Colorado, 1998

Winter Storm in Colorado, February 24 to 25, 1998

February 24 to 25, 1998 · NWS GJT · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

A Pacific Trough generally produced 10 to 20 inches of snow and windy conditions in the mountains of western Colorado. Some of the largest reported snowfall totals include 30 inches at Bonham Reservoir, 22 inches near Hotel Lake on the Grand Mesa, 21 inches at Dry Lake north of Steamboat Springs, 20 inches at Telluride Ski Area, 19 inches at Monarch Pass, and 18 inches at Sunlight Ski Area.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 8 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
8

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 GJT wrote it up.

A Pacific Trough generally produced 10 to 20 inches of snow and windy conditions in the mountains of western Colorado. Some of the largest reported snowfall totals include 30 inches at Bonham Reservoir, 22 inches near Hotel Lake on the Grand Mesa, 21 inches at Dry Lake north of Steamboat Springs, 20 inches at Telluride Ski Area, 19 inches at Monarch Pass, and 18 inches at Sunlight Ski Area. Peak gusts were clocked to 89 MPH on Mount Abrams near Red Mountain Pass and to 74 MPH on a ridge-top above Telluride.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus

When
February 24, 3:00 PM MST to February 25, 11:00 PM MST
Where
Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus forecast zone
Coordinates
39.532, -108.196 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Elkhead and Park Mountains/Flat Tops/White River Plateau

When
February 24, 3:00 PM MST to February 25, 11:00 PM MST
Where
Elkhead and Park Mountains/Flat Tops/White River Plateau forecast zone
Coordinates
40.552, -107.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Grand and Battlement Mesas

When
February 24, 3:00 PM MST to February 25, 11:00 PM MST
Where
Grand and Battlement Mesas forecast zone
Coordinates
39.159, -108.078 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys/Aspen and Vicinity

When
February 24, 3:00 PM MST to February 25, 11:00 PM MST
Where
Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys/Aspen and Vicinity forecast zone
Coordinates
39.481, -107.172 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, West Elk and Sawatch Mountains/Taylor Park

When
February 24, 3:00 PM MST to February 25, 11:00 PM MST
Where
West Elk and Sawatch Mountains/Taylor Park forecast zone
Coordinates
38.643, -107.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Uncompahgre Plateau

When
February 24, 3:00 PM MST to February 25, 11:00 PM MST
Where
Uncompahgre Plateau forecast zone
Coordinates
38.488, -108.155 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Northwestern San Juan Mountains

When
February 24, 3:00 PM MST to February 25, 11:00 PM MST
Where
Northwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
Coordinates
38.210, -107.755 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Southwestern San Juan Mountains

When
February 24, 3:00 PM MST to February 25, 11:00 PM MST
Where
Southwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
Coordinates
37.594, -107.912 (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, February 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: 5635123, 5635124, 5635125, 5635126, 5635127, 5635128, 5635129, 5635130.