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3) It increases precipitation towards the mountains due to the <br />• upslope effect of the topography on eastward moving storm <br />systems in winter. <br />Although heavy snowfalls occur frequently in winter, stationary high <br />pressure systems bring clear skies accompanied by relatively warm days <br />and cold nights. Such conditions are conducive to a wide variety of <br />outdoor sports activities. <br />Precipitation. Precipitation is directly related to local topography. <br />In general, winter precipitation falls as snow over large areas at a <br />time, whereas summer precipitation is most likely to fall as scattered, <br />local showers or thundershowers. At all times of the year, <br />precipitation is normally heaviest over and near the nearby mountain <br />ranges. Precipitation information for Paonia is shown in Table 5, <br />Monthly Average Precipitation (1972-1978). <br />• Snowfall. Annual snowfall is highly dependent on terrain elevation and <br />on the orientation of the mountains and the mountain ranges. Annual <br />snowfall in this region of Colorado ranges from less than 20 inches to <br />more than 300 inches. The maximum monthly snowfall occurs in January. <br />Annual snowfall in Paonia is approximately 50 inches per year. <br />Temperature. Daily, monthly, and annual mean temperatures are highest <br />at low elevations and lowest at higher elevations. However, on any <br />given night, temperatures may be cooler in valleys and basins than in <br />the adjacent higher locations surrounding the lower areas. Cold <br />temperatures in the valley are caused by cold air draining from the <br />surrounding terrain during nighttime radiational cooling. Such cooling <br />is most pronounced on clear, calm nights. <br />Temperature data for Paonia, Colorado are presented in Table 6, Monthly <br />Average Temperature (1971-1978). Based on data collected by the United <br />States Department of Commerce, the mean annual temperature at Paonia is <br />• slightly less than 50° Farenheit. <br />2.04-34 <br />