Colorado, 1998Winter Storm in Colorado, November 8 to 9, 1998
November 8 to 9, 1998 · NWS GJT · 15 events in 15 counties and zones
A cold and moist Pacific trough produced the first major winter storm of the season for western Colorado. 8 to 24 inches of snow fell in most mountain areas.
Every event with a place to put it; 14 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
- $300,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 15
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 cold and moist Pacific trough produced the first major winter storm of the season for western Colorado. 8 to 24 inches of snow fell in most mountain areas. 6 to 10 inches accumulated in most lower elevation areas of west-central and southwest Colorado. Some of the largest snow totals included 25 inches at Telluride, 24 inches at Purgatory Ski Area, 24 inches at Molas Pass and Coal Bank Pass, 24 inches as Aspen Ski Area, 19 inches near Ouray, 17 inches at Fort Lewis, 16 inches at Crested Butte, 15 inches near Pagosa Springs, and 15 inches on the Grand Mesa. Windy conditions produced areas of blowing a drifting snow in the mountains. A gust to 67 MPH was measured on the mountains above Telluride. Snowpacked roads resulted in numerous traffic accidents throughout western Colorado. The heavy snow broke down many power poles and trees in southwest Colorado, leaving over 10,000 people without power for a day or two. 20 residential fires were reported in the Durango area due to downed power lines. TV and CATV communications were disrupted in portions of southwest Colorado for about a day.
Winter Storm, Elkhead and Park Mountains/Flat Tops/White River Plateau
- When
- November 8, 8:00 AM MST to November 9, 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- Elkhead and Park Mountains/Flat Tops/White River Plateau forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 40.552, -107.599 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Debeque Rifle Glenwood Springs Corridor
- When
- November 8, 8:00 AM MST to November 9, 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- Debeque Rifle Glenwood Springs Corridor forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 39.308, -108.185 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Grand and Battlement Mesas
- When
- November 8, 8:00 AM MST to November 9, 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- Grand and Battlement Mesas forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- 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
- November 8, 8:00 AM MST to November 9, 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- Gore and Elk Mountains/Central Mountain Valleys/Aspen and Vicinity forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 39.481, -107.172 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Central Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Basin/Montrose and Vicinity
- When
- November 8, 8:00 AM MST to November 9, 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- Central Gunnison and Uncompahgre River Basin/Montrose and Vicinity forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 38.737, -107.907 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, West Elk and Sawatch Mountains/Taylor Park
- When
- November 8, 8:00 AM MST to November 9, 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- West Elk and Sawatch Mountains/Taylor Park forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 38.643, -107.721 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Upper Gunnison River Valley/Gunnison and Vicinity
- When
- November 8, 8:00 AM MST to November 9, 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- Upper Gunnison River Valley/Gunnison and Vicinity forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 38.535, -107.650 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Leadville and Vicinity
- When
- November 8, 8:00 AM MST to November 9, 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- Leadville and Vicinity forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
Winter Storm, Uncompahgre Plateau
- When
- November 8, 8:00 AM MST to November 9, 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- Uncompahgre Plateau forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 38.488, -108.155 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Northwestern San Juan Mountains
- When
- November 8, 8:00 AM MST to November 9, 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- Northwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 38.210, -107.755 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Southwestern San Juan Mountains
- When
- November 8, 8:00 AM MST to November 9, 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- Southwestern San Juan Mountains forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 37.594, -107.912 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Paradox Valley/Lower Dolores River
- When
- November 8, 8:00 AM MST to November 9, 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- Paradox Valley/Lower Dolores River forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 38.294, -108.414 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Four Corners/Upper Dolores River/Cortez and Vicinity
- When
- November 8, 8:00 AM MST to November 9, 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- Four Corners/Upper Dolores River/Cortez and Vicinity forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 37.698, -108.507 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, Animas River Basin/Durango and Vicinity
- When
- November 8, 8:00 AM MST to November 9, 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- Animas River Basin/Durango and Vicinity forecast zone
- Property damage
- $300,000
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 37.287, -107.843 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Winter Storm, San Juan River Basin/Pagosa Springs and Vicinity
- When
- November 8, 8:00 AM MST to November 9, 4:00 PM MST
- Where
- San Juan River Basin/Pagosa Springs and Vicinity forecast zone
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 37.194, -107.048 (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.
- Winter Storm in Utah, November 8 to 10, 199810 injured · $500,000 · 18 events
- Dust Storm in California, November 8, 1998$40,000 · 1 event
- High Surf in Hawaii, November 8 to 13, 19982 injured · 6 events
- Winter Storm in Colorado, November 8 to 9, 199816 events
- Winter Storm in South Dakota, November 8 to 10, 199810 events
- Avalanche in Colorado, November 8, 19981 injured · $500 · 1 event
- Heavy Snow in Wyoming, November 8, 19984 events
- Sleet in North Carolina, November 8, 19983 events
- Heavy Snow in Idaho, November 8, 19983 events
- Flood and Heavy Rain in California, November 8, 19983 events
- Dense Fog in South Carolina, November 8 to 9, 19983 events
- Dense Fog in North Carolina, November 8 to 9, 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: 5676509, 5676510, 5676511, 5676512, 5676513, 5676514, 5676515, 5676516, 5676517, 5676518, 5676519, 5676520, 5676521, 5676522, 5676523.