Winter Storm in Colorado, November 27 to 28, 1997

A strong winter storm system moved into Colorado from the west, bringing an abundance of moisture and gusty winds from 20 to 40 mph. The storm brought accumulations of 12 to 20 inches to the Eastern San Juan and La Garita mountains during the morning and afternoon of the 27th. The San Luis valley received 6 to 18 inches of snow the afternoon and evening of the 27th. The system then moved east and brought heavy snow to the Sangre de Cristo mountains and adjacent foothills and plains the evening of the 27th into the night of the 28th. A band of intense snowfall lasted for many hours over the Wet mountains, Wet Mountain Valley, southern Sangre de Cristo mountains, and Walsenburg area. Total accumulations in those areas ranged from around 30 inches in the Wet Mountain Valley, around three feet in the southern Sangre de Cristo mountains and La Veta Pass, and at Walsenburg, Rye, and Beulah, to 45 inches at the 9,000 foot level in the Wet Mountains. Nearly 30 inches of snow fell near Divide in Teller county. Eight to 10 inches fell along the Palmer Divide, with generally less than 5 inches in the Colorado Springs area. Pueblo tallied about 5 inches. The severe winter conditions closed numerous roads and highways, including Interstate 25 from Pueblo south to the New Mexico state line. Four thousand homes were without power in Pueblo West and Turkey Creek in Pueblo county when strong winds and heavy wet snow brought down hundreds of power poles. Ninety-two year old Marie Brandenburg of Westcliffe in Custer county died when she accidently locked herself out of her house, then slipped and fell by her back porch. She froze to death in the high winds and heavy snow.