Colorado, 1997

Winter Storm in Colorado, April 4 to 5, 1997

April 4 to 5, 1997 · NWS BOU · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

Heavy snow developed along western portions of the Urban Corridor and Palmer Divide and extended west into the Front Range Foothills as well as North Park. As a strong low pressure system intensified in the eastern plains, upslope flow developed over the area with strong northerly winds from 20 to 35 mph behind the storm.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 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
5

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 BOU wrote it up.

Heavy snow developed along western portions of the Urban Corridor and Palmer Divide and extended west into the Front Range Foothills as well as North Park. As a strong low pressure system intensified in the eastern plains, upslope flow developed over the area with strong northerly winds from 20 to 35 mph behind the storm. In North Park, Rand and Spicer picked up 11 and 12 inches of snow respectively. Snowfall totals in and near the Front Range Foothills included: 12 inches at Conifer, 9 inches at Doubleheader, with 4 to 7 inches reported at Crowhill, Evergreen, Hourglass Lake, Larkspur, Morrison and 7 miles northeast of Virginia Dale.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Jackson County Below 9000 Feet

When
April 4, 6:00 PM MST to April 5, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Jackson County Below 9000 Feet forecast zone
Coordinates
40.666, -106.343 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Larimer & Boulder Counties Between 6000 & 9000 Feet

When
April 4, 6:00 PM MST to April 5, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Larimer & Boulder Counties Between 6000 & 9000 Feet forecast zone
Coordinates
40.380, -105.410 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Jefferson & W Douglas Counties Above 6000 Feet / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Ne Park Counties Below 9000 Feet

When
April 4, 6:00 PM MST to April 5, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Jefferson & W Douglas Counties Above 6000 Feet / Gilpin / Clear Creek / Ne Park Counties Below 9000 Feet forecast zone
Coordinates
39.516, -105.413 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, N Douglas County Below 6000 Feet / Denver / W Adams & Arapahoe Counties / E Broomfield County

When
April 4, 6:00 PM MST to April 5, 6:00 AM MST
Where
N Douglas County Below 6000 Feet / Denver / W Adams & Arapahoe Counties / E Broomfield County forecast zone
Coordinates
39.714, -104.707 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Elbert / C & E Douglas Counties Above 6000 Feet

When
April 4, 6:00 PM MST to April 5, 6:00 AM MST
Where
Elbert / C & E Douglas Counties Above 6000 Feet forecast zone
Coordinates
39.422, -104.468 (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

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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5592102, 5592103, 5592204, 5592205, 5592206.