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Western Slope Carbon, Inc. Page 9 December 15, 1981 ' Kirkham and Rogers additionally suggest that a Richter magnitude of 5.5 to 6.5 may be used for a maximum credible earthquake in the Colorado Plateau ' Province. Additionally, they suggest that in relatively inactive areas distant from known faults, such as the Hotchkiss area, a horizontal accelera- tion of 0.1 gravity may be used in design and safety analyses. CLIMATOLOGY ' The climate at the Pit No. 6 area is typical of the western slope of the Rocky Mountains and is characterized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture* as follows: "Summers in the survey area are warm or hot in most valleys ' but are much cooler in the mountains. Winters are cold in the mountains. Valleys are colder than the lower slopes of a~jacent mountains because of cold air drainage. Precipitation occurs in the mountains throughout the year, and a deep snow pack accumulates during the winter. In most years, snow melt supplies more water than can be used for farming in the survey area. In valleys, precipitation in summer falls as showers l and some thunderstorms occur. In winter, the ground is covered I with snow much of the time. Chinook winds, which blow downslope I and are warm and dry, often melt the snow and cause moisture to evaporate. ' In winter, the average temperature is 29 degrees F, and the average daily temperature is 16 degrees. The lowest tempera- ture on record, which occurred at Paonia on January 13, 1963, is minus 31 degrees. In summer, the average temperature is 70 degrees. The average daily maximum temperature is 85 degrees in most of the survey area, but is about 90 degrees near Delta. ' The highest recorded temperature, which occurred at Delta on June 23, 1954 is 106 degrees. *U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, January, 1981, Soil Survey of Paonia Area, Colorado, Parts of Delta, Gunnison, and Montrose, Counties.