5 p.m.:A thunderstorm watch is in effect until 10 p.m. for much of eastern Colorado.
The watch, which is for Baca, Bent, Cheyenne, Crowley, Kiowa, Kit Carson, Las Animas, Otero, Prowers and Yuma counties; warns of the potential for isolated hail up to the size of a ping-pong ball, scattered wind gusts of up to 70 mph and frequent lightning.
A separate watch for Logan, Philips and Sedgwick counties remains in effect until 7 p.m.
2:10 p.m.: A thunderstorm warning in effect until 2:30 p.m. for Iliff, Padroni, Proctor and Sterling says a tornado is possible from the storm.
The storm also is expected to bring winds of up to 50 mph and quarter-sized hail.
1 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect for northeastern Colorado until 7 p.m. Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.
Logan, Phillips and Sedgwick counties may see wind gusts up to 75 mph, apple-sized hail about three inches across and multiple tornado touchdowns, according to a NWS hazardous weather outlook.
Original story: Afternoon thunderstorms en route to Colorado on Wednesday afternoon threaten to bring large hail, damaging winds and tornado touchdowns, according to the National Weather Service.
Although the metro area has a slight chance of afternoon storms, the worst weather is expected to hit Colorado’s Eastern Plains east of Fort Morgan, NWS forecasters said.
“Large hail and damaging winds are the main hazards, but an isolated tornado can’t be ruled out,” forecasters said in a statement on social media. The weather service did not specify how big of hail or how strong of wind gusts are expected to hit the plains.
The storms will start around 2:30 p.m. on Colorado’s eastern border, near Julesburg, and around 3:30 p.m. further west on the plains, including near Akron and Limon, according to NWS forecasters.
Potential tornadoes are most likely on the eastern border, near Julesburg, but chances of a touchdown remain below 10%, forecasters said.
The Denver area can expect a dry afternoon Wednesday, with temperature highs around 92 degrees, according to NWS forecasters.
“Across the high country and urban corridor, dry and breezy weather is expected this afternoon, with elevated fire weather conditions possible,” forecasters said in a hazardous weather outlook.
Thunderstorms are more likely to move in on the metro area Thursday night, potentially disrupting fireworks plans for the Fourth of July holiday, the weather outlook stated.
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Originally Published: July 3, 2024 at 7:30 a.m.
