on October 28, 2022 by Staff in Uncategorized, Comments Off on It snowed! Colorado’s killer blizzard 1997

It snowed! Colorado’s killer blizzard 1997

The blizzard of the month of October 1997 was among the most costly and damaging natural disasters in Colorado’s history of big storms. Coming on the heels of an extremely dry summer the storm shook many Coloradans off guard. The resulting floods and mudslides caused havoc to homes, roads, and businesses across the state. The storm caused over $1 billion in damage and caused the deaths of more than 30 people.

In the days leading up to the storm, a low-pressure system been developing over southern Colorado. On the 20th of October the system finally broke out into a full-blown snowstorm. The snow fell heavily across the majority of Colorado early in the morning and would continue through much of the day. When it was all said and done certain areas had received more than 2 feet of snow, while others were blanketed with several inches of ice.

The most severe impact of the storm hit Denver the city, where the whiteout conditions made travel almost impossible. The roads quickly became impassable as abandoned vehicles became entangled in drifts. Public transport was at a standstill as buses got stuck in snowbanks and trains derail because of ice on the tracks. Schools and businesses were closed for the day while people stayed home to stay warm and ride out the storm.

Outside Denver, things were even more dire. In mountain towns such as Aspen and Vail heavy snowfalls made roofs collapse, while strong winds downed power lines as well as trees. Communities in remote areas were cut off from help when roads were blocked by debris or simply disappeared beneath mountains of snow. In eastern Colorado, meanwhile, flash flooding turned small streams into violent rivers that swept away homes, cars and even those unfortunate enough to be caught in their route..

It took several weeks for Colorado to recover from the blizzard that hit in 1997. For many people who experienced it, though, those memories will be in their hearts for the rest of their lives.”

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