Colorado, 1997

Heavy Snow in Colorado, December 7 to 8, 1997

December 7 to 8, 1997 · NWS GJT · 10 events in 10 counties and zones

A moist west to southwest flow produced 6 to 12 inches of snow in the central and southern mountains as well as 4 to 8 inches in most southern valleys of western Colorado. The heaviest reported amount was 13 inches on the Grand Mesa.

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.

A moist west to southwest flow produced 6 to 12 inches of snow in the central and southern mountains as well as 4 to 8 inches in most southern valleys of western Colorado. The heaviest reported amount was 13 inches on the Grand Mesa.

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, Southwestern San Juan Mountains

When
December 7, 3:00 AM MST to December 8, 11:00 AM MST
Where
Southwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
Coordinates
37.594, -107.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Paradox Valley/Lower Dolores River

When
December 7, 3:00 AM MST to December 8, 11:00 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, Four Corners/Upper Dolores River/Cortez and Vicinity

When
December 7, 3:00 AM MST to December 8, 11:00 AM MST
Where
Four Corners/Upper Dolores River/Cortez and Vicinity forecast zone
Coordinates
37.698, -108.507 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Animas River Basin/Durango and Vicinity

When
December 7, 3:00 AM MST to December 8, 11:00 AM MST
Where
Animas River Basin/Durango and Vicinity forecast zone
Coordinates
37.287, -107.843 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, San Juan River Basin/Pagosa Springs and Vicinity

When
December 7, 3:00 AM MST to December 8, 11:00 AM MST
Where
San Juan River Basin/Pagosa Springs and Vicinity forecast zone
Coordinates
37.194, -107.048 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Uncompahgre Plateau

When
December 7, 3:00 AM MST to December 8, 11:00 AM MST
Where
Uncompahgre Plateau forecast zone
Coordinates
38.488, -108.155 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Grand and Battlement Mesas

When
December 7, 3:00 AM MST to December 8, 11:00 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, West Elk and Sawatch Mountains/Taylor Park

When
December 7, 3:00 AM MST to December 8, 11:00 AM MST
Where
West Elk and Sawatch Mountains/Taylor Park forecast zone
Coordinates
38.643, -107.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Upper Gunnison River Valley/Gunnison and Vicinity

When
December 7, 3:00 AM MST to December 8, 11:00 AM MST
Where
Upper Gunnison River Valley/Gunnison and Vicinity forecast zone
Coordinates
38.535, -107.650 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Northwestern San Juan Mountains

When
December 7, 3:00 AM MST to December 8, 11:00 AM MST
Where
Northwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
Coordinates
38.210, -107.755 (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, December 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: 5619589, 5619590, 5619591, 5619592, 5619593, 5619594, 5624484, 5624485, 5624486, 5624487.