Colorado, 1997

Heavy Snow in Colorado, February 23 to 24, 1997

February 23 to 24, 1997 · NWS GJT · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A low pressure system over the desert southwest drew moisture up over the southern half of western Colorado, resulting in 4 to 8 inches of new snow for the mountains and 3 to 6 inches in valleys above the 6500 foot level. The heaviest amounts included 10 inches in the mountains above Telluride and 10 inches over Red Mountain Pass.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
7

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 low pressure system over the desert southwest drew moisture up over the southern half of western Colorado, resulting in 4 to 8 inches of new snow for the mountains and 3 to 6 inches in valleys above the 6500 foot level. The heaviest amounts included 10 inches in the mountains above Telluride and 10 inches over Red Mountain Pass.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

7 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Grand and Battlement Mesas

When
February 23, 4:00 AM MST to February 24, 4:00 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, Central Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Basin/Montrose and Vicinity

When
February 23, 4:00 AM MST to February 24, 4:00 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, West Elk and Sawatch Mountains/Taylor Park

When
February 23, 4:00 AM MST to February 24, 4:00 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
February 23, 4:00 AM MST to February 24, 4:00 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, Uncompahgre Plateau

When
February 23, 4:00 AM MST to February 24, 4:00 AM MST
Where
Uncompahgre Plateau forecast zone
Coordinates
38.488, -108.155 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Northwestern San Juan Mountains

When
February 23, 4:00 AM MST to February 24, 4:00 AM MST
Where
Northwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
Coordinates
38.210, -107.755 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Southwestern San Juan Mountains

When
February 23, 4:00 AM MST to February 24, 4:00 AM MST
Where
Southwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
Coordinates
37.594, -107.912 (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: 5590210, 5590211, 5590212, 5590213, 5590214, 5590215, 5590216.