DENVER — Very large, destructive hail up to baseball-sized, is possible in the Denver metro and across eastern Colorado Thursday as yet another round of severe weather is expected to hit the state.
A tornado watch has been issued for the entire Denver metro area, stretching through Boulder, Fort Collins and Fort Morgan and parts of northeast Colorado until 9 p.m. Thursday.
Counties in the watch area include:
- Adams
- Arapahoe
- Boulder
- Broomfield
- Denver
- Douglas
- Elbert
- Jefferson
- Larimer
- Logan
- Morgan
- Washington
- Weld
A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect for southeastern Broomfield, Denver and northeastern Jefferson counties until 4:30 p.m. The warning also includes western Adams county.
Half dollar-sized hail was reported in the storm, according to the National Weather Service in Boulder.
A severe thunderstorm warning is also in effect for Thornton, Westminster and Denver International Airport until 4:30 p.m. with the threat of golf ball-sized hail, the NWS said.
A flash flood warning is in effect for Lakewood, Wheat Ridge and Edgewater until 6 p.m.
The NWS said up to 1.5 inches of rain has already fallen with an additional 1 inch possible in the flash flood warned area.
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After northeast Colorado was pounded by reports of 4-inch hail Wednesday night, the severe weather threat shifts back toward the I-25 Corridor Thursday afternoon, the NWS said.
Denver, Boulder, Castle Rock, Longmont and Fort Collins are under a slight risk for severe weather while east of the metro is under an enhanced risk for severe storms.
The NWS said there’s a medium to high risk of large hail as well as the possibility of damaging wind up to 70 mph.
An isolated tornado is also possible with these storms as is localized heavy rainfall and flooding.
"All impacts are also on the table, unfortunately, again, so we think hail is the primary impact," said Greg Heavener, Warning Coordination Meteorologist with NWS Boulder. "And then even a couple of tornadoes are also possible later on this afternoon, evening across the urban corridor, and then even across the plains this evening."
Weather News
Wednesday night’s hail in NE CO was the most it has probably hailed in 65+ years
Strong instability "will be prime for hail growth" the NWS said in its latest forecast discussion.
TIMING
Thunderstorms should begin to develop in the early to mid afternoon hours in the foothills, west and southwest of Denver before becoming more widespread as they push into the I-25 Corridor.
Denver7 morning meteorologist Lisa Hidalgo said stronger storms should begin to form by around 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. in the Denver metro area.
“Most of those really strong storms are going to develop north and east of Denver, closer to Sterling, Akron, Greeley and up into parts of Nebraska and east into Kansas,” said Hidalgo. “Expect to see darker skies, storms building, heavy pockets of rain, larger hail and gusty winds.”
Thunderstorms are expected to move slower and could cause fast-moving, high water in flood-prone areas Thursday. The NWS said Colorado’s burn scar areas could see a better chance of flooding than the previous few days of storms.
A second round of storms is expected around sunset before skies are expected to clear out overnight.
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The NWS said a few storms could roll across Colorado’s plains overnight, but lower dew points should keep stronger convective activity lower.
“Timing is pretty typical for us in a summer, stormy afternoon kind of scenario.” said Hidalgo.
There’s a lower risk of severe weather Friday in the Denver metro and across northeastern Colorado before warmer and drier weather settles in for the weekend.
There’s still a chance of scattered thunderstorms in the forecast for Denver both Saturday and Sunday with highs reaching the mid 80s. Monday should be mostly sunny, warming up to 90 degrees before another chance of storms returns for the July 4th holiday.
