Colorado, 1998Winter Storm in Colorado, December 20 to 21, 1998
December 20 to 21, 1998 · NWS PUB · 6 events in 6 counties and zones
A very cold arctic airmass invaded the eastern plains early Saturday morning, the 19th. A prolonged period of light snow occurred through the afternoon of the 20th.
Every event with a place to put it; 6 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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- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 6
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.
A very cold arctic airmass invaded the eastern plains early Saturday morning, the 19th. A prolonged period of light snow occurred through the afternoon of the 20th. Snow amounts east of the mountains ranged from 1 to 5 inches. Then a strong weather system moved quickly across northern New Mexico from the afternoon of the 20th through late morning of the 21st. Heavy snow fell mainly in the higher elevations. The summit of Wolf Creek Pass picked up around 12 inches of snow. In the La Garita, Sangre de Cristos, Rampart Range, and Wet mountains many locations tallied more than 4 inches of snow. Four inches of snow fell in Victor in Teller county, in Wetmore, Westcliffe, and Rye. Beulah had 5 inches of accumulation. In lower elevations and on slopes less favorable for heavy snow 1 to 4 inches of snow fell. Very cold arctic air persisted east of the mountains in the wake of the storm.
Winter Storm, Eastern San Juan Mountains
- When
- December 20, 3:00 PM MST to December 21, 10:00 AM MST
- Where
- Eastern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 38.747, -106.194 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, La Garita Mountains
- When
- December 20, 5:00 PM MST to December 21, 9:00 AM MST
- Where
- La Garita Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 38.677, -106.274 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains
- When
- December 20, 10:00 PM MST to December 21, 9:00 AM MST
- Where
- Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 37.832, -106.332 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains
- When
- December 20, 10:00 PM MST to December 21, 10:00 AM MST
- Where
- Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 37.778, -106.530 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Teller County/Rampart Range/Pikes Peak
- When
- December 21, 1:00 AM MST to 10:00 AM MST
- Where
- Teller County/Rampart Range/Pikes Peak forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 37.484, -106.500 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Wet Mountains
- When
- December 21, 1:00 AM MST to 10:00 AM MST
- Where
- Wet Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 37.578, -106.085 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
- 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.
- Ice Storm in Kansas, December 20, 19984 deaths · 3 events
- Ice Storm and Heavy Snow in California, December 20 to 21, 19982 deaths · $1.0 million · 2 events
- Cold in California, December 20 to 27, 1998$596 million · 2 events
- Rip Current in Florida, December 20, 19981 death · 2 injured · 1 event
- Ice Storm in Oklahoma, December 20 to 21, 199848 events
- Winter Storm in Missouri, December 20 to 21, 199834 events
- Cold in Nebraska, December 20 to 23, 199824 events
- High Wind in Nevada, December 20, 19981 injured · $15,000 · 1 event
- Ice Storm in Kansas, December 20 to 21, 199810 events
- Cold in Kansas, December 20 to 23, 19986 events
- Heavy Snow in Wisconsin, December 20, 19984 events
- Winter Storm in Kansas, December 20 to 21, 19983 events
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: 5674581, 5674582, 5674583, 5674584, 5674585, 5674586.