Colorado, 1997

Winter Storm in Colorado, November 11 to 12, 1997

November 11 to 12, 1997 · NWS GJT · 10 events in 10 counties and zones

A moist Pacific trough generally produced 5 to 10 inches of snow in the mountains of western Colorado and 4 to 7 inches in some of the lower elevations above the 6000 foot level. A few mountain reporting stations had storm totals ranging from 12 to 14 inches.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 9 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 Pacific trough generally produced 5 to 10 inches of snow in the mountains of western Colorado and 4 to 7 inches in some of the lower elevations above the 6000 foot level. A few mountain reporting stations had storm totals ranging from 12 to 14 inches. Wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph were reported at some mountain locations, resulting in blowing and drifting snow.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

10 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Upper Yampa River Basin/Steamboat Springs and Vicinity / C Routt

When
November 11, 1:00 AM MST to November 12, 5:00 AM MST
Where
Upper Yampa River Basin/Steamboat Springs and Vicinity / C Routt forecast zone
Coordinates
40.485, -106.991 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Grand and Battlement Mesas / X Sc Garfield / E Mesa Except X Ne / N Delta

When
November 11, 1:00 AM MST to November 12, 5:00 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)

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

When
November 11, 1:00 AM MST to November 12, 5:00 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)

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

When
November 11, 1:00 AM MST to November 12, 5:00 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)

Winter Storm, Leadville and Vicinity / E Lake

When
November 11, 1:00 AM MST to November 12, 5:00 AM MST
Where
Leadville and Vicinity / E Lake forecast zone

Winter Storm, Uncompahgre Plateau

When
November 11, 1:00 AM MST to November 12, 5:00 AM MST
Where
Uncompahgre Plateau forecast zone
Coordinates
38.488, -108.155 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Northwestern San Juan Mountains

When
November 11, 1:00 AM MST to November 12, 5:00 AM MST
Where
Northwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
Coordinates
38.210, -107.755 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Southwestern San Juan Mountains

When
November 11, 1:00 AM MST to November 12, 5:00 AM MST
Where
Southwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
Coordinates
37.594, -107.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Animas River Basin/Durango and Vicinity

When
November 11, 1:00 AM MST to November 12, 5:00 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)

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

When
November 11, 1:00 AM MST to November 12, 5:00 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)

What these are

Winter Storm
A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

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, November 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: 5620358, 5620359, 5620360, 5620440, 5620441, 5620442, 5620443, 5620444, 5620445, 5620446.