Warm season rainfall, which is sometimes heavy by of short duration, is frequently the result of showers and thunderstorms moving thorugh the valley from the southwest. Only rarely do dry spells develop and persist for extended periods of time. In October 1963, the driest month of record, only .08 inch of rain was received with no measurable amount recorded for 26 consecutive days. Most of it, however, falls as snow with totals of 30 to 60 recorded in better than two thirds of the winter seasons. Individual snowstorms seldom linger for more than 24 to 36 hours and snowfall per storm generally measures less than 6 inches.
Snow covers the ground to varying depths during much of the winter season.
Edited with data current through August 1999.