Colorado, 1997

Heavy Snow in Colorado, April 1 to 2, 1997

April 1 to 2, 1997 · NWS GJT · 10 events in 10 counties and zones

As an upper low over the Great Basin dropped southward, another surge of moisture produced heavy snow over west-central and northwest Colorado. Amounts generally ranged from 4 to 8 inches in the valleys and 6 to 10 inches in the mountains.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 10 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
10

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.

As an upper low over the Great Basin dropped southward, another surge of moisture produced heavy snow over west-central and northwest Colorado. Amounts generally ranged from 4 to 8 inches in the valleys and 6 to 10 inches in the mountains. Some exceptions included the Paradox area with 10 to 12 inches, the northern Uncompahgre Plateau with 11 inches, and Bedrock with 9 inches.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Central Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Basin/Montrose and Vicinity

When
April 1, 2:00 PM MST to April 2, 5:00 AM MST
Where
Central Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Basin/Montrose and Vicinity forecast zone
Coordinates
38.737, -107.907 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Central Yampa River Basin/Craig-Hayden and Vicinity

When
April 1, 2:00 PM MST to April 2, 5:00 AM MST
Where
Central Yampa River Basin/Craig-Hayden and Vicinity forecast zone
Coordinates
40.361, -107.805 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Debeque Rifle Glenwood Springs Corridor

When
April 1, 2:00 PM MST to April 2, 5:00 AM MST
Where
Debeque Rifle Glenwood Springs Corridor forecast zone
Coordinates
39.308, -108.185 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Elkhead and Park Mountains/Flat Tops/White River Plateau

When
April 1, 2:00 PM MST to April 2, 5:00 AM MST
Where
Elkhead and Park Mountains/Flat Tops/White River Plateau forecast zone
Coordinates
40.552, -107.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Grand and Battlement Mesas

When
April 1, 2:00 PM MST to April 2, 5:00 AM MST
Where
Grand and Battlement Mesas forecast zone
Coordinates
39.159, -108.078 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Grand Valley/Grand Junction and Vicinity

When
April 1, 2:00 PM MST to April 2, 5:00 AM MST
Where
Grand Valley/Grand Junction and Vicinity forecast zone
Coordinates
39.308, -108.185 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Paradox Valley/Lower Dolores River

When
April 1, 2:00 PM MST to April 2, 5:00 AM MST
Where
Paradox Valley/Lower Dolores River forecast zone
Coordinates
38.294, -108.414 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus

When
April 1, 2:00 PM MST to April 2, 5:00 AM MST
Where
Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus forecast zone
Coordinates
39.532, -108.196 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Uncompahgre Plateau

When
April 1, 2:00 PM MST to April 2, 5:00 AM MST
Where
Uncompahgre Plateau forecast zone
Coordinates
38.488, -108.155 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Upper Yampa River Basin/Steamboat Springs and Vicinity

When
April 1, 2:00 PM MST to April 2, 5:00 AM MST
Where
Upper Yampa River Basin/Steamboat Springs and Vicinity forecast zone
Coordinates
40.485, -106.991 (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 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, April 1997

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5600880, 5600881, 5600882, 5600883, 5600884, 5600885, 5600886, 5600887, 5600888, 5600889.