Heavy Snow, La Garita Mountains / W Sanguache
- When
- November 9, 1:00 AM MST to 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- La Garita Mountains / W Sanguache forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 38.677, -106.274 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow in Colorado, November 9, 1997
An abundance of moisture across the state in combination with an upper level weather system over south central Colorado brought snow to most of south central and southeastern Colorado. The heaviest hit areas were the La Garita and Eastern San Juan mountains, the Upper Arkansas River Valley, and the northern portions of the San Luis Valley.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 4 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 4
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.
An abundance of moisture across the state in combination with an upper level weather system over south central Colorado brought snow to most of south central and southeastern Colorado. The heaviest hit areas were the La Garita and Eastern San Juan mountains, the Upper Arkansas River Valley, and the northern portions of the San Luis Valley. Snow amounts of 5 to 9 inches were reported.
The radar
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
Event by event
4 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy Snow, Eastern San Juan Mountains / Mineral / W Rio Grande / W Conejos
- When
- November 9, 1:00 AM MST to 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- Eastern San Juan Mountains / Mineral / W Rio Grande / W Conejos forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 38.747, -106.194 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Northern San Luis Valley/Del Norte and Vicinity / E Sanguache Except X E / N Rio Grande
- When
- November 9, 1:00 AM MST to 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- Northern San Luis Valley/Del Norte and Vicinity / E Sanguache Except X E / N Rio Grande forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 38.747, -106.194 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Snow, Upper Arkansas River Valley/Salida and Vicinity / E Chaffee
- When
- November 9, 1:00 AM MST to 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- Upper Arkansas River Valley/Salida and Vicinity / E Chaffee forecast zone
- Coordinates
- 37.832, -106.332 (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, 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: 5620886, 5620887, 5620888, 5620889.