Some precipitation‐altitude studies of the Tennessee Valley Authority

Abstract

Three precipitation‐altitude studies made cooperatively by the Tennessee Valley Authority and the U.S. Weather Bureau are discussed. In one study covering observations of a line of precipitation stations across the Great Smoky Mountains, a typical increase of rainfall with altitude is described. Results of another study, an investigation across sharp‐crested Snake Mountain, North Carolina, show precipitation at the top of the ridge to be only 70 pct of that on the slopes a short distance below the crest. A similar situation is described on Clinch Mountain in Virginia. Seasonal effects are noted, with the most pronounced differences occurring in the October–March period. The low catch at the ridgetop stations is attributed to a combination of updraft and carry‐over of moisture‐laden air because of the steep slopes and narrow crest widths of the ridges.