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Exhibit K Climate Information • Climate General Conditions: Colorado Springs is in a continental climatic condition with warm stammers and cool to cold winters. Precipitation is considered semi-arid. The wind factor is above national averages meaning it is more windy than the average for the United States. Humidity is usually low to moderate throughout the year and therefore evapotranspiration rates aze moderate to high. Snowfall in winter is moderate when compared to other locations in Colorado. Perhaps the most distinguishing characteristic of the Colorado Springs climate is the frequency and intensity of thunderstorms during summer. Colorado Springs, according to weather records, is the most thunderstorm prone city west of the Mississippi River followed closely by Flagstaff, Arizona :md Garden City, Kansas. Although the city itself has never experienced a superthunderstorm, the Palmer Divide a few miles north of Colorado Springs has experienced some of the most severe thunderstorms on record anywhere in the world, On May 30, 1935, Elbert, located about 35 miles northeast of Colorado Springs, re~;eived 24 inches of rain in 24 hours and most of it fell in only 3 hours. Colorado Springs itself received 7 ,nches of rain in 24 hours on the same date from a related storm to the one that affected Elbert. Monument to the north of Colorado Springs received l4 inches of rain in 24 hours on June 16, 1965. During the summer, thunderstorms that drop an inch or two of rain in periods of wtder an hour are not uncommon. But the superthunderstorms usually occur north of the city in the Black Forest area. Another important feature of the Colorado Springs climate is the monthly distritution pattern of moisture, especially during the growing season. Unlike most areas along the Front Range Urban Corridor, Colorado Springs usually experiences only minor drought periods during the growing season. In contrast, Pueblo and Denver both experience moderate to severe drought conditions from June through August. The pattern in Colorado Springs is similar to what occurs much further east near the Kansas bor•Jer or further up in the mountains. In this sense, Colorado Springs has a favorable precipitation pattern for the growth and development of vegetation on disturbed lands. On the downside, much of that moisture comes in quick and occasionally intense storms that exhibit heavy runoff and only moderate soil absorption. The Colorado Springs climate produces generally reliable moisture, but much of that moisture is not as effective as suggested by the numbers. Neverth~;less, the climate can induce a higher proportion of cool season dependent species in the natural vegetation than would be expected elsewhere along the Front Range Urban Corridor. Another feature of the Colorado Springs local climate is high geographic variability depending upon the location of the recording equipment. The weather station is east of the city, but limited data from the west side of the city suggests a reasonably different climate, both with respect to precipitation :md temperature. Therefore, attempting to apply the official weather station data to conditions on this granite quarry located in the hills about 10 miles ihby air) southwest of the city must be done with considerable caution and interpretation. Menzer Quarry Amendment Exhibit K Page 1