Colorado, 1997

Heavy Snow in Colorado, December 9 to 10, 1997

December 9 to 10, 1997 · NWS GJT · 5 events in 5 counties and zones

A moist northerly flow produced 5 to 10 inches of new snow in the northern and central mountains of western Colorado. Some heavier amounts included 12 inches at the Steamboat springs Ski Area and 11 inches on the Grand Mesa.

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 GJT wrote it up.

A moist northerly flow produced 5 to 10 inches of new snow in the northern and central mountains of western Colorado. Some heavier amounts included 12 inches at the Steamboat springs Ski Area and 11 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

5 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Elkhead and Park Mountains/Flat Tops/White River Plateau / E Rio Blanco / Ne Garfield / X Nw Eagle / Routt Except C Xs

When
December 9, 6:00 PM MST to December 10, 8:00 AM MST
Where
Elkhead and Park Mountains/Flat Tops/White River Plateau / E Rio Blanco / Ne Garfield / X Nw Eagle / Routt Except C Xs forecast zone
Coordinates
40.552, -107.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus / Sw Rio Blanco / W Garfield / Part of Nc Mesa

When
December 9, 6:00 PM MST to December 10, 8:00 AM MST
Where
Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus / Sw Rio Blanco / W Garfield / Part of Nc Mesa forecast zone
Coordinates
39.532, -108.196 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Grand and Battlement Mesas / X Sc Garfield / E Mesa Except X Ne / N Delta

When
December 9, 6:00 PM MST to December 10, 8:00 AM MST
Where
Grand and Battlement Mesas / X Sc Garfield / E Mesa Except X Ne / N Delta forecast zone
Coordinates
39.159, -108.078 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys/Aspen and Vicinity / Ne S Eagle / Pitkin Except Xnc / X Ne Mesa / Se Garfield (Part)

When
December 9, 6:00 PM MST to December 10, 8:00 AM MST
Where
Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys/Aspen and Vicinity / Ne S Eagle / Pitkin Except Xnc / X Ne Mesa / Se Garfield (Part) forecast zone
Coordinates
39.481, -107.172 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, West Elk and Sawatch Mountains/Taylor Park / W Lake / W Chaffee / Wc to Ec Gunnison

When
December 9, 6:00 PM MST to December 10, 8:00 AM MST
Where
West Elk and Sawatch Mountains/Taylor Park / W Lake / W Chaffee / Wc to Ec Gunnison forecast zone
Coordinates
38.643, -107.721 (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: 5624492, 5624493, 5624494, 5624495, 5624496.