Show Small Town Rates Frequent Mention jJ As Coldest Spot BIG PINEY WYO Although this little raising cattle community nestled in the Wyoming mountains has bas only residents it probably rates mention in the nations nation's newspapers newspapers newspapers news news- papers more often than any other small town in the country Its It's not at all unusual for stories about weather conditions to Include the statement that the coldest spot in the country was Big Piney Wyo with 20 degrees below zero The dubious distinction of being the nations ice box is blamed bythe by bythe the thc weather bureau on a cold air drainage of off the mountains lying to the thc west of the town which is situated In a mountain valley of feet altitude Masses of cold air drain off of the mountain range into the valley just like streams of water the weather bureau explains There is also an elevation to the east This inclosure prevents the wind from sweeping out cold air and warming up the valley Frigid blasts are almost a year year- around proposition Big Piney had only a day 61 growing season last year compared with growing days at Cheyenne some miles to the southeast |