Colorado, 1998

Winter Storm in Colorado, December 18, 1998

December 18, 1998 · NWS BOU · 4 events in 4 counties and zones

Whiteout conditions occurred near the Wyoming border as gusty winds to 40 mph combined with heavy, relatively stationary, bands of snow. S.

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 BOU wrote it up.

Whiteout conditions occurred near the Wyoming border as gusty winds to 40 mph combined with heavy, relatively stationary, bands of snow. Portions of U.S. Highways 85 and 287 were closed due to the treacherous weather conditions. Interstate 25, from Wellington to the Wyoming State Line was also closed for a time due to numerous accidents. The blinding snowstorm made it difficult for the rescue crews to reach some of the accident victims. Snowfall totals included: 12 inches 21 miles north of New Raymer, 9 inches 6 miles south of New Raymer, 8 inches 7 miles east-northeast of Virginia Dale, 7 inches 9 miles northwest of Livermore, 6 inches at Hohnholz Ranch and 9 miles west-southwest of Rustic with 5 inches reported 4 miles east of Haxtun and at Hereford.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

4 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Northern Front Range Foothills/Upper Laramie and Cache la Poudre River Basins / C Boulder / Ne Gilpin / C Larimer

When
December 18, 5:30 PM MST to 10:30 PM MST
Where
Northern Front Range Foothills/Upper Laramie and Cache la Poudre River Basins / C Boulder / Ne Gilpin / C Larimer forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
40.380, -105.410 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Eastern Larimer and Northwestern Weld Counties / Fort Collins and Vicinity / E Larimer / Nw Weld

When
December 18, 5:30 PM MST to 10:30 PM MST
Where
Eastern Larimer and Northwestern Weld Counties / Fort Collins and Vicinity / E Larimer / Nw Weld forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
40.611, -104.926 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Northeastern Weld County

When
December 18, 5:30 PM MST to 10:30 PM MST
Where
Northeastern Weld County forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
40.555, -104.392 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Sedgwick and Phillips Counties

When
December 18, 5:30 PM MST to 10:30 PM MST
Where
Sedgwick and Phillips Counties forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
40.876, -102.352 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm
A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Colorado in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, December 1998

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: 5676968, 5676969, 5676970, 5676971.