Laserfiche WebLink
. Wind <br />The synoptic Clow in the area is characterized by prevailing westerly winds, which influence <br />air quality in the region. The direction and speed of the evinds are greatly affected by the local <br />topography. <br />The general area contains two large drainage basins: the Yampa River Basin and the <br />Williams Fork River drainage system. The Yampa Valley forms a broad canyon which <br />channels the airflow into an east-west orientation reflecting upslope and downsiope motion. <br />Similar upslope-downslope wind flow exists in the Williams Fork Valley. The flow draining <br />this Valley is directed northwardly along the high ground west of Craig prior to joining the <br />main stream flowing up and down the Yampa Valley at the end of the ridge. <br />The high frequency of near-calm conditions exists because of the protection afforded by the <br />local terrain in most of the valleys. These conditions generally occur at night and in the early <br />morning. The strongest winds in the area can be expected during the winter and early spring, <br />especially in March, and briefly during summer thunderstorms. <br />The prevailing winds over most of the permit area will be from the southwest at an average <br />speed of approximately 8 to 9 miles per hour; some 10 to 15 percent of the time the wind will <br />blow out of the northeast. Strong winds will occur due to cold fronts and thunderstorms <br />moving through the area, but fair weather winds rviil rarely exceed 20 to 25 miles per hour. <br />• <br /> <br />2.04.8-8 <br />