Heavy Snow in Colorado, November 20 to 21, 1997

Name: Heavy Snow in Colorado, November 20 to 21, 1997
Start: 1997-11-20T00:00
End: 1997-11-21T10:00
Location: Colorado

November 20 to 21, 1997 · NWS GJT · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A moist northwest flow resulted in 4 to 8 inches of new snow over many mountain areas of western Colorado, and 3 to 5 inches in some northwest valleys. Heavier snowfall reports included 14 inches at Columbine, 13 inches at Climax, and 10 inches at Vail Ski Area.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 6 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: 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.

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, Central Yampa River Basin/Craig-Hayden and Vicinity / E Moffat / C Rio Blanco / Sw Routt

When: November 20, 12:00 AM MST to November 21, 10:00 AM MST
Where: Central Yampa River Basin/Craig-Hayden and Vicinity / E Moffat / C Rio Blanco / Sw Routt forecast zone
Coordinates: 40.361, -107.805 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

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

When: November 20, 12:00 AM MST to November 21, 10:00 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, Upper Yampa River Basin/Steamboat Springs and Vicinity / C Routt

When: November 20, 12:00 AM MST to November 21, 10:00 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)

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: November 20, 12:00 AM MST to November 21, 10:00 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: November 20, 12:00 AM MST to November 21, 10:00 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)

Heavy Snow, Leadville and Vicinity / E Lake

When: November 20, 12:00 AM MST to November 21, 10:00 AM MST
Where: Leadville and Vicinity / E Lake forecast zone

Heavy Snow, Northwestern San Juan Mountains / E Ouray / X Sw Gunnison / N Hinsdale / Se San Miguel

When: November 20, 12:00 AM MST to November 21, 10:00 AM MST
Where: Northwestern San Juan Mountains / E Ouray / X Sw Gunnison / N Hinsdale / Se San Miguel forecast zone
Coordinates: 38.210, -107.755 (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

Heavy Snow in Colorado, November 20, 19973 events

Every storm in Colorado in 1997 Every state in 1997 This day in weather history Warnings 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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5620450, 5620451, 5620452, 5620453, 5620454, 5620455, 5620456.