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Topography Factor
q A second factor creating snow north and west
of the Colorado cyclone
center has to do with the topography over which the cyclone is moving.
qThe Mississippi River
Valley is less than 500 feet (0.15km) above sea level, while the plains in the eastern
Colorado just east of the
Rockies are about 5000 feet (1.6 km) above sea level.
qAir flowing westward
north of a cyclone must climb the slope of the topography and cool down more due to adiabatic cooling.
qThe topography-induced
cooling enhances the cloud formation and
snowfall rates.