3 Colorado Blizzards That Tested the Western Slope

Grand Junction enjoys a reputation for mild winters in the high desert—but locals don’t talk about it much, because no one wants to jinx it. A glance at the history books is all it takes to recall just how intense a Western Colorado winter can be.

For anyone who thinks it doesn’t snow on the Western Slope, keep scrolling for a look at three of the fiercest winter storms ever to hit Western Colorado.

Thanksgiving 1919 — When the Western Slope Froze Still

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Winter storm data for Western Colorado can be incredible to look back on, especially when you live in an arid location like Grand Junction. Some of the snowstorms that have passed through the Grand Valley seem hard to believe if they had not been officially recorded.

One of the worst winter storms to ever impact Grand Junction took place on Thanksgiving Day in 1919. Snow piled up over three feet deep in town and in places out in the county. Roads disappeared, trains froze in their tracks, and those without a coal stove were in real danger. Old newspaper clippings found in the Mesa County library tell of horses buried in snow drifts, and local milk deliveries made on skis.

April 1921 — Silver Lake’s Unbelievable 24-Hour Snowfall

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For most of the country, April means the beginning of spring. In the Rocky Mountains, April can easily be the snowiest month of the year. On April 21, 1921, Silver Lake, Colorado, recorded 76 inches of snow thanks to a 24-hour blizzard. It is a snowfall record for the U.S. The weather system covered the Western Slope’s high mesas, feeding spring floods and creating avalanche conditions in the high elevations. The storm is still a benchmark for Colorado’s meteorologists and storm chasers.

March 2003 — The Modern Blizzard That Shut Down Colorado

One of the largest snowstorms to hit Colorado swept through the state from March 17–20, 2003. Denver alone was buried under 30 inches, while higher elevations recorded an incredible seven feet of snow.

In Western Colorado, the storm shut down I-70, stranded travelers, and grounded flights across much of the state. With nearly all of Colorado at a standstill, the blizzard forced major updates in the statewide emergency plans. It was a sharp reminder of how quickly a powerful winter system can bury our state — from the Front Range to the Western Slope.

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