These two mountain ridges parallel the river valley in a generally ENE-WSW direction. The climate is Humid Continental. Western and central Canada are the source regions for polar air masses which frequently move through the region during the winter and occasionally in the summer. Warm tropical air originating in the Gulf of Mexico is the principal moisture source, with the Atlantic Ocean providing a secondary source. Warm, dry air from the southwestern United States occasionally moves over the region in the summer.
Winters are moderately cold, but less severe than in the higher elevations to the east and north.
Daytime temperatures average in the mid- to upper 30's while normal overnight lows are in the upper teens to low 20's. Extremely cold air masses occasionally settle over the area. Tropical air at times invades the area in winter, briefly raising temperatures into the 60's or 70's. Prevailing winds are from the west to northwest. Snowfall is somewhat modified by the valley location.