Winter Storm, Eastern Sawatch Mountains Above 11000 Ft
- When
- March 4, 10:00 PM MST to March 6, 12:00 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 in Colorado, March 4 to 6, 1996
bringing prolonged heavy snow to the southern mountains beginning the evening of the 4th. This system spread slowly east through midday of the 6th.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 11 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 11
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 upper level winter storm system moved into Colorado from the west...bringing prolonged heavy snow to the southern mountains beginning the evening of the 4th. This system spread slowly east through midday of the 6th. Gusty winds produced blowing snow with wind chills of 15 to 30 below zero, and heavy snow amounts were found throughout the mountains and adjacent foothills. Storm totals included 18-24 inches in Summittville, 18 inches at Wolf Creek Ski Area...14 inches at Cumbres Pass...10 inches in Cuchara and in Buena Vista...9 inches at Monarch Ski Area...8 inches at La Veta Pass...7 inches in Rye...and 3 to 6 inches in the Colorado Springs area.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
11 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.
Winter Storm, Western Chaffee County Between 9000 & 11000 Ft
- When
- March 4, 10:00 PM MST to March 6, 12:00 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, Saguache County East of Continental Divide Below 10000 Ft
- When
- March 5, 5:00 PM MST to March 6, 12:00 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
- March 5, 5:00 PM MST to March 6, 12:00 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, Upper Rio Grande Valley / Eastern San Juan Mountains Below 10000 Ft
- When
- March 5, 8:00 PM MST to March 6, 12:00 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, Del Norte Vicinity / Northern San Luis Valley Below 8500 Ft
- When
- March 5, 8:00 PM MST to March 6, 12:00 PM MST
- Where
- Del Norte Vicinity / Northern San Luis Valley Below 8500 Ft forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 37.832, -106.332 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 8500 & 11000 Ft
- When
- March 5, 8:00 PM MST to March 6, 12:00 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)
Winter Storm, Alamosa Vicinity / Central San Luis Valley Below 8500 Ft
- When
- March 6, 12:00 AM MST to 12:00 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, Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Above 11000 Ft
- When
- March 6, 12:00 AM MST to 12:00 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)
Winter Storm, Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 7500 & 11000 Ft
- When
- March 6, 2:00 AM MST to 12:00 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
- March 6, 2:00 AM MST to 12:00 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
- 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
- Heavy Snow in New York, March 4, 1996
- Heavy Snow in New York, March 4, 1996
- High Wind in Hawaii, March 4, 1996
- Heavy Snow in Wyoming, March 4 to 5, 1996
- Heavy Snow in Oregon, March 4 to 5, 1996
- Heavy Snow in Wyoming, March 4 to 5, 1996
- Winter Storm in California, March 4 to 5, 1996
- Heavy Snow in Utah, March 4 to 6, 1996
- Heavy Snow in Idaho, March 4 to 5, 1996
- High Wind in Alaska, March 4 to 5, 1996
- Heavy Snow in Washington, March 4, 1996
- Damaging Wind in Hawaii, March 4, 1996
More
Every storm in Colorado in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, March 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: 5546487, 5546488, 5546489, 5546490, 5546491, 5546492, 5546494, 5546493, 5546495, 5546496, 5546497.