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Tahoe Nugget:#15:
Bodie, California
The threat of snow showers failed to materialize this weekend, but with low temperatures in the 20s and highs only in the 50s, it
certainly has cooled down. I'm not complaining about the subfreezing temperatures, it could be worse. I could be living in Bodie, California, where it was 7 degrees two days ago, the coldest temperature in the
lower 48. During the summer and fall months, Bodie often boasts the lowest temps in the country (not including Alaska).
The primary factors for Bodie's chilly overnight temperatures are its location in a high altitude basin, extremely dry air, generally
cloudless skies (radiational cooling), and cold air draining from surrounding mountain slopes. In addition, the atmosphere cools at an average rate of 3.3 degrees Fahrenheit for every 1,000 feet gained in elevation
and Bodie is located at 8,368 feet above sea level. As the winter season gets underway in November and December, the nation's coldest temperature readings will become concentrated in the northern Rockies.
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