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CL!!-3 <br />• Freeze and growing season data are dependent upon minimum temperatures <br />which can vary considerably over short distances since cold air tends to <br />floc dow to low elevations and become trapped. Intense cold air pools can <br />form in canyons, river valleys and low spots is flat terrain. <br />Average annual precipitation varies considerably over the county. Mea- <br />surements are 9.6 inches at Walden and 14.1 inches two miles northeast of <br />Spicer at the edge of the mountains. No official, long term measurements <br />have been made is the mountains but estimates of as high as 80 inches per <br />year have been made for parts of [he Park Range sad 25-30 inches for the <br />Rabbit Eare and Medicine Sow Ranges. In the mountains, precipitation is <br />fairly evenly distributed throughout the year (see Spicer 2NE data) but is <br />the interior of Jackson County there ie a maximum in spring and summer and <br />a minims in winter. The winter minimum is evidence of the infrequent <br />penetration of moist air into the county coupled with the physical processes <br />to effectively use the moisture. Spring and summer bring much more frequent <br />movement of air from the south and more solar radiation to produce convective <br />shovers. The maximum and minimum monthly precipitation show the extreme <br />• variability of precipitation. At Walden, the largest June precipitation was <br />over 3 inches compared to 0.03 caches recorded for the smallest June. <br />Since such a large portion of precipitation falls from s~ertime con- <br />vective storms even the areal distribution can be quite variable. Also, <br />average precipitation values are made up of many years slightly smaller than <br />normal and a few years above normal. Moat years will be below the average. <br />Average snowfall measurements range from 51 inches pez year at Walden <br />to 121.iachea northeast of Spicer. Significantly higher amounts can be <br />expected in most of the mountainous areas. Even to a greater extent than <br />the total precipitation, a few large snowstorms dominate snowfall averages <br />with most years below average. <br />Occasionally, very strong winds blow across North Park. In the winter, <br />the resultant blowing snow and ground blizzards esa cause severe physiological <br />stress on animals and closure of highways is the area. <br />• <br />