Colorado, 1996

Heavy Snow in Colorado, December 16, 1996

December 16, 1996 · NWS PUB · 6 events in 6 counties and zones

Snowfall totals ranged from nearly 4 inches to 8 inches. Some amounts included 5 inches in Canon City in Fremont County, 7 inches in Rye in Pueblo County, and 8 inches in Huerfano County at both Walsenburg and Cuchara.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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
6

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.

Snowfall totals ranged from nearly 4 inches to 8 inches. Some amounts included 5 inches in Canon City in Fremont County, 7 inches in Rye in Pueblo County, and 8 inches in Huerfano County at both Walsenburg and Cuchara. The snowfall, along with rapidly dropping temperatures and brisk winds produced very icy road conditions, and numerous traffic accidents were reported in Colorado Springs and the rest of the area.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

6 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, La Garita Mountains Above 10000 Ft

When
December 16, 12:00 PM MST to 10:30 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)

Heavy Snow, Alamosa Vicinity / Central San Luis Valley Below 8500 Ft

When
December 16, 12:00 PM MST to 10:30 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)

Heavy Snow, Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 8500 & 11000 Ft

When
December 16, 12:00 PM MST to 10:30 PM 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)

Heavy Snow, Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Above 11000 Ft

When
December 16, 12:00 PM MST to 10:30 PM MST
Where
Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Above 11000 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates
37.867, -105.544 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 7500 & 11000 Ft

When
December 16, 12:00 PM MST to 10:30 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)

Heavy Snow, Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Above 11000 Ft

When
December 16, 12:00 PM MST to 10:30 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)

What these are

Heavy Snow
Snowfall reaching the local warning threshold without the other hazards of a winter storm.

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: 5578288, 5578289, 5578290, 5578291, 5578292, 5578293.