Colorado, 1996

Cold in Colorado, December 16 to 17, 1996

December 16 to 17, 1996 · NWS BOU · 9 events in 9 counties and zones

Strong winds gusting in excess of 40 mph at times combined with an Arctic airmass to create extremely cold wind chill temperatures. Wind chill readings from 30 below to 45 below zero were recorded as temperatures dropped into the single digits overnight.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 9 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
9

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 BOU wrote it up.

Strong winds gusting in excess of 40 mph at times combined with an Arctic airmass to create extremely cold wind chill temperatures. Wind chill readings from 30 below to 45 below zero were recorded as temperatures dropped into the single digits overnight.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

9 cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.

Cold/Wind Chill, Ne Weld County

When
December 16, 6:00 PM MST to December 17, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Ne Weld County forecast zone
Coordinates
40.555, -104.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, C & S Weld County

When
December 16, 6:00 PM MST to December 17, 6:00 AM MST
Where
C & S Weld County forecast zone
Coordinates
40.555, -104.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Morgan County

When
December 16, 6:00 PM MST to December 17, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Morgan County forecast zone
Coordinates
40.263, -103.810 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, C & E Adams & Arapahoe Counties

When
December 16, 6:00 PM MST to December 17, 6:00 AM MST
Where
C & E Adams & Arapahoe Counties forecast zone
Coordinates
39.762, -104.338 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, N & Ne Elbert County Below 6000 Feet / N Lincoln County

When
December 16, 6:00 PM MST to December 17, 6:00 AM MST
Where
N & Ne Elbert County Below 6000 Feet / N Lincoln County forecast zone
Coordinates
39.138, -103.825 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Se Elbert County Below 6000 Feet / South Lincoln County

When
December 16, 6:00 PM MST to December 17, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Se Elbert County Below 6000 Feet / South Lincoln County forecast zone
Coordinates
39.138, -103.825 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Logan County

When
December 16, 6:00 PM MST to December 17, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Logan County forecast zone
Coordinates
40.725, -103.110 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Washington County

When
December 16, 6:00 PM MST to December 17, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Washington County forecast zone
Coordinates
39.971, -103.201 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Cold/Wind Chill, Sedgwick County

When
December 16, 6:00 PM MST to December 17, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Sedgwick County forecast zone
Coordinates
40.876, -102.352 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Cold/Wind Chill
Cold or wind chill below warning criteria that caused deaths, injuries or damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Colorado in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, December 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5577859, 5577860, 5577861, 5577862, 5577863, 5577864, 5577865, 5577866, 5577867.