Winter Storm in Colorado, April 13 to 14, 1996

Name: Winter Storm in Colorado, April 13 to 14, 1996
Start: 1996-04-13T01:00
End: 1996-04-14T03:30
Location: Colorado

April 13 to 14, 1996 · NWS PUB · 16 events in 16 counties and zones

bringing significant snowfall to the mountains and the plains. 6 to 12 inches of snow fell across the high terrain, while 4 to 8 inches fell across the plains.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 16 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 16

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS PUB wrote it up.

A strong winter storm moved across Colorado from the west starting on the morning of the 13th...bringing significant snowfall to the mountains and the plains. 6 to 12 inches of snow fell across the high terrain, while 4 to 8 inches fell across the plains. Steady 20 to 40 mph winds...with higher gusts from the north produced blowing snow and reduced visibilities, prompting many road closures across the higher elevations. Near blizzard conditions struck Colorado Springs causing many stranded vehicles. A cold front associated with this system then swept through that afternoon...produced high winds and substantial damage across the southeast plains. A gust of 69 mph was reported in La Junta in Otero county the evening of the 13th, knocking down fences, uprooting trees, and damaging 75 to 100 street signs. One mobile home was destroyed. In Fowler in Otero county, four roofs were blown off in the downtown area. Las Animas county reported up to 8 inches of snow, and wind gusts up to an estimated 70 mph, knocking out power to an estimated 6900 customers for about 3 hours late on the 13th and early on the 14th.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

16 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Eastern Sawatch Mountains Above 11000 Ft

When: April 13, 1:00 AM MST to 3:00 PM MST
Where: Eastern Sawatch Mountains Above 11000 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates: 38.677, -106.274 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Western Chaffee County Between 9000 & 11000 Ft

When: April 13, 1:00 AM MST to 3:00 PM MST
Where: Western Chaffee County Between 9000 & 11000 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates: 38.747, -106.194 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Upper Rio Grande Valley / Eastern San Juan Mountains Below 10000 Ft

When: April 13, 2:30 PM MST to 9:30 PM MST
Where: Upper Rio Grande Valley / Eastern San Juan Mountains Below 10000 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates: 37.484, -106.500 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Southern San Luis Valley

When: April 13, 5:25 PM MST to April 14, 3:30 AM MST
Where: Southern San Luis Valley forecast zone
Coordinates: 37.240, -105.810 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 8500 & 11000 Ft

When: April 13, 5:25 PM MST to April 14, 3:30 AM MST
Where: Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 8500 & 11000 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates: 37.992, -105.637 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Saguache County East of Continental Divide Below 10000 Ft

When: April 13, 6:00 PM MST to 9:30 PM MST
Where: Saguache County East of Continental Divide Below 10000 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates: 37.832, -106.332 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, La Garita Mountains Above 10000 Ft

When: April 13, 6:00 PM MST to 9:30 PM MST
Where: La Garita Mountains Above 10000 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates: 37.778, -106.530 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Alamosa Vicinity / Central San Luis Valley Below 8500 Ft

When: April 13, 6:00 PM MST to 9:30 PM MST
Where: Alamosa Vicinity / Central San Luis Valley Below 8500 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates: 37.578, -106.085 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 7500 & 11000 Ft

When: April 13, 6:00 PM MST to 9:30 PM MST
Where: Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 7500 & 11000 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates: 37.426, -104.809 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Above 11000 Ft

When: April 13, 6:00 PM MST to 9:30 PM MST
Where: Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Above 11000 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates: 37.426, -104.809 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Northwest Fremont County Above 8500 Ft

When: April 13, 6:45 PM MST to April 14, 3:30 AM MST
Where: Northwest Fremont County Above 8500 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates: 38.473, -105.440 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Westcliffe Vicinity / Wet Mountain Valley Below 8500 Ft

When: April 13, 6:45 PM MST to April 14, 3:30 AM MST
Where: Westcliffe Vicinity / Wet Mountain Valley Below 8500 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates: 37.897, -105.164 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, West / Central Fremont County Below 8500 Ft

When: April 13, 9:00 PM MST to April 14, 3:30 AM MST
Where: West / Central Fremont County Below 8500 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates: 38.473, -105.440 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Wet Mountains Between 8500 and 10000 Ft

When: April 13, 9:00 PM MST to April 14, 3:30 AM MST
Where: Wet Mountains Between 8500 and 10000 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates: 38.110, -105.070 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Wet Mountains Above 10000 Ft

When: April 14, 12:30 AM MST to 3:30 AM MST
Where: Wet Mountains Above 10000 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates: 37.989, -104.947 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft

When: April 14, 12:30 AM MST to 3:30 AM MST
Where: Teller County / Rampart Range Above 7500 Ft / Pikes Peak Between 7500 & 11000 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates: 38.729, -105.043 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Colorado in 1996 Every state in 1996 This day in weather history Warnings in Colorado, April 1996

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5544198, 5544199, 5544202, 5544204, 5544205, 5544200, 5544201, 5544203, 5544206, 5544207, 5544208, 5544210, 5544209, 5544211, 5544212, 5544213.