Summer radar echo distribution around Lemon, Colorado

"Radar echoes for the area within 125 n. m. of Limon, Colorado for the summer (June-August) months of 1971 and 1972 are examined for diurnal characteristics and relationships to the terrain. As the convective day starts, there is little daylight echo frequency until a sudden generation occurs over the east slopes of the Rockies about 1100 MDT. From then until 1730 MDT the frequency of echoes increases everywhere but at the greatest rate over the Rockies, then over the E-W ridges that extend well into the Plains. By 2130 the decreased frequency over the mountains is low enough that the max frequency is well over 100 n. m. east of the Continental Divide. There is then decay everywhere to near zero frequencies almost everywhere by 0530 MDT. The pattern of echoes and of precipitation amount supports quite well the 2-cell convection pattern in a line perpendicular to the mountains as proposed by Dirks. The data also suggest smaller scale cells along a N-S line because of the E-W ridges."