Estimated Snowfall and Snow Load for Colorado—
Storm of March 16–20, 2003

A record breaking snowstorm on March 16–20, 2003, followed a record breaking 2002 wildfire season for the state of Colorado. The Front Range and other eastern slope areas received several feet of snow, with many locations reporting five to six feet. With the help of this storm, which broke a streak of 19 consecutive months of below-normal precipitation, March 2003 became the snowiest March and the third snowiest month ever in Denver’s recorded history.

Estimated snowfall totals on this map are based on the accumulations reported by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration/National Weather Service and other weather spotters for this single storm. Snow depths at specific locations were obtained from the respective Web sites, interpolated into a depth surface, and combined with updated Colorado state base GIS data layers. Highlighted are counties that applied or were eligible for disaster aid. Also shown are locations of wildfires from the 2002 fire season. The map indicates that the heaviest snowfall occurred to the north of land burned by the 137,000-acre Hayman fire; but concerns of flooding and reservoir contamination due to spring melt-off throughout the stricken area existed well into the summer.

No accuracy is implied for the indicated snowfall depths, as the statewide depth surface was interpolated from relatively few (175) reporting sites falling mostly within the Front Range and eastern slope areas and because snow depths varied locally around each individual site. Snow load amounts also have no implied accuracy, because in addition to using estimated snow depths, load also uses an average snow water equivalent calculated from only two locations in Denver.