Winter Storm in Colorado, March 15 to 16, 2000

Name: Winter Storm in Colorado, March 15 to 16, 2000
Start: 2000-03-15T15:00
End: 2000-03-16T12:00
Location: Colorado

March 15 to 16, 2000 · NWS PUB · 12 events in 12 counties and zones

12 winter storm, as filed by the National Weather Service.

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

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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.

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, Eastern San Juan Mountains / Mineral / W Rio Grande / W Conejos

When: March 15, 3:00 PM MST to March 16, 6:00 AM MST
Where: Eastern San Juan Mountains / Mineral / W Rio Grande / W Conejos forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.747, -106.194 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A vigorous winter storm system caused widespread heavy snow across southern Colorado causing hazardous driving conditions as well as numerous power outages. The power outages occurred in Canon City, Florence, and Colorado Springs. Some of the heavier snow totals follow: In El Paso county, 6 inches at both Fountain and Midway, 7 inches at Black Forest, 9 inches at Glen Eagle...Monument and Manitou Springs, 10 inches in portions of northeast Colorado Springs, 11 inches near Eastonville and in northwest Colorado Springs. In Pueblo county, 7 inches of snow fell in Pueblo West and Pueblo, 11 inches occurred at Beulah and 12 inches was noted at Rye. In Teller county, 9 inches of snow was measured at both Woodland Park and Divide, while 12 inches accumulated at Cripple Creek. In Huerfano county, up to 9 inches of snow graced Walsenburg, while13 inches fell at Cuchara and 14 inches was reported in the La Veta Pass region. In Custer county, 8 inches of snow occurred at Westcliffe, while 15 inches fell 8 miles west of Westcliffe. In Fremont county, 7 inches of snow covered the ground at Canon City, while 8 inches of snow occurred at both Coaldale and 5 miles to the north of Canon City. In Las Animas county, 8 inches of snow graced Trinidad and 9 inches fell 18 miles west-southwest of Aguilar. In Rio Grande county, 12 inches of snow was measured at South Fork. Finally, in Prowers county, 6 inches fell 28 miles south of Granada.

Winter Storm, Teller County/Rampart Range/Pikes Peak / Teller / W El Paso

When: March 15, 3:00 PM MST to March 16, 10:00 AM MST
Where: Teller County/Rampart Range/Pikes Peak / Teller / W El Paso forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.484, -106.500 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Northern El Paso County/Monument Ridge

When: March 15, 3:00 PM MST to March 16, 10:00 AM MST
Where: Northern El Paso County/Monument Ridge forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.992, -105.637 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains / X Sw Fremont / X E Sanguache / W Custer / W Huerfano / X N Costilla

When: March 15, 3:00 PM MST to March 16, 10:00 AM MST
Where: Northern Sangre de Cristo Mountains / X Sw Fremont / X E Sanguache / W Custer / W Huerfano / X N Costilla 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 / E Costilla / Sw Huerfano / X Sw Las Animas

When: March 15, 3:00 PM MST to March 16, 10:00 AM MST
Where: Southern Sangre de Cristo Mountains / E Costilla / Sw Huerfano / X Sw Las Animas forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.778, -106.530 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Wet Mountains / E Custer / X Sw Pueblo / X N Huerfano / Part Se Fremont

When: March 15, 4:00 PM MST to March 16, 10:00 AM MST
Where: Wet Mountains / E Custer / X Sw Pueblo / X N Huerfano / Part Se Fremont forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.578, -106.085 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Southern El Paso County/Colorado Springs and Vicinity

When: March 15, 4:00 PM MST to March 16, 10:00 AM MST
Where: Southern El Paso County/Colorado Springs and Vicinity forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.240, -105.810 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Western Fremont and Northern Custer Counties

When: March 15, 4:00 PM MST to March 16, 10:00 AM MST
Where: Western Fremont and Northern Custer Counties forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.484, -106.500 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Upper Huerfano River Basin/Walsenburg and Vicinity / Nc to Sc Huerfano

When: March 15, 4:00 PM MST to March 16, 10:00 AM MST
Where: Upper Huerfano River Basin/Walsenburg and Vicinity / Nc to Sc Huerfano forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.426, -104.809 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Upper Purgatoire River Basin/Trinidad and Vicinity / Sw Las Animas Except X Sw

When: March 15, 4:00 PM MST to March 16, 10:00 AM MST
Where: Upper Purgatoire River Basin/Trinidad and Vicinity / Sw Las Animas Except X Sw forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.426, -104.809 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Pueblo and Eastern Fremont Counties/Pueblo and Vicinity

When: March 15, 5:00 PM MST to March 16, 10:00 AM MST
Where: Pueblo and Eastern Fremont Counties/Pueblo and Vicinity forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.867, -105.544 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Prowers County/Lamar and Vicinity

When: March 15, 7:00 PM MST to March 16, 12:00 PM MST
Where: Prowers County/Lamar and Vicinity forecast zone
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 37.989, -104.947 (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

Every storm in Colorado in 2000 Every state in 2000 This day in weather history Warnings in Colorado, March 2000

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: 5136243, 5136244, 5136247, 5136251, 5136252, 5136246, 5136248, 5136249, 5136250, 5136253, 5136245, 5136254.