Photo from http://www.ndoiljobs.com/

 

Dickinson, North Dakota Theodore Roosevelt Regional airport is the location of the weather station observed for this blog. Dickinson is in the SouthWest portion of the state and sits at an elevation of 2,011ft. The majority of this region is prairie grasslands with some intermittent farms. The 25 mile radius surrounding the city is 96% grasslands and 4% croplands(weatherspark.com, 2012). Dickinson is at a high latitude of 46.9°N and is in the longitudal center of the North American continent at 102.8°W. This northern latitude and central location creates continental polar conditions. Higher temperatures and moisture levels can occur in summer with the strengthening of the subtropic lows but this area is mostly affected by the continental polar highs. Temperatures can vary greatly throughout the seasons, as is expected in a continental environment and both drastic highs and lows can occur here.

 Temperature Averages

Temperatures given in Fahrenheit.  Graph property of Tessa Bopp, data courtesy of currentresults.com

 

In general this region is known for its mild to moderately humid summers with brief, though often severe, thunderstorms and cold, sometimes frigid, winters with problematic but fleeting snow storms. Generally precipitation occurs as light rain, light snow, or thunderstorms with the greatest average accumulation of snow occurring in December(Current Results Nexus, 2012) and the greatest amount of rainfall occurring in June(Automated Surface Observation System, 2012).  When moisture is brought into this area extreme uplift occurs and severe storms can result.  The infamous hailstorms of summer and blizzards of winter are both examples of this.

Precipitation Averages

Graph property of http://www.wunderground.com, accessed 10/01/12. Data is from Automated Surface Observation System weather station Dickinson (KDIK) and is maintained by the Federal Aviation Administration

Graph property of Tessa Bopp, data courtesy of http://www.currentresults.com/Weather/North-Dakota/average-north-dakota-weather.php as collected by Current Results Nexus

   

The Bowen Ratio of North Dakota is typically higher than the North American average. This is due to several environmental factors of SouthWest North Dakota. Some factors include lacking water in the surrounding area and the relatively high albedo of the terrain because of the dry grasslands. Little amounts of evapotranspiration occur here so the sensible heat is typically greater than latent. The latitude of this location is also relatively far north and as such the sun light received is at a greater angle and the length of time of solar radiation exposure is very short in winter.

The bowen ratio decreases some in summer with an increase in darker vegetation, an increase in moisture, and a greater amount of daylight but still continental characteristics dominate and sensible heat is typically greater than latent.



*All photos property of Tessa Bopp unless otherwise stated