Silver Bell Mountains

The Silver Bell Mountains are a northwest–southeast trending mountain range in north–central Pima County, Arizona.[1] The range lies 14 miles (23 km) west of Marana, Arizona, located on Interstate-10, northwest of Tucson.

For the north-western, attached mountain range, see West Silver Bell Mountains.
Silver Bell Mountains
Ragged Top is a prominent landmark just north of the main range of the Silver Bell mountains
Highest point
PeakSilver Bell Peak
Elevation4,261 ft (1,299 m)
Coordinates32°24′30″N 111°29′32″W
Dimensions
Length6 mi (9.7 km) N-NW x SE
Width5 mi (8.0 km)
Geography
Silver Bell Mountains is located in Arizona
Silver Bell Mountains
Silver Bell Mountains
Location in the state of Arizona.
CountryUnited States
StateArizona
RegionIronwood Forest National Monument
(northeast)-Sonoran Desert
(Avra Valley)
CountyPima County
SettlementSilver Bell, AZ
Borders onWest Silver Bell Mountains-NW
Waterman Mountains-S
Aguirre Valley-W & SW
Avra Valley-E & I-10-NE

The range is located to the east of the Ironwood Forest National Monument. Ragged Top, located in the north of the range, is a well-known landmark in this former mining region.

Description

The range is named after the Silver Bell Mine located at the southern end of the mountains. The range abuts the Waterman Mountains to the southeast, where palynology-(pollen) studies have shown some of the recent floristic history of Arizona during the Pliocene. Both ranges lie in the northeast Sonoran Desert; the Madrean Sky Island ranges begin just southeast of here, with the large, and most western sky island range, the Baboquivari Mountains-Quinlans 20–35 mi south.

The Silver Bell range can be accessed by Avra Valley Road and Silver Bell Road from the south of Marana.

Climate

Climate is characterized by extremely variable temperature conditions. The Köppen Climate Classification sub-type for this climate is "Bsh" (Mid-Latitude Steppe and Desert Climate).[2]

Climate data for Silver Bell Mountains
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °F (°C) 63
(17)		 66
(19)		 71
(22)		 79
(26)		 88
(31)		 98
(37)		 98
(37)		 96
(36)		 93
(34)		 84
(29)		 72
(22)		 62
(17)		 81
(27)
Average low °F (°C) 43
(6)		 46
(8)		 49
(9)		 55
(13)		 63
(17)		 72
(22)		 74
(23)		 72
(22)		 70
(21)		 61
(16)		 51
(11)		 43
(6)		 58
(14)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 0.9
(23)		 0.9
(23)		 0.8
(20)		 0.2
(5.1)		 0.2
(5.1)		 0.3
(7.6)		 2.5
(64)		 2.5
(64)		 1.3
(33)		 1
(25)		 0.8
(20)		 1.3
(33)		 12.8
(330)
Source: Weatherbase [3]

See also

References
  1. Silver Bell East, AZ and Silver Bell West, AZ, 7.5 Minute Topographic Quadrangles, USGS, 1989
  2. Climate Summary for Silver Bell
  3. "Weatherbase.com". Weatherbase. 2013. Retrieved on July 30, 2013.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Silver Bell Mountains.

Silver Bell Peak

Ragged Top Peak

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