DENVER — Residents across portions of the Denver metro surveyed damage Friday as large hail — up to golf ball size — pounded neighborhoods, smashing windows and damaging homes.
Severe thunderstorms dropped the damaging hail late Thursday evening, leaving behind a blanket of accumulating hail still visible early Friday morning.
Early hail reports to the National Weather Service (NWS) in Boulder recorded baseball-sized hail 3 miles southeast of Commerce City and numerous reports of golf ball-sized hail across northeast Denver.
The Green Valley Ranch area was one community hammered with large hail with Denver7 viewers sharing photos of large amounts of hail showing damage to vehicle windows and homes.
“It just got very very loud and everybody got out of bed and went downstairs because it was quieter and the dogs were freaking out,” said Audrey Bixler, a Green Valley Ranch resident. “It went on for probably a good 20 or 30 minutes."
The storms erupted shortly after 9:30 p.m., producing golf ball-sized hail and later, tennis and baseball-sized hail for parts of the northeastern Denver metro area, including Denver International Airport.
Video from AirTracker 7 showed a layer of hail remaining on roads and the ground near the airport on Friday morning.
"You have roads totally covered in hail," said Denver7 Traffic Expert Jayson Luber. "You can still pass them but it's going to be a little bit slick because it's basically ice."
The Aurora Police Department said officers “had a busy night responding to security alarms” after the storms passed through leaving behind damage to vehicles, businesses and homes.
“With the influx in calls regarding the alarms, we’re asking the affected public to safely check their property for damage or a triggered alarm if possible,” shared APD on social media.
Strong to severe storms are again possible Friday afternoon bringing the potential of more damaging hail, mainly east of Denver, according to the NWS.
But the metro should stay prepared for the risk of a severe thunderstorm.
Denver7 Weather
Large, destructive hail batters northeast Denver late Thursday night
“Severe weather is possible late this afternoon and evening. The main threat is east of Greeley, Denver, and Castle Rock from 4 PM to 10 PM. Large hail, damaging winds are the main threats, with heavy rain and a tornado possible. More severe storms are likely Saturday,” said the NWS.
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