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March 7, 2013

Prickly Pear Cactus

A prickly pear blooms along the Walter Orr Roberts Weather Trail at the National Center for Atmospheric Research's (NCAR) Mesa Lab in Boulder, Colo. The prickly pear is common in the desert regions of the American Southwest. The weather trail is comprised of 11 signed viewpoints focusing on weather and climate features. It is North America's first weather trail and was installed in July 1997.

NCAR is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and other federal agencies to provide facilities and support for a wide range of studies in the atmospheric and related sciences. NCAR is managed by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR), a nonprofit consortium of universities that grants Ph.D.s in fields related to atmospheric science. UCAR's primary function is managing NCAR. To learn more, visit the NCAR website, Here.

Credit: ©University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

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