Denver in Chaos Today! brutal Hailstorm Slams Colorado

追加: 2026-06-03

[00:00:01]Now it's going the other direction.

[00:00:05]Yeah.

[00:00:11]>> On June 1st, 2026, severe thunderstorms exploded across the Denver metropolitan area, unleashing giant hail, dangerous funnel clouds, flooding rain, and powerful winds that disrupted travel, damaged vehicles, and forced major delays at Denver International Airport. As violent storms rapidly intensified across Eastern Colorado, the dangerous weather outbreak began developing shortly after midday as unstable atmospheric conditions combined with strong wind shear and cold air aloft across the Front Range.

[00:01:16]Meteorologists had warned throughout the morning that severe thunderstorms were likely to erupt across Northeastern Colorado, but few expected the storms to intensify as rapidly as they did over the Denver metro area during the early afternoon hours.

[00:02:01]>> By around 1:00 in the afternoon, severe thunderstorms began producing large hail across portions of the western and southern Denver suburbs before expanding northeastward toward downtown Denver and Denver International Airport. Residents across Lakewood, Parker, Castle Pines, Chatfield, Bennett, and surrounding communities reported rapidly darkening skies as towering supercell thunderstorms developed overhead.

[00:02:59]Within minutes, the storms began dropping hailstones ranging from quarter-sized to nearly 2 in in diameter across parts of the metropolitan area.

[00:03:09]In several locations, hailstones reached the size of golf balls and small pool balls slamming into vehicles, rooftops, windows, and businesses with explosive force.

[00:04:01]>> Drivers traveling along Interstate 70 described terrifying conditions as visibility suddenly collapsed beneath torrential rainfall and blinding hail.

[00:04:11]Traffic slowed to a standstill in some areas as frightened motorists rushed beneath overpasses attempting to protect vehicles from the intense hail barrage.

[00:04:20]Long traffic backups quickly developed along portions of Interstate 70 north of downtown Denver as the storm intensified.

[00:05:09]Some drivers abandoned lanes entirely to seek temporary shelter while hailstones bounced violently across highways and parking lots. Witnesses reported hearing constant cracking and pounding sounds as hail smashed against windshields and vehicle roofs during the strongest portion of the storm.

[00:05:48]>> What's going on?

[00:06:14]>> Downtown Denver also experienced heavy hail accumulation as severe thunderstorm swept across the city during the afternoon commute period. Streets became covered in layers of hail while storm drains struggled to handle the combination of torrential rainfall and ice accumulation. In some neighborhoods, water and hail mixed together into slushy floodwater that rushed across intersections and low-lying roads.

[00:07:03]>> I don't know if we can see this or not, but you can't really see it.

[00:07:09]Yeah, well, I got to go apply for some housing.

[00:07:12]Anyway, I'm going to go apply for some housing around here.

[00:07:15]So, it's hailed over here.

[00:07:19]What?

[00:07:20]>> The severe thunderstorms also produced numerous reports of funnel clouds across the Denver metropolitan area. Rotating cloud formations were spotted near Lakewood, Parker, Castle Pines, Chatfield, and near Bennett as storm chasers and residents documented lowering rotating clouds beneath the strongest thunderstorm cells.

[00:08:20]>> Meteorologists closely monitored the rotating storms throughout the afternoon due to concerns that some funnel clouds could potentially touch down if atmospheric conditions became more favorable. Although widespread tornado damage was not immediately reported, the rotating thunderstorms created dangerous conditions across much of the metro region.

[00:09:19]As the storm moved northeastward, conditions rapidly deteriorated near Denver International Airport where severe thunderstorms created major disruptions to air travel. Around 1:20 in the afternoon, the storm approached the airport while producing intense hail, dangerous lightning, torrential rainfall, and strong winds across nearby areas.

[00:10:19]Federal Aviation Administration officials issued a ground stop affecting arriving and departing flights at Denver International Airport as severe weather moved directly across airport operations. Aircraft were temporarily prevented from taking off or landing while dangerous weather conditions impacted visibility and runway safety.