Colorado, 1997

Heavy Snow in Colorado, March 24 to 25, 1997

March 24 to 25, 1997 · NWS PUB · 10 events in 10 counties and zones

A disturbance in the upper levels combined with low level upslope winds produced widespread snow across southeast and south central Colorado. The mountainous areas received storm totals between 1 and 2 feet, while the surrounding areas reported snowfall amounts of 3 to 8 inches.

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 PUB wrote it up.

A disturbance in the upper levels combined with low level upslope winds produced widespread snow across southeast and south central Colorado. The mountainous areas received storm totals between 1 and 2 feet, while the surrounding areas reported snowfall amounts of 3 to 8 inches. Aspen Acres in Custer county had 21 inches of snow, Cuchara picked up 19 inches of new snow, while Rye tallied up to 13 inches. The wintery weather created dangerous travelling conditions for motorists in the area. In eastern Fremont county, a multi-vehicle accident occurred on Highway 50.

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, Central Chaffee County Below 9000 Ft

When
March 24, 11:30 AM MST to March 25, 12:45 AM MST
Where
Central Chaffee County Below 9000 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates
38.747, -106.194 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Eastern Chaffee County / Western Mosquito Range Above 9000 Ft

When
March 24, 11:30 AM MST to March 25, 12:45 AM MST
Where
Eastern Chaffee County / Western Mosquito Range Above 9000 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates
38.747, -106.194 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Saguache County West of Continental Divide Below 10000 Ft

When
March 24, 11:30 AM MST to March 25, 12:45 AM MST
Where
Saguache County West of Continental Divide Below 10000 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates
38.081, -106.282 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Saguache County East of Continental Divide Below 10000 Ft

When
March 24, 11:30 AM MST to March 25, 12:45 AM MST
Where
Saguache County East of Continental Divide Below 10000 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates
37.832, -106.332 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, La Garita Mountains Above 10000 Ft

When
March 24, 11:30 AM MST to March 25, 12:45 AM MST
Where
La Garita Mountains Above 10000 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates
37.778, -106.530 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Upper Rio Grande Valley / Eastern San Juan Mountains Below 10000 Ft

When
March 24, 11:30 AM MST to March 25, 12:45 AM MST
Where
Upper Rio Grande Valley / Eastern San Juan Mountains Below 10000 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates
37.484, -106.500 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Alamosa Vicinity / Central San Luis Valley Below 8500 Ft

When
March 24, 11:30 AM MST to March 25, 12:45 AM MST
Where
Alamosa Vicinity / Central San Luis Valley Below 8500 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates
37.578, -106.085 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Southern San Luis Valley

When
March 24, 11:30 AM MST to March 25, 12:45 AM MST
Where
Southern San Luis Valley forecast zone
Coordinates
37.240, -105.810 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 8500 & 11000 Ft

When
March 24, 11:30 AM MST to March 25, 12:45 AM MST
Where
Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Between 8500 & 11000 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates
37.992, -105.637 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Above 11000 Ft

When
March 24, 11:30 AM MST to March 25, 12:45 AM MST
Where
Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains Above 11000 Ft forecast zone
Coordinates
37.867, -105.544 (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, March 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: 5604060, 5604061, 5604062, 5604063, 5604064, 5604065, 5604066, 5604067, 5604068, 5604069.