Lake Peters Meteorology
Air temperature averaged 4°C and ground temperature averaged 6°C at the
meteorological stations throughout the open-channel seasons (Table 2).
Mean temperature at the 854 m asl station was 6°C, decreasing to 2-3°C
at 1750 m asl. Hourly air temperatures ranged from -13°C (T. 1425 m asl,
09/15/16 0400; and T. 1750 m asl, 09/15/16 0100) to 23°C (T. 854 m asl,
07/15/16 1100). Ground temperatures ranged from -2°C (GT. 1750 m asl,
09/01/16 0200) to 23°C (GT. 1425 m asl, 07/06/15 1900). The warmest air
and ground temperatures were observed from May through July, with
cooling in August and September (Figure 4). Temperature showed diurnal
cycles, and other intra-season variability, at all three elevations.
Non-diurnal intra-season variability was smoothed and delayed in the
ground temperature records, which rarely dropped below 0°C.
A complete hourly rainfall record for both years was only obtained at
the low-elevation station. Precipitation at 854 m asl totaled 142 mm in
2015 and 231 mm in 2016, with 24-37% more precipitation measured at
higher elevations. The largest total seasonal precipitation recorded was
304 mm at 1750 m asl in 2016. In 2015 maximum P1 was 5.2
mm (1750 m asl; 06/30 2100), and in 2016 maximum P1 was
7.6 mm (1425 m asl; 06/22 1100) (Table 2). The most intense
P24 of 34 mm (1750 m asl) occurred during the July 2016
flood.