Texas, 1997

Heavy Snow in Texas, January 6 to 9, 1997

January 6 to 9, 1997 · NWS MAF · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

A snowstorm that sputtered much of its three day life eventually dumped heavy snow in a band from Kermit, through Andrews, and to Lamesa. Numerous traffic accidents were reported during the three days in these counties and surrounding counties with lesser amounts of snow.

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

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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 MAF wrote it up.

A snowstorm that sputtered much of its three day life eventually dumped heavy snow in a band from Kermit, through Andrews, and to Lamesa. Numerous traffic accidents were reported during the three days in these counties and surrounding counties with lesser amounts of snow. There were four fatal accidents during the inclement weather--each with one fatality. Three of the deaths were on the 7th and one on the 8th. The deaths will not be recorded in the statistics, since the weather was only considered partly to blame. The culprit of the snow was an upper level storm system that parked itself over Baja California. The heaviest snow fell on the evening of the 7th, after frustrating forecasters for two days with lack of snowfall. Adjacent areas of New Mexico had heavy snows as well.Heaviest Snows :Andrews 7.5"Lamesa 6.0"Seminole 5.5"

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 heavy snow. Local standard time, as filed.

Heavy Snow, Andrews

When
January 6, 6:00 AM CST to January 9, 4:00 AM CST
Where
Andrews forecast zone
Coordinates
32.305, -102.638 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Dawson

When
January 6, 6:00 AM CST to January 9, 4:00 AM CST
Where
Dawson forecast zone
Coordinates
32.743, -101.948 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Gaines

When
January 6, 6:00 AM CST to January 9, 4:00 AM CST
Where
Gaines forecast zone
Coordinates
32.741, -102.635 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Heavy Snow, Winkler

When
January 6, 6:00 AM CST to January 8, 11:00 PM CST
Where
Winkler forecast zone
Coordinates
31.850, -103.048 (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, January 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: 5600585, 5600586, 5600587, 5600588.