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Weather | Storm and tornado watches end after hail and…
Tuesday, June 23rd 2026

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Storm and tornado watches end after hail and lightning strike Front Range, Eastern Plains

A tornado touched down near Akron

A pedestrian walks across the 16th St. Mall at Tremont in light rain showers May 10, 2023. The city appears to have dodged the most severe weather seen around the metro area, which includes large hail. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
A pedestrian walks across the 16th St. Mall at Tremont in light rain showers May 10, 2023. The city appears to have dodged the most severe weather seen around the metro area, which includes large hail. (Photo by Andy Cross/The Denver Post)
Denver Post city desk reporter Kieran ...
By | knicholson@denverpost.com | The Denver Post and | The Denver Post
PUBLISHED: | UPDATED:
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6:52 p.m.: Severe storms continue on the Eastern Plains with heavy rain and dangerous cloud-to-ground lightning strikes, according to the National Weather Service. Multiple tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings remain in effect.

6:33 p.m.: The storm over Washington county has “produced a spotter-confirmed tornado,” the National Weather Service said on Twitter. “Take cover!”

Evan Direnzo, a meteorologist with the weather service, said the tornado touched down about five miles west of Akron in Washington County. The weather service on Wednesday night was working to confirm multiple reported tornadoes from the widespread storm.

6:16 p.m.: A tornado warning in effect until 6:45 p.m. has been issued for Brush, Hillrose and Snyder. Radar has indicated a tornado is possible, in addition to ping-pong ball-sized hail. A storm capable of producing a tornado was 4 miles southwest of Brush and was moving north at 35 mph. Antelope Springs may also be in the storm’s path.

6:12 p.m.: The tornado warning for Morgan and Washington counties has been extended to 6:45 p.m. Radar has indicated a tornado is possible, in addition to tennis ball-sized hail. At 6:11 p.m., a thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was 11 miles west of Akron and moving north at 35 mph. Midway and Prewitt Reservoir could be in the storm’s path.

5:56 p.m.: After a large wave of severe weather hit the southern and eastern areas of the Denver metro area, the rest of the evening could be fairly quiet for the metro.

The majority of the severe weather is now east of Denver in the plains, leaving the metro area with only scattered showers and storms.

“We could still have some scattered showers, maybe some embedded thunderstorms in the next couple hours across the area, but by and large, the greater threat has now shifted east,” said Greg Heavener with the National Weather Service in Boulder.

There are some storms building south of the Palmer Divide near where earlier today’s storms began, but Heavener said those will likely only contribute to those scattered showers.

5:49 p.m.: A tornado warning in effect until 6:15 p.m. has been issued for Morgan and Washington counties. Radar has indicated a tornado is possible, as is half-dollar-sized hail. Areas that could be impacted include Brush and Fort Morgan. According to a tornado warning statement from NWS Boulder, a thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado was 6 miles east of Woodrow and was moving north at 30 mph. Other impacted locations include Midway.

5:40 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm warning in effect until 6:30 p.m. has been issued for Julesburg and Ovid, near the Kansas border. Winds of up to 60 mph and golf-ball-sized hail are possible.

5:36 p.m.: The severe thunderstorm warning in effect until 6 p.m. for Adams and Morgan counties could include tennis-ball-sized hail and 70 mph hour winds, according to an update from NWS Boulder.

5:23 p.m.: As of 5 p.m., 608 flights have been delayed in or out of Denver, and 129 flights have been canceled, according to FlightAware.

5:19 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm warning in effect until 6 p.m. has been issued for Adams and Morgan counties. Potential impacts include winds of up to 60 mph, ping-pong ball-sized hail and a tornado.

5:15 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm warning in effect until 6 p.m. has been issued for Amherst. According to the alert, winds of up to 60 mph and quarter-sized hail are possible.

5:06 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm warning in effect until 5:45 p.m. has been issued for Hoyt. Residents could see hail of up to two inches in diameter, according to the alert. High winds of up to 60 mph and a tornado are possible.

5:05 p.m.: A tornado warning for Strasburg and Byers has been extended until 5:30 p.m.

5:02 p.m.: Jefferson County Public Schools and 27J Schools have canceled all athletics, activities and after-school events.

4:58 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm warning in effect until 5:45 p.m. has been issued for Kiowa. Potential hazards include up to 60 mph winds and quarter-sized hail. The alert states a tornado also is possible.

4:52 p.m.: A tornado warning in effect until 5:15 p.m. has been issued for Byers and Strasburg. According to the alert, radar has indicated a tornado is possible, in addition to golf ball-sized hail. According to a severe weather statement from NWS, the storm capable of producing a tornado was 11 miles south of Strasburg. It is moving north at 20 mph.

4:46 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm warning in effect until 5:30 p.m. has been issued for Wray, Laird and Vernon. Potential hazards could include winds of up to 60 mph and quarter-sized hail.

4:38 p.m.: The tornado-warned storm that appeared headed for central Denver has taken a more eastward direction as it entered the metro area.

Eastern Aurora and rural communities of Arapahoe County are looking to be the most impacted, National Weather Service Meteorologist Bruno Rodriguez said, but the tornado warning for that storm has expired.

Reports of golf-ball-sized hail have come in from this storm, but there has not yet been a confirmed tornado on the ground, Rodriguez said.

The storm will likely go south of Denver International Airport through communities like Watkins, Bennett and possibly Strasburg.

“Based on the current track, it looks like the heaviest parts of the storm and greatest potential for tornados and damaging hail would stay just south of the airport,” Rodriguez said. “Not to say that couldn’t change, but at the moment most of the airport grounds should stay north of the core of (the storm).”

Central Denver and the western and northern suburbs appear to have missed the worst of the current storm’s impacts, but Rodriguez warned there are more storms developing south of the metro in the southern foothills and the Palmer Divide that could have different tracks as they move northward.

4:36 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm warning in effect until 5:15 p.m. was issued for parts of Arapahoe County. Residents of Deer Trail and Peoria could see winds of up to 60 mph and half-dollar-sized hail.

4:34 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm warning in effect until 5 p.m. was issued for parts of Adams and Arapahoe counties. Residents of Strasburg, Bennett and Byers could see winds of up to 60 mph and half-dollar-sized hail. Watkins may also be impacted by this storm system.

4:31 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm warning in effect until 5 p.m. was issued for parts of Elbert County including Elizabeth and Kiowa. Potential hazards include wind of up to 60 mph and quarter-sized hail.

4:23 p.m.: The severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado in northwestern Arapahoe and southwestern Adams counties was located over northeastern Aurora at 4:19 p.m., . The system is moving northeast at 25 mph, with potential hazards including golf ball-sized hail and a tornado. Watkins and Manila Village are among areas that could be impacted.

4:17 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm warning in effect until 4:45 p.m. has been issued for Colorado Springs, Monument and Woodland Park. Potential hazards include winds of up to 60 mph and quarter-sized hail.

4:08 p.m.: Weather spotters reported a funnel cloud associated with the storm system threatening northeastern Douglas, northwestern Elbert, and south central Arapahoe counties until 4:30 p.m. The system was located 7 miles north of Ponderosa Park moving northeast at 35 mph, according to a .

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4:03 p.m.: A tornado warning was issued for southwestern Adams, western Arapahoe and southeastern Denver counties lasting until 4:30 p.m. The storm is located over southwestern Aurora as of 3:59 p.m. and is moving northeast at 25 mph. A tornado and hail up to two inches in diameter is possible. Impacted areas could include Aurora, Arapahoe Park, Buckley SFB, Watkins and Manila Village, according to a .

3:58 p.m.: A tornado warning for northeastern Douglas, northwestern Elbert, and south central Arapahoe counties until 4:30 p.m. The storm is located near Ponderosa Park as of 3:57 p.m. A tornado and ping-pong ball-sized hail is possible. The system is expected to remain over mostly rural areas of those counties, according to a severe weather statement. Impacted areas include Centennial, Foxfield and Watkins.

3:51 p.m.: A tornado warning is in effect until 4 p.m. for northeastern Douglas and western Arapahoe counties, including Aurora. The storm cell capable of producing a tornado was over northwestern Aurora at 3:46 p.m., according to a from the National Weather Service.

3:49 p.m.: The storms that are pummeling the southern portions of metro Denver have picked up speed and are moving north a 30 mph, NWS Boulder said in a tweet.

3:33 p.m.: Tornado warnings lasting until 4 p.m. have been issued for Elizabeth, Franktown, Centennial, Parker and Lone Tree. The warnings state that radar has indicated a tornado is possible and that quarter-sized hail is possible.

3:31 p.m.: A tornado warning lasting until 4 p.m. has been issued for Louviers, Sedalia and South Platte. The warning states that radar has indicated a tornado is possible, as is half-dollar-sized hail.

3:30 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm warning lasting until 4:15 p.m. has been issued for Fremont County. The warning states that winds of up to 60 mph and ping-pong ball-sized hail are possible.

3:27 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm warning lasting until 4 p.m. has been issued for Castle Rock, Parker and Castle Pines. The warning states winds of up to 60 mph and quarter-sized hail are possible.

3:24 p.m.: The tornado-warned storm over Douglas and southern Jefferson counties appears on track to go through Denver, and meteorologists at the National Weather Service in Boulder said the storm could pose problems in Denver if it keeps its current track and intensity.

“It’s hard to say 100 percent, but it definitely could,” said Jim Kalinas at the National Weather Service. “Right now, it’s pretty strong. It doesn’t appear to be weakening, so if it continues, it should be impacting Denver.”

The storm is moving about 20 mph, Kalinas said, so Denver could see the impacts from the storm about 4 p.m.

As for later on this afternoon and evening, Kalinas said it’s hard to say what could happen.

There is potential that this round of storms could come through and there will be a break, or more storms will develop behind them, he said.

3:12 p.m.: A tornado warning lasting until 3:45 p.m. has been issued for Midland and Divide. The warning states that quarter-sized hail and a tornado are possible.

2:57 p.m.: A tornado warning for Castle Pines, Lone Tree and Louviers has been issued and lasts until 3:30 p.m. The system could bring half-dollar-sized hail and radar has indicated a tornado is possible. Other areas that could be impacted include Chatfield Reservoir, Highlands Ranch and southern Centennial and Littleton.

2:54 p.m.: A tornado warning lasting until 3:30 p.m. has been issued for Teller County. It could bring quarter-sized hail, and radar has indicated the possibility of a tornado.

2:51 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Teller County, warning of winds of up to 60 mph and half-dollar-sized hail. A tornado is also possible, the warning states. The warning is in place until 3:15 p.m.

2:31 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Pine Grove, Buffalo Creek and South Platte in until 3:15 p.m. The storm could bring quarter-sized hail and winds of up to 60 mph.

2:19 p.m.: A tornado warning was issued for northwestern Teller County after a large, tornadic thunderstorm was spotted near Lake George, 34 miles northwest of Colorado Springs. The warning is in effect until 2:45 p.m. The storm could produce a tornado and quarter-sized hail.

2:16 p.m.: A tornado warning for parts of Douglas, Jefferson and Park counties is in effect until 2:45 p.m. Radar has indicated there was a tornado and pea-sized hail is possible.

2:07 p.m.: Storms are beginning to form southeast of Denver heading towards the metro area. A storm formed in southeastern Park County with possible 50-mph wind gusts and half-inch-sized hail. The NWS said the storms are expected to increase and intensify this afternoon.

As northeastern Colorado braced for possible violent weather on Wednesday afternoon a widespread tornado watch was posted by the National Weather Service for northeastern Colorado to include Denver and the Front Range.

The watch is in place until 9 p.m. Wednesday.

Large hail, strong winds and possible tornadoes are in a widespread forecast area to include Denver, the Front Range, the Interstate 70 corridor into the mountains and the Eastern Plains, according to the National Weather Service forecast.

“If you are able to, today would be a good day to park your vehicle in a sheltered location and bring valuable objects/plants indoors if possible, just in case,” the weather service said on Twitter at about noon Wednesday.

On Tuesday night, a hail storm in northern Colorado caused damage in the Erie area including shattering and breaking car windows.

On Wednesday morning, the FAA held airline flights bound for Denver International Airport because of “low visibility” but the hold was lifted later in the morning.

In a perhaps ominous sign, the weather service posted a tweet Wednesday morning reminding people to follow guidelines when posting photographs of hailstones to accurately describe and measure the stones.

In Denver, severe thunderstorms are likely this afternoon, the weather service said, where stormy weather is expected to continue into the night.

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