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• ranges and other topographic features. Such variations result in annual <br />precipitation levels ranoing from 10 inches in some valley areas to over <br />80 inches on portions of the Continental Divide. <br />Generally, temperatures decrease and precipitation increases with <br />increased elevation. Although heavy snowfall occurs frequently in <br />winter, stationary high pressure systems frequently result in clear <br />skies accompanied by relatively warm days and cold nights. <br />Precipitation <br />Precipitation is directly related to local topography. In general, <br />winter precipitation falls as snow over large areas at a time, whereas <br />summer precipitation is most likely to fall as scattered, local showers <br />or thundershowers. At all times of the year precipitation is normally <br />heaviest over the mountain ranges. As shown in Table 1, Precipitation <br />Summary, 1951-1970, Table 2, Precipitation Summary, 1971-1978, and Table <br />• 3, Precipitation and Temperature Summary, 1979-1983; the total <br />precipitation at Steamboat Springs is significantly higher than at <br />Hayden. The higher precipitation rate is due to the close proximity of <br />Steamboat Springs to the Park Range. <br />Based upon 46 years of data from 1915 through 1960, the normal annual <br />precipitation at Hayden is 15.45 inches. Monthly variations in normal <br />precipitation are slight with no distinct annual precipitation patterns. <br />April, May, and October have the highest normal precipitation levels <br />with 1.50, 1.47, and 1.46 inches, respectively, while November, <br />February, and August have the loa~est with normal precipitation of 1.09, <br />1.14 and 1.19 inches, respectively. <br />Tables 1, 2, and 3 show that Steamboat Springs, despite being only 25 <br />miles from Hayden and about 500 feet higher in elevation, receives a <br />mean annual precipitation of approximately 24 inches. <br />• Steamboat Springs receives the most precipitation during the winter <br />months while summer is relatively dry. Winter precipitation is <br />2.C4.8-2 <br />