COLORADO' CLIMATOLOGY 
By ROBERT E. TRIMBLE 
The Agricultural College has shown an active interest in 
meteorology from its very inception, and has maintained records 
since the opening of the institution. The work in this line was 
begun by Hon. F. J. Annis, then Professor of Chemistry, and kept 
up by him until he resigned his work as a professor at the College. 
The observations were then continued under Professor C. F. Davis 
and later by Professor A. E. Blount. These records are not all 
complete, but much credit is due these professors, pressed as they 
were with so many other duties, for having begun and carried on the 
observations under such difficulties. The rainfall records for the 
years 1873-74 were furnished by Mr. R. Q. Tenney, who, even at 
that early date, took an active interest in our climate. 
In 1886 the work was put in the able hands of Dr. Elwood 
Mead, then a Professor in the College, and since January, 1887, the 
records are fairly complete. Upon the resignation of Dr. Mead in 
1888, the observations were carried on by Professor V. E. Stolbrand 
until September 1st of that year, when Professor L. G. Carpenter 
was put in charge. Upon the organization of the Experiment Sta¬ 
tion, this work was transferred to it, and made a regular part of the 
investigations of the Section of Meteorology and Irrigation Engin¬ 
eering. Professor Carpenter remained in charge until January 1st, 
1911, and to his long continued plan and steadfastness of purpose 
must be given a great deal of credit for the value of this work. I 
wish also to express my thanks for the interest and co-operation of 
the Director of the Experiment Station, Professor C. P. Gillette, 
and of Mr. V. M. Cone, who had charge of the Section from April 
1st to July 1st, 1911, at which time the work of the Section was 
merged into a co-operative agreement with the Division of Irriga¬ 
tion Investigations of the U. S. Department of Agriculture, with 
the entire work under the charge and direction of Mr. Cone. The 
writer has served as an assistant in this Section since April 1st, 
1891, and.upon him has devolved the taking of the observations and 
the computations of this and the substations. 
In the following pages free use has been made of the previous 
publications of this Station in this line, also the publications of the 
Weather Bureau, which has been for several years under the charge 
of Mr. F. H. Brandenburg, and especially of the article on the Cli¬ 
mate of Colorado, by Professor A. J. Henry, in Bulletin “C,” of the 
U. S. Weather Bureau. 
Nearly all the variations of a continental climate are to be 
found within the borders of the State of Colorado. The natural 
diversities which result from its location in latitude and the many 
