Heavy Snow in Colorado, February 20 to 21, 1996

Name: Heavy Snow in Colorado, February 20 to 21, 1996
Start: 1996-02-20T18:00
End: 1996-02-21T20:00
Location: Colorado

February 20 to 21, 1996 · NWS GJT · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

12-24 inches of snow fell over the central and northern mountains. 6-8 inches were common in the southwest mountains.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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: 1
Injuries: 2
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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 GJT wrote it up.

12-24 inches of snow fell over the central and northern mountains. 6-8 inches were common in the southwest mountains. There were numerous vehicle accidents, including a 20 car/truck pile up on I-70 near Vail. Avalanches and snow accumulations resulted in numerous road closures over the mountain passes.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Elkhead and Park Mountains

When: February 20, 6:00 PM MST to February 21, 8:00 PM MST
Where: Elkhead and Park Mountains forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.552, -107.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Upper Yampa River Basin

When: February 20, 6:00 PM MST to February 21, 8:00 PM MST
Where: Upper Yampa River Basin forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.485, -106.991 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Grand and Battlement Mesas

When: February 20, 6:00 PM MST to February 21, 8:00 PM MST
Where: Grand and Battlement Mesas forecast zone
Coordinates: 39.159, -108.078 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys

When: February 20, 6:00 PM MST to February 21, 8:00 PM MST
Where: Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys forecast zone
Deaths: 1 direct, 0 indirect
Injuries: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Coordinates: 39.481, -107.172 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, West Elk and Sawatch Mountains

When: February 20, 6:00 PM MST to February 21, 8:00 PM MST
Where: West Elk and Sawatch Mountains forecast zone
Coordinates: 38.643, -107.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Uncompahgre Plateau and Dallas Divide

When: February 20, 6:00 PM MST to February 21, 8:00 PM MST
Where: Uncompahgre Plateau and Dallas Divide forecast zone
Coordinates: 38.488, -108.155 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Northwestern San Juan Mountains

When: February 20, 6:00 PM MST to February 21, 8:00 PM MST
Where: Northwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
Coordinates: 38.210, -107.755 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Southwestern San Juan Mountains

When: February 20, 6:00 PM MST to February 21, 8:00 PM MST
Where: Southwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
Coordinates: 37.594, -107.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

The people who died

As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.

Event	Date	Age	Sex	Where	Kind
Heavy Snow, Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys	1996-02-21	60	Female	Permanent Home	Direct

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

Every storm in Colorado in 1996 Every state in 1996 This day in weather history Warnings in Colorado, February 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: 5540162, 5540163, 5540164, 5540165, 5540166, 5540363, 5540364, 5540365.