Texas, 1997

Heavy Snow in Texas, December 22 to 23, 1997

December 22 to 23, 1997 · NWS AMA · 7 events in 7 counties and zones

A strong upper level storm system moved out of southern New Mexico into the Texas Panhandle and produced heavy snow across the western and northern Texas Panhandle. The heaviest snow fell in Dallam and Hartley counties where ten to fourteen inches of snow fell across the extreme western sections of these counties.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 7 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 AMA wrote it up.

A strong upper level storm system moved out of southern New Mexico into the Texas Panhandle and produced heavy snow across the western and northern Texas Panhandle. The heaviest snow fell in Dallam and Hartley counties where ten to fourteen inches of snow fell across the extreme western sections of these counties. Other areas received from six to ten inches of snow. Drifts of two to three feet were reported in Oldham county.

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, Dallam

When
December 22, 9:00 PM CST to December 23, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Dallam forecast zone
Coordinates
36.278, -102.602 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Hartley

When
December 22, 9:00 PM CST to December 23, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Hartley forecast zone
Coordinates
35.840, -102.603 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Deaf Smith

When
December 22, 9:00 PM CST to December 23, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Deaf Smith forecast zone
Coordinates
34.966, -102.605 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Oldham

When
December 22, 9:00 PM CST to December 23, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Oldham forecast zone
Coordinates
35.405, -102.603 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Sherman

When
December 22, 9:00 PM CST to December 23, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Sherman forecast zone
Coordinates
36.278, -101.893 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Hansford

When
December 22, 9:00 PM CST to December 23, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Hansford forecast zone
Coordinates
36.278, -101.354 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Moore

When
December 22, 9:00 PM CST to December 23, 9:00 AM CST
Where
Moore forecast zone
Coordinates
35.838, -101.893 (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 Texas in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Texas, December 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: 5623694, 5623695, 5623696, 5623697, 5623698, 5623699, 5623700.