. Description and hydrologic analysis of two small watersheds in Utah's Wasatch Mountains. CLIMATE The climate of the two watersheds com- prising the study area is generally representa- tive of large areas of midelevation (7,000-8,000 ft.) mountain country in the Intermountain region. Winter weather pat- terns are primarily influenced by frontal systems moving in from the Pacific North- west. For 6 months of the year (November- April), winter prevails, and average monthly temperatures are uniformly below 30 degrees; however, periods of subzero temperatures are both infrequent and of short dura
. Description and hydrologic analysis of two small watersheds in Utah's Wasatch Mountains. CLIMATE The climate of the two watersheds com- prising the study area is generally representa- tive of large areas of midelevation (7,000-8,000 ft.) mountain country in the Intermountain region. Winter weather pat- terns are primarily influenced by frontal systems moving in from the Pacific North- west. For 6 months of the year (November- April), winter prevails, and average monthly temperatures are uniformly below 30 degrees; however, periods of subzero temperatures are both infrequent and of short duration. Heavy snowfall accounts for about 80 percent of the yearly precipitation. Summers are short, cool, and dry. Most summer storms are convective thunderstorms, although a few are associated with weak fronts moving eastward from the Pacific. Prevailing winds are from the south and southwest carrying summer moisture aloft from the Gulf of Mexico. As in most of the Intermountain region, aspect greatly influences the study area's climate by affecting radiation, temperature, wind, and moisture regimes. Response to these influences is markedly reflected in the local vegetation patterns. A climatic station was established on the West Branch watershed (fig. 2) in May 1971. Total and net radiation, air temperature, rela- tive humidity, wind direction, and windspeed at two elevations are being continuously re- corded. Precipitation The precipitation network on the two study watersheds consists of one recording in- tensity gage, three storage gages, and two addi- tional intensity gages used only during the summer months. Storage gages have been in use since 1956, except for the years 1960-1962. Summer intensity records are available for 1962 and from 1964 and thereafter. The network is supplemented by long-term (up to 30 years) summer intensity records from 14 nearby stations at elevations ranging from 4,350 to 9,000 feet on the DCEW and from two additional storage gages at 6,800 and 7
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