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eh <br />ESPEY, HUSTON & ASSOCIATES, INC. <br />• <br />(Meeker 2) is 6,347 msl, approximately 600 feet lower than the Rienau No. 2 <br />(G-Seam) Mine. Other stations in the azea include the station at Mazvine Ranch <br />(neaz Trapper's Lake), which is in the mountainous terrain at an elevation of <br />7,800 msl, nearly 1,000 feet higher than the Rienau No. 2 (G-Seam) Mine, and the <br />station at Little Hills (in the Piceance Basin), which is at an elevation of 6,140 msl, <br />also somewhat lower than the affected azea. A climatological station was located <br />10 miles northwest of Meeker for about 20 yeazs prior to 1953. <br />1.3 REGIONAL AREA CLIMATOLOGY <br />The major or large-scale climate of any region may be described by eight <br />fundamental climatic controls: (1) latitude; (2) continentality; (3) elevation; (4) air <br />mass transport; (5) topography; (6) position with respect to ocean currents; <br />(7) position with respect to storm tracks; and (8) position with respect to long-wave <br />patterns. Of these, the most important for the climate of western Colorado aze <br />• elevation, topography and position with respect to the long-wave patterns. This <br />latter control relates to the position of the regions with respect to storm tracks and <br />air mass transport. These, in turn, relate to the position and strength of ocean <br />currents which, although more than 1,200 miles to the west, greatly affect the <br />characteristics of air masses and storms that pass over northwest Colorado. <br />As a result of these controls, the climate of the study area ranges from <br />almost desert to steppe. Precipitation is strongly influenced by orographic uplifting <br />of air, resulting in very steep gradients of both rainfall and snowfall with elevation. <br />Winds are generally from the southwest above the friction layer, with strong winds <br />normally occurring only at mountaintop level for periods associated with major <br />storm passage. Sunshine is abundant, and relative humidities aze generally very low. <br />Diurnal and annual temperature ranges aze quite lazge. <br />During the winter, the predominant air mass over the Rocky Mountains <br />of Colorado is either continental polar or, less often, mazitime polaz, resulting in <br /> <br />H-3 <br />