feet, whereas several peaks <br />along the Continentat Divide immediately northeast of Steamboat Springs rise to nearly 12,000 feet. <br />These peaks are part of the Park Range which is oriented approximately north -south. The Continental <br />Divide has some pronounced effects on local weather features of the region: ( 1 ) it acts as a barrier to <br />storm systems approaching from the west, causing them to veer either to the north or south; (2) it tends to <br />restrict the movement of high pressure systems and thus enhance the possibility of air stagnation; (3) it <br />prevents intrusions of polar air on the east slope of the Divide from reaching the west slope, and (4) it <br />increases precipitation towards the mountain due to the upslope effect of the topography on eastward <br />moving storm systems in winter. Although heavy snowfall occurs frequently in winter, stationary high <br />pressure systems bring clear skies accompanied by relatively warm days and cool nights. <br />Precipitation <br />Precipitation is directly related to local topography. Winter precipitation falls as snow over large areas at a time, <br />whereas summer precipitation is most likely to fall as scattered, local showers or thundershowers. At all times <br />•of the year precipitation is normally heaviest over the mountain ranges. As shown in Table 13, Precipitation <br />Summary, 1951-1970, Table 14, Precipitation Summary, 1971-1978, and Table 15, Precipitation and Temperature <br />Summary, the total precipitation at Steamboat Springs is significantly higher than at Hayden; the higher <br />precipitation rate is due to the close proximity of Steamboat Springs to the Park Range. <br />Based on 46 years of data through 1960, inclusive, the normal annual precipitation at Hayden is 15.45 inches. <br />Monthly variations in normal precipitation are slight with no distinct annual precipitation patterns. April, May and <br />October have the highest normals with 1.50, 1.47, and 1.46 inches, respectively, while November, February, and <br />August have the lowest normals of 1.09, 1.14 and 1.19 inches, respectively. <br />306 <br />Although Steamboat Springs is only 25 miles from Hayden and about -5-00 feet higher in elevation, approximately <br />52 percent more precipitation is recorded on an annual basis. December and January are the months with the <br />highest normal precipitation figures, 2.46 and 2.97 inches, respectively, and August is the driest month with <br />normal rainfall of 1.13 inches. fl 7 yl„ �d /— ' -)^ 'X C�, niec;0 @ 54 . M» 1 4 1", <br />Snowfall <br />Steamboat Springs averages 163.6 inches of snowfall per year, based on 56 years of data. An average of more <br />than 30 inches of snowfall occurs in Steamboat Springs during the months of December, January and February. <br />In Hayden, an average of 96.7 inches of snow falls annually. The highest averages in Hayden occur in December <br />and January with 22.6 and 21.3 inches, respectively. The difference in snowfall between Steamboat Springs and <br />Hayden is exemplary of the orographic effects on precipitation. <br />Temperature <br />Temperature data from Steamboat Springs and Hayden are presented in Table 16, Temperature Summary, Means, <br />1951-1970: Table 17, Temperature Summary, Extremes, 1951-1970; and Table 18, Temperature Summary, <br />MR 97-154 2.04-45 Revised 10/02/97 <br />