The October 1997 North American storm complex was a blizzard and tornado outbreak that affected the Northwest, Rockies, much of the Midwest and Deep South.

84 tornadoes were confirmed as the system moved eastward across the eastern half of the United States, including four that were rated as F3 on the Fujita scale.

[1] The storms resulted in 13 deaths (five in Colorado,[2][3] two each in Nebraska and Illinois, and one each in Michigan, Iowa, Oklahoma, and Kansas), and caused power outages and school closings lasting up to a week in affected areas.

A 400 miles (640 km) stretch of Interstate 80 between Big Springs, Nebraska and Rock Springs, Wyoming was closed, and Interstate 25 was also shut down in Colorado being shut down from Denver southward to the New Mexico border.

[4] Most airline flights at Denver International Airport were cancelled, as 14 inches (36 cm) of snow fell which prompted the airport to shut down,[5][6] and Colorado governor Roy Romer declared a state of emergency and activated the Colorado National Guard to assist with relief efforts.