The snowstorm of April 4 to 7, 1997

The Regional Snowfall Index is NOAA’s ranking of snowstorms east of the Rockies by how much snow fell, over how wide an area and on how many people, region by region: the area and the population above four snowfall thresholds set for each region, weighted against that region’s own history. A storm is scored in each region it reached, on a scale from 1, notable, to 5, extreme.

Events

193

Deaths

3

Injuries

21

Damage

$346 million

Episodes

24

Every winter weather episode the Weather Service filed east of the Rockies in these dates. A few may belong to another system on the same days. 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.

• Winter Storm in Alaska, April 3, 19971 eventA wave development on the front of the aforementioned storm moved north over the west coast of Alaska, bringing blizzard conditions ahead of the front to Zone 5 (Mainly Kotzebue) Zone 1 West of Lonely (including Barrow) and marginally verifing blizzard to Zone 1 East of Lonely…
• Winter Storm in Montana, April 4 to 5, 19976 eventsA winter storm struck central Montana with most areas receiving 8 to 12 inches of snow and with several feet on snow in some of the northern facing slopes.
• Blizzard in Montana, April 4 to 6, 19974 eventsA strong storm system moved from northeast Colorado through the western Dakotas. The intensifying storm brought snow and gusty winds which caused blizzard conditions along eastern Montana.
• Heavy Snow in Montana, April 4, 19971 event10 MILES SOUTH OF BIG TIMBER 25 INCHES OF SNOW FELL IN 12 HOURS.
• Heavy Snow in New Mexico, April 4 to 5, 19974 eventsAreas of heavy snow developed across the north central mountains and western plateau. Twelve inches of fresh snow was reported on Sandia Peak east of Albuquerque. Six inches of snow fell at Santa Fe Ski Basin and also at the Torreon Navajo Mission.
• Ice Storm in North Dakota, April 4 to 5, 1997$96 million · 16 eventsAn intense low pressure system, with center pressures around 28.8 inches, tracked from Fergus Falls to International Falls, Minnesota.
• Ice Storm in Minnesota, April 4 to 6, 1997$18 million · 9 eventsAn intense low pressure system, with center pressures around 28.8 inches, tracked from Fergus Falls to International Falls. The initial rain was accompanied by thunder and lightning in Polk county, and then changed to freezing rain as the temperature fell.
• Blizzard in Wyoming, April 4 to 6, 19975 eventsSnowfall of 1 to 2 feet combined with 40 to 60 mph winds producing zero visibility and drifts to 15 feet across much of northeast Wyoming. Most roads were closed and power outages were widespread. Ranchers were hard hit with livestock losses as calving season was underway.
• Blizzard in North Dakota, April 4 to 7, 19972 deaths · 16 injured · $45 million · 33 eventsWarm weather the first three days of April lead much of North Dakota to believe that spring had arrived with temperatures in the 60s and 70s. Mother Nature had other plans. A very strong area of low pressure moved out of the Colorado area into the northern plains.
• Blizzard in Wyoming, April 4 to 6, 1997$5.0 million · 12 eventsStrong winds combined with snow amounts of generally 8 to 12 inches to create widespread blizzard conditions in southeast Wyoming and the Nebraska panhandle. By 845 PM April 4 all roads had been closed in and out of Cheyenne except for Interstate 25.
• Blizzard in Nebraska, April 4 to 6, 1997$5.0 million · 8 eventsStrong winds combined with snow amounts of generally 8 to 12 inches to create widespread blizzard conditions in the Nebraska panhandle. Closed and impassable roads became the norm from the evening of April 4 through April 6 due to blowing and drifting snow.
• Blizzard in North Dakota, April 4 to 7, 19971 eventWarm weather the first 3 days of April lead much of North Dakota to believe that spring had arrived with temperatures in the 60s and 70s. Mother Nature had other plans. A very strong area of low pressure moved out of the Colorado area into the northern plains.
• Blizzard in South Dakota, April 4 to 6, 199726 eventsBefore the icestorm and blizzard, an intense area of low pressure brought widespread rain to central and north central South Dakota the evening of the 4th. The rain spread across northeast South Dakota through the morning hours of the 5th.
• Heavy Snow in Utah, April 4 to 5, 19972 injured · $50,000 · 4 eventsA cold front swept into northwest Utah on the evening of the 4th. Heavy snow bands developed over the Great Salt Lake. Generally the valleys received 2-6" with 9" measured on Wasatch Blvd. in eastern Slat Lake City. Both the Alta and Snowbird ski resorts had 2' of snow.
• Blizzard in South Dakota, April 5 to 6, 1997$50 million · 19 eventsSnowfall of 1 to 2 feet was common over the northern Black Hills and northwest plains of South Dakota with 6 to 12 inches reported elsewhere. Maximum snowfall was 34 inches at Lead.
• Blizzard in Nebraska, April 5 to 6, 1997$100,000 · 12 eventsAn intense low pressure moving slowly from southwest Nebraska toward northeast Nebraska dumped 10 inches of snow in the Nebraska Panhandle. A cold front with very strong northwest winds gusting to around 45 mph produced blizzard conditions across the panhandle.
• Blizzard in Minnesota, April 5 to 6, 19972 eventsAn intense area of low pressure brought widespread heavy rain of 1.5 to 2.5 inches to Big Stone and Traverse counties from the morning to late in the evening of the 5th worsening the flood situation.
• Blizzard in North Dakota, April 5 to 6, 19971 death · $102 million · 17 eventsWith falling temperatures on the back side of the low, the freezing rain turned to ice pellets and then to snow. A strong pressure gradient created winds up to 65 mph, dropping visibilities down to zero.
• Blizzard in Minnesota, April 5 to 6, 19973 injured · $25 million · 6 eventsWith falling temperatures on the back side of the low, the freezing rain changed to snow. A strong pressure gradient created winds up to 65 mph, dropping visibilities down to near zero. The strong wind, on top of heavy ice accumulations, caused thousands of power poles to snap.
• Blizzard in Wyoming, April 5, 19971 eventWINDS OF 35 MPH WITH VISIBILITIES 1/4 MILES, DRIFTS OF SNOW FROM 2 TO 5 FEET IN SHERIDAN.
• Cold in South Dakota, April 5 to 12, 19972 events
• Cold in Minnesota, April 6 to 12, 19972 eventsAfter the blizzard, extremely cold air settled over the area for around a week with high and low temperatures averaging 25 to 30 degrees below normal. Highs were mainly in the 20s and lower 30s through the period with lows in the single digits and teens.
• Heavy Snow in Montana, April 6, 19971 eventSNOWFALL OF 11 INCHES IN BILLINGS.
• Cold in Kansas, April 7 to 11, 19971 eventAn extended period of late season cold resulted in several records being broken. A record low of 22 was set on the 7th and then again on the 11th in Concordia.

The snowstorm of March 31 to April 1, 1997The snowstorm of April 9 to 13, 1997Snow nowEvery winter storm filed

NOAA NCEI Regional Snowfall Index, and the Storm Events Database for the episodes.