DENVER - For the seventh day in a row, scattered thunderstorms developed along the Front Range, this time bringing quarter-sized hail to parts of the metro area along with more lightning and heavy rain.
VIEW SLIDESHOW OF HAIL AND RAIN
9NEWS Meteorologist Kathy Sabine says storms moving from the southwest toward the northeast will produce torrential rain and damaging wind into Thursday morning. Airport delays are possible overnight. To check the status of flights, visit www.flydenver.com.
There has been heavy rain in the Fourmile Canyon area and Boulder was put on alert for flooding from Boulder Creek.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH was in effect until late into Wednesday evening. That has since expired. Severe storms produced hail larger than 1 inch in diameter and winds stronger than 59 mph. There was also plenty of lightning.
A TORNADO WATCH was in effect for the Eastern Plains from eastern Elbert County into Kansas until 10 p.m. but that has now expired.
Kathy says that areas that were hard-hit Tuesday night by intense thunderstorms on the plains once again saw severe storms. Southeastern Elbert County near Simla had already received quarter-sized hail by early Wednesday afternoon as the severe storms fired up again.
While Wednesday's storms moved faster, with the 2 to 4 inches of rain that has fallen over the metro area in the past week, the ground is completely saturated and cannot hold much more water. Therefore, localized flooding could still develop in some areas.
While Denver International Airport has Denver's official monthly rainfall at 2.16 inches, downtown has been swamped with 5.00 inches and Aurora innundated with 5.12 inches and 5.59 inches in Brighton!
Kathy says after another chance for thunderstorms on Thursday and Friday, drier and hotter weather will return for the weekend.
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