PERMFILE43483 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

• infrequent snows of from four to eight inches, which are heavy for this locality, seldom remain on the ground for prolonged periods. Blizzard conditions in the valley are extremely rare. "Temperatures at Grand Junction have ranged from 105° to -23°, but readings of 100° or higher are infrequent, and about one-third of the winters have no readings below zero. Summer days with maximum temperatures in the middle and low 90's and minima in the low 60's are common. Relative humidity is very low during the summer, with values close to such other dry localities as the southern parts of New Mexico and Arizona. Spells of cold winter weather are sometimes prolonged due to cold air becoming trapped in the valley. Winds are usually very light during the coldest weather. Changes in winter are generally gradual, and abrupt changes are much less frequent than in eastern Colorado. "Cold waves" are rare. Sunny days predominate in all seasons. "Flying weather condrtions are generally favorable for operation of light airplanes, with visibilities of 20 miles or more and ceiling of 5,000 feet or higher • prevailing approximately 95 percent of the time. Gusty surface winds are rather frequent in the spring and early summer. The prevailing wind is from the east-southeast due to the "valley breeze" effects, but the strongest winds are usually from the south and southwest, and are associated with thunderstorms or with pre-frontal weather." Wind Speed and Wind Direction Wind speed and wind direction are not recorded at the Nucla Mine site nor is it available from the Uravan or Norwood Stations. The closest National Weather Service Station that records wind information is at Grand Junction, Colorado. The prevailing wind direction at Grand Junction is from the east-southeast at a mean wind speed of 8.1 miles per hour. It must be stressed that the information from Grand Junction does not likely apply to the Nucla Mine site. The Grand Junction Station is • 2.04.8 - 3