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1999 <br />GRAND JUNCTION, <br />COLORADO (GJT) <br />Grand Junction is located at the junction of the <br />Colorado and Gunnison Rivers. It is on the west <br />slope of the Rockies, in a large mountain valley. <br />The area has a climate marked by the wide seasonal <br />range usual to interior localities at this <br />latitude. Thanks, however, to the protective <br />topography of the vicinity, sudden sad severe <br />weather changes are very infrequent. The valley <br />floor slopes from 4,800 feet near Palisade to <br />4,400 feet at the west cad near Pruita- Mountains <br />are on all sides at distances of Eras 10 to 60 <br />miles and reach heights of 9,000 to over 12,000 <br />f ect. <br />This mountain valley location, with attendant <br />valley breezes, provides protection from spring <br />and fall frosts. This results in a graving season <br />averagia9 191 days is the city. This vazies <br />considerably is the outlying districts. It is <br />about the same is the upper valley around <br />Palisade, and 3 to 4 weeks shorter near the river <br />west of Grand Junction. The growing season is <br />sufficiently long to Permit commercial growth of <br />almost all fruits except citrus varieties. Swmner <br />grazing of cattle and sheep on nearby 'mountain <br />ranges is extensive. <br />The interior, eontiaea[al location, rigged by <br />mountains on all sides, results is suite low <br />precipitation is all seasons. Consequently, <br />agriculture is dependent oa irrigation- Adequate <br />supplies of water are available from mountain <br />snows sad rains. Summer rains occur chiefly as <br />scattered light showers and thunderstorms which <br />develop over nearby mountains. Winter snows are <br />fairly frequent, but are mostly light and quick to <br />melt. Sven the infrequent snows of from 4 to a <br />inches seldom remain on the ground for prolonged <br />periods. Blizzard conditions in the valley are <br />extremely rare. <br />Temperatures above 100 degrees are infrequent, and <br />about one-third of the winters have no readings <br />below zero. Summer days with maximum temperatures <br />in the middle 90s and minimums in the low 60s <br />are common. Relative humidity is very low during <br />the summer, with values similar to other dry <br />locations such as the southern parts of New Mexico <br />sad Arizona. Speils of cold winter weather are <br />sometimes prolonged due to cold air becoming <br />trapped in the valley. Winds are usually very <br />light during [be coldest weather. Changes in <br />winter are normally gradual, and abrupt -changes <br />are much less frequent than in eastern Colorado. <br />Cold waves are raze. Sunny days predominate is all <br />seasons. <br />The prevailing wind is from the east-southeast due <br />to the valley breeze effect. The strongest <br />winds are associated with thunderstorms or with <br />pre-frontal weather. They usually are from the <br />south or southwest. <br />7 <br />