Discussion
Climate conditions within the Kananaskis Valley (1,391 m.a.s.l.) are
indicative of continental air masses, with long cold winters and an
average air temperature of -15 °C from January to March . Average annual
precipitation is 900 mm in the valley and subalpine region, but
increases to well above 1140 mm in elevations greater than treeline .
Snow cover remains from November to June, because of cold temperatures
and large contributions of precipitation from snowfall (65 – 70%)
(DeBeer & Pomeroy, 2009; Marsh et al. 2012). The melt period often
begins in April, as temperatures increase, and finishes in July
coinciding with maximum solar radiation and temperature . Climate at
Bonsai during the study period was representative of the typical
conditions experienced within the subalpine region of the Valley. The
climate also varied at our site during periods of Dynamic andSteady shade.