Precipitation by causing it to fall as rain or snow.
The supply of water because it affects the snowmelt process.
The demand for irrigation and domestic water.
Temperatures in Colorado are influenced largely by solar radiation, but can also be affected by warm or cold fronts moving into the state. Topography, elevation, and season also influence air temperatures.
Generally, the daily maximum temperatures occur in the afternoon because the air is warmed primarily by the heat from the land and the land is warmed slowly by the sun's rays. Due to low humidity, little solar energy is absorbed by the air in Colorado.
Temperatures of streams and lakes fluctuate less from day to day than air temperatures or soil temperatures. In early summer, water is colder on the average than air or soil, but by late summer it is warmer than air or soil.
Temperature is an important and often neglected element in the discussion of water supplies. Seasonal rise in daily temperatures causes snowmelt and runoff.
Temperature affects:
Precipitation by causing it to fall as rain or snow.
The supply of water because it affects the snowmelt process.
The demand for irrigation and domestic water.
A temperature inversion can be responsible for many colder temperatures.
In contrast, chinook winds are responsible for rapid increases in temperature along the Front Range.
