Our altitude above sea level here along the Colorado River is about 600 feet. My nephew, living in Flagstaff, 180 miles east of us, has views in all directions like the pic below. His altitude is 7000 feet. He called today: it was -6 degrees F this morning! 8 inches of snow a few days ago.
Below, an image showing the terrain typical of our area, very low annual precipitation, about 5 inches, desert plants the only flora capable of surviving, except in arroyos (washes), which carry the gathered meager rainfall collected together to flow towards the Colorado River, ultimately. Washes have species not found elsewhere here, large tree-like desert plants, some about 10 feet high. They may have to withstand 4 or 5 months of searing heat between rains. Flagstaff, not very far away, but much higher, receives 23 inches of rain and 77 inches of snow, annually! The first dusting of snow in our desert area in decades occurred last January 1, where the wind blew about 1/2 inch of it against our back door! The River Area has no "frost-line", rarely experiences freezing temperature, and if it does, it lasts only an hour or two.
The geological and meteorological differences here are vast. So much difference within so small an area. imp
Below, an image showing the terrain typical of our area, very low annual precipitation, about 5 inches, desert plants the only flora capable of surviving, except in arroyos (washes), which carry the gathered meager rainfall collected together to flow towards the Colorado River, ultimately. Washes have species not found elsewhere here, large tree-like desert plants, some about 10 feet high. They may have to withstand 4 or 5 months of searing heat between rains. Flagstaff, not very far away, but much higher, receives 23 inches of rain and 77 inches of snow, annually! The first dusting of snow in our desert area in decades occurred last January 1, where the wind blew about 1/2 inch of it against our back door! The River Area has no "frost-line", rarely experiences freezing temperature, and if it does, it lasts only an hour or two.
The geological and meteorological differences here are vast. So much difference within so small an area. imp
