Colorado, 1999

Winter Storm in Colorado, January 20 to 22, 1999

January 20 to 22, 1999 · NWS GJT · 12 events in 12 counties and zones

A slow moving upper trough brought 1 to 2 feet of snow in all mountain areas of western Colorado, as well as 6 to 12 inches in some lower valley areas. Blizzard conditions were reported in some mountain areas.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 12 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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
12

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 slow moving upper trough brought 1 to 2 feet of snow in all mountain areas of western Colorado, as well as 6 to 12 inches in some lower valley areas. Blizzard conditions were reported in some mountain areas. The largest reported storm totals include 43 inches at Telluride Ski Area, 28 inches at Crested Butte Ski Area, 26 inches at Steamboat Springs Ski Area, and 25 inches at Monarch Ski Area. The heavy snow resulted in numerous avalanches and a number of closed roads.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

12 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

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

When
January 20, 2:00 PM MST to January 22, 11:00 AM 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, Grand and Battlement Mesas

When
January 20, 2:00 PM MST to January 22, 11:00 AM 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
January 20, 2:00 PM MST to January 22, 11:00 AM 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, West Elk and Sawatch Mountains/Taylor Park

When
January 20, 2:00 PM MST to January 22, 11:00 AM 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
January 20, 2:00 PM MST to January 22, 11:00 AM 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, Upper Yampa River Basin/Steamboat Springs and Vicinity

When
January 20, 2:00 PM MST to January 22, 11:00 AM MST
Where
Upper Yampa River Basin/Steamboat Springs and Vicinity forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
40.485, -106.991 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus

When
January 20, 2:00 PM MST to January 22, 11:00 AM MST
Where
Roan and Tavaputs Plateaus forecast zone
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
39.532, -108.196 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Uncompahgre Plateau

When
January 20, 2:00 PM MST to January 22, 11:00 AM MST
Where
Uncompahgre Plateau forecast zone
Reported by
AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates
38.488, -108.155 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Northwestern San Juan Mountains

When
January 20, 2:00 PM MST to January 22, 11:00 AM 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
January 20, 2:00 PM MST to January 22, 11:00 AM 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, Animas River Basin/Durango and Vicinity

When
January 20, 2:00 PM MST to January 22, 11:00 AM MST
Where
Animas River Basin/Durango and Vicinity forecast zone
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
January 20, 2:00 PM MST to January 22, 11:00 AM 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)

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 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, January 1999

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5685447, 5685448, 5685449, 5685450, 5685451, 5685452, 5685453, 5685454, 5685455, 5685456, 5685457, 5685458.