Snow cover does not last long due to the abundance of sunlight.

Concentrated precipitation events can lead to flooding in the region. There are no major aquatic systems within the site boundary. The major components of soils are from several different pedon types: Colby, Kuma, Platner, Rago, Sampson, Stoneham, Wages, and Weld. Soils at the STER site originate from aeolian deposits, loess, recent alluvium, and Tertiary aged alluvium. The geology at this site is characteristic of the Ogallala Formation which is comprised of alternating conglomerates and sandstones. The area can be subject to tornados, flooding, blizzards, and severe winter storms. Mean annual temperature at the site is 9.7☌ (49.5☏) and the mean annual precipitation is 432.7 mm (17 in.). The combination of high elevation and mountain ranges mainly drives this region’s climate. Weather can change drastically in a short period of time. The Central Plains region is known for dry, hot summers and cold winters. STER is not colocated with an aquatic field site.

The site is part of NEON’s Central Plains Domain (D10), along with two other terrestrial sites and one aquatic site.

The North Sterling site was selected to represent agricultural land and practices in eastern Colorado. Various crops are grown across the site, including winter wheat, millet, and maize. STER is an agriculture site on privately owned land. It has an sampling area of 3.2 km2 (791 acres) and sits at about 1350 m (4429 ft.) elevation. North Sterling (STER) is a terrestrial NEON field site located in Logan County in northeast Colorado.

Neon drive native instruments