Colorado, 1997

Heavy Snow in Colorado, February 23 to 24, 1997

February 23 to 24, 1997 · NWS BOU · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

Bands of heavy snow showers developed over portions of east central Colorado as a strong upper level jet persisted over the area. Karval received top honors with 6 inches of new snow.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 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
3

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.

Bands of heavy snow showers developed over portions of east central Colorado as a strong upper level jet persisted over the area. Karval received top honors with 6 inches of new snow. Elsewhere, 3 to 4 inches of snow fell near Limon, Hugo, Kiowa and 8 miles southeast of Matheson.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Elbert / C & E Douglas Counties Above 6000 Feet

When
February 23, 6:00 PM MST to February 24, 4:00 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)

Heavy Snow, N & Ne Elbert County Below 6000 Feet / N Lincoln County

When
February 23, 6:00 PM MST to February 24, 4:00 AM MST
Where
N & Ne Elbert County Below 6000 Feet / N Lincoln County forecast zone
Coordinates
39.138, -103.825 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Se Elbert County Below 6000 Feet / South Lincoln County

When
February 23, 6:00 PM MST to February 24, 4:00 AM MST
Where
Se Elbert County Below 6000 Feet / South Lincoln County forecast zone
Coordinates
39.138, -103.825 (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, February 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: 5591153, 5591154, 5591155.