Colorado, 1996

Flash Flood in Colorado, July 17, 1996

July 17, 1996 · NWS GJT · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Flash flooding occurred along an eight mile stretch from Lake City to about 2 miles southwest of Lake San Cristobal. Mud and rock slides covered roads and flowed onto residental properties.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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
$30,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
1

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.

Flash flooding occurred along an eight mile stretch from Lake City to about 2 miles southwest of Lake San Cristobal. Mud and rock slides covered roads and flowed onto residental properties. Several roads were washed out in places. It took over 3 weeks for road crews to repair roads and remove debris which included large boulders. 1.50 inches of rain was reported in a 45 minute period at Lake City. Heavier rainfall was estimated upstream around the Lake San Cristobal area.

The radar

The Grand Junction radar (KGJX), 159 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:45 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Hinsdale

When
July 17, 2:45 PM MST to 3:30 PM MST
Where
Hinsdale County, 7 mi SSW of Lake City
Property damage
$30,000
Coordinates
37.821, -107.300 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

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, July 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: 5557351.