Climate data from NOAA/NWS Co-op Network stations are complied in Table 4.1-1 and the locations are shown on Figure 4.1-3.  Figure 4.1-3 also shows precipitation data from the Spatial Climate Analysis Service (SCAS) at Oregon State University.  The Big Sandy Basin does not contain Evaporation Pan, AZMET and SNOTEL/Snowcourse stations.  More detailed information on climate in the planning area is found in Section 4.0.3. A description of the climate data sources and methods is found in Volume 1, Appendix A. For a link to the web site for each climate data source click its header.

NOAA/NWS Coop Network

• Refer to Table 4.1-1A

• There are two NOAA/NWS Co-op network climate stations in the basin.  The average monthly maximum temperature occurs in July at both stations and ranges between 86.4°F at Wikieup to 80.5°F at Truxton Canyon.  The average monthly minimum temperature occurs in January and ranges between 48.4°F at Wikieup to 40.9°F at Truxton Canyon.

• Highest average seasonal rainfall occurs in the winter (January - March) at the Wikieup station, while the Truxton Canyon station reports comparable precipitation in the summer (July-September) and winter.  For the period of record, the highest annual rainfall is 11.56 inches at Truxton Canyon and the lowest is 9.88 inches at Wikieup.

SCAS Precipitation Data

• See Figure 4.1-3

• Additional precipitation data shows rainfall as high as 22 inches at the southeastern-most tip of the basin (T18N, R7W) in the Juniper Mountains and as low as eight inches in the areas south of Wikieup and north of Valentine. 

Click for Table 4.1-1 Climate Data in the Big Sandy Basin