Page 70 - 2002 DT 12 issues_Neat

○ Weather, continued from page 1. ○ closer to the Equator causing torrid
○
September ○ ○
○ ○ ○ conditions.
Over the millennia, the climate About 3,000 years ago nature re-
○
DESK SCHEDULE ○ ○
○ became much like we know in the 21st ○ lented. The weather pattern again
○
○ Century. But dwindling food and water ○ reversed itself and the valley began a slow
○
Sun/1 L. Klasse T. Pfaendler ○ sources prompted animals and humans ○ ○ escape from the furnace. Ocean currents
○
○
○ to migrate to more hospitable environ- ○ and prevailing winds allowed saturated
○
Mon/2 H. Berkowitz R./W. Hetzler
ments. Species that stayed fought to ○ clouds to end-run the mountain ranges
○ ○
○
Tues/3 B. Saperstein D./V. Wray ○ survive the catastrophic weather. Those ○ and refresh the valley floor. Higher el-
○
○
○ that failed became extinct. ○ evations got 12 to 16 inches of
Wed/4 E. Schliepp J./H. Barrett ○
The reversal in climate continued in- ○ precipitation, and much of it replenished
○
○
Thur/5 G. Sayles D./V. Wray ○ exorably, and by 4,000 to 5,000 years ago ○ ○ the vast chain of reservoirs beneath the
○
the Las Vegas Valley resembled today’s ○ Las Vegas and Pahrump Valleys.
○
○
Fri/6 A. Berg J. Geier ○
○ Death Valley. With glaciers gone, sum- ○ We still live in the driest desert on
○
○
Sat/7 W. Barbuck W. Barbuck ○ mer temperature rose to 115˚ F. The ○ the continent, but things are looking up—
○
○
○ baked valley floor surrendered its tem- ○ at least for the long run. We no longer
Sun/8 E. Turkin M. Rosow ○ perate plant life to invading scrubs and ○ can be compared to Death Valley. Our
○
○
○ cactus from Mexico. Humans abandoned rainfall is double our neighbor’s. And cli-
Mon/9 R. Zeitlin D. Powers ○
matologists say the long-term
○
○
Tues/10 J. Barrett D./V. Wray ○ average annual rainfall is
○
continuing to increase in fits and
○
Wed/11 M. Slagle M. Burk ○
starts, though like our earlier pre-
○
Thur/12 G. Sayles D./V. Wray ○ ○ decessors we don’t notice it.
Will the valley return to the
○
Fri/13 H. Perlman E. Schliepp ○ ○ halcyon days of 12,000 years ago?
○
Sat/14 G. Gabbert B. Wolin ○ Not likely unless those glaciers
○
start devouring the oceans again,
○
Sun/15 E. Turkin L./M/ Utah ○ and the other factors deal kindly
○
with us. Certainly the giant sloths
○
Mon/16 H. Berkowitz R. Augulis ○
clan living and collected in increasingly ○ and mastodons won’t prowl pluvial lakes
○
○ ○
Tues/17 R. Zeitlin D. Powers ○ small family groups, migrating season- ○ again. And if the woodlands start de-
○ ○
○ ally from mountain slopes to the ○ scending into the valley, you can be sure
Wed/18 M. Slagle B. Wolin ○ ○
○ Colorado River for subsistence. The ○ developers will cut them down. Summers
Thur/19 G. Sayles J./H. Barrett ○ valley’s precious aquifer system still ○ ○ could get decidedly cooler, however,
○
pumped spring water collected from ○ and showers become commonplace.
○
Fri/20 A. Berg J. Geier ○ ○ snow melt above 5,000 feet elevation, but ○ ○ But save the umbrellas and raincoats
○
each generation found fewer reliable ○ for trips East, and whatever you do, don’t
Sat/21 J. Kisosondi T. Borg
water sources. There was limited food ○ ○ sell the air conditioner.
Sun/22 E. Turkin L./M. Utah ○ gathering. The survivors replaced mam- ○ ○
○
moth stalking with the trapping of
○ ○
Mon/23 R. Zeitlin F. Rhea ○ ○ Answers to the Quiz
rabbits and squirrels.
○ ○
Tues/24 J. Barrett F. Rhea ○ ○ The bleakness was probably caused ○ ○ nothing.
○
○ by factors other than glaciers. Pacific ○ ○ wind. You have no substance . . . just
Wed/25 E. Schliepp M. Burk ○ ○
○ currents affecting weather may have tumbleweed blowing before a Texas
○
Thur/26 G. Sayles D. Powers ○ shifted. Prevailing winds may have ○ unattractive clump of dry and brittle
○ drawn clouds directly into the mountain ○ ○ our lives. Four and under—you are an
○
Fri/27 H. Perlman J. Geier ○ ○
○ ranges between the ocean and valley; ○ represent the four seasons; variety in
○
○
Sat/28 P. VanDooremaal T. Borg ○ each range squeezed Pacific moisture ○ paradise. Five through 9 means you
○
○ from the clouds leaving only traces of ○ gentle breeze that makes Tahiti
○
Sun/29 L. Klasse S. Vallado ○
○ rainfall by the time the clouds reached ○ If you got 10 to 14 correct, you are the
○
Mon/30 H. Berkowitz F. Rhea ○ the valley. The average annual rainfall ○
○ ○
became a scant 2 inches. Even the wobble ○ 10-b, 11-c, 12-c, 13-a, 14-a.
○
○ ○
of the Earth may have moved the valley ○ 1-a, 2-c, 3-c, 4-a, 5-b, 6-c, 7-a, 8-a, 9-b,
Changes? Call Jim Cribbs (363-1922)