2006-10-24_REVISION - M1992051 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Climate Summers are warm or hot in most of the valleys in the survey area but are much cooler in the mountains. Winters are cold in the mountains. Valleys are colder than the lower slopes of the ad}acent mountains because of cold air drainage. Precipitation occurs in the mountains throughout the year, and enough snowpack accumulates during winter to supply sufficient water for agriculture in most areas and to supply dowristream users. In the valleys, summer precipitation falls as showers, and some thunderstorms occur. In winter the- snow cover in unshaded areas of valleys and on south- tacing mountain slopes often melts within a few days of snowfall. Table 1 gives data on temperature and precipitation for the survey area as recorded at Canon City and Salida, Colorado, for the period between 1951 and 198D. Table 2 shows probable dates of the first freeze in fall and the last freeze in spring. Table 3 provides data on length of the growing season. In winter, the average temperature is 38 degrees at Canon City and 30 degrees at Salida. The average daily minimum temperature is 24 degrees at Canon City and 14 degrees at Salida. The lowest temperature on record, which occurred at Salida on February 1, 1951, is -33 degrees. In summer, the average temperature is 73 degrees at Canon City and 64 degrees at Salida. The average daily maximum temperature is about 84 degrees. The highest recorded temperature, which occurred at Canon City on July 11, 1954, is 107 degrees. Growing degree days are shown in table i. They are equivalent to "heat units." During the month, growing degree days accumulate by the amount that the average temperature each day exceeds a base temperature (40 degrees F). The normal monthly accumulation is used to schedule single or successive plantings of a crop between the last freeze in spring and the first freeze in fall. The total annual precipitation is about 13 inches at Canon City and 11 inches at Salida. Of this, 65 percent usually falls in April through September. The growing season for most crops falls within this period. The heaviest 1-day rainfall during the period of record was 2.74 inches at Canon City on May 18, 1955. About 1.75 inches fell at Salida on October 29, 1961. Thunderstorms occur on about 60 days each year. Average seasonal snowfall is about 37 inches at Canon City and 52 inches at Salida. The greatest snow depth at any one time during the period of record was 25 inches at Canon City and 42 inches at Salida. On the average, at least 1 inch of snow is on the ground for 2 days at Canon City and for 6 days at Salida each year. The number of such days varies greatly from year to year. Average relative humidity in midafternoon is about 40 percent. Humidity is higher at night, and the average at dawn is about 60 percent. The sun shines about 80 percent of the time possible in summer and 75 percent in winter. The prevailing wind is from the north- northeast. Average windspeed is highest, about 12 miles per hour, in spring.