Thomas B. McKee

Work with solar radiation reaching the earth's surface frequently requires a knowledge of the extraterrestrial solar radiation. A method of calculating extraterrestrial solar radiation over various time scales (i.e. instantaneous, hourly, daily, etc.) with known errors is detailed.

A climatological analysis of regionally potentially bad air quality days near Denver and Grand Junction, Colorado has been prepared. These bad air quality days are defined as days which have a small volume of atmosphere available for the dilution of contaminants released within the region.

The evoluation of low-level flow upstream of the Continental Divide (Rocky Mountains) from being blocked, i.e. unable to surmount the barrier, to becoming unblocked and blocked again is studied observationally and numerically.

Surface measurements of upwelling and downwelling, longwave and shortwave fluxes were made at two sites in western Colorado during January and February 1992, to determine the radiative effects on maintaining or destroying stable layers.

This project was undertaken to adapt the Palmer Index model to Colorado. The state was divided into 25 climatic region rather than 5. Comparisons with the original indexes show noticeable differences and considerable small scale detail which previously could not be resolved. With the new small regions it is now reasonable to use contour analysis of Palmer Index values to visually describe local variations in drought severity across Colorado.