Power Outage in Denver, CO

Strong winds damaged power lines and caused scattered power outages over the area.

Intense winds knocked a tree down at the Denver Technology Center which caused a power outage.

Lightning caused a power outage that affected the RTD light rail lines C, D, E, H and W for a short time.

A microburst downed numerous trees and power outages in in east central Denver.

Lightning struck a very large tree in southwest Denver. The tree fell on fences and knocked down power lines.

A thunderstorm knocked out power to 1500 residents in Denver metropolitan area.

A wet microburst caused the roof of a hardware store in Tamarac Square to collapse. One employee received minor injures when she was struck in the head by falling debris. The combination of intense rain and wind downed trees and power lines. Electrical outages affected 35,000 homes and businesses. At least 50 trees in the city parks across South Denver were damaged.

Severe thunderstorms produced large hail, from penny to tennis ball size across parts of Jefferson, Adams, Arapahoe, Denver and Washington counties. The hail along with heavy rain caused flooding and flash flooding problems. In Adams County, widespread hail accumulated up to 6 inches deep on the roadways between Watkins and Bennett, with localized accumulations up to a foot reported. Highway 36 was closed due to flooding between Watkins and Schumaker Road. Numerous vehicles were stranded with reports of roads washed out and active water rescues. One motorist south of Roggen died when he ignored a barricade and drove into floodwaters. South Strasburg, intense straight-line winds snapped a power pole.

A combination of an upper level trough moving northwest across the state, coupled with a strong surface pressure gradient, led to numerous reports of high wind gusts across the region. Most of the wind damage occurred with the passage of a rare derecho; a large fast-moving complex of thunderstorms with powerful straight-line winds. In addition, strong wind gusts from 59 to 71 mph not associated with the derecho, occurred prior to and following the passage of this system over the urban corridor and plains of northeast Colorado.||By midday the derecho, which originated over the Great Basin, moved over the northern and central mountains, and then rapidly northeast across the I-25 corridor by mid afternoon. These storms then tracked across the plains from late afternoon into the early evening hours. Wind gusts from 60 to 80 mph were common with a few gusts exceeding 90 mph. The highest gust observed was 110 mph, at the Winter Park Ski area, around 12000 feet. Xcel Energy said in a press release that more than 208,000 customers lost power because of the storm statewide. The intense wind toppled a billboard that crashed onto Denver bakery. Two delivery trucks parked nearby were heavily damaged. Two injuries occurred in Denver, one seriously. A man and his nine-year-old daughter were injured by a fallen tree. They were standing in front of a family member���s house when the incident occurred. The tree impaled the father through his back and he required several surgeries. His daughter sustained cuts and bruises that required stitches.

A thunderstorm moving out of the foothills of Boulder and northern Jefferson counties continued to push eastward towards Denver. The storm knocked down trees and branches. Some power lines were also damaged which produced scattered outages. Peak wind gusts ranged from 60 to 67 mph.

Thunderstorms produced very heavy rainfall, 1 to 2 inches in less than 30 minutes. In Englewood, the floodwaters quickly inundated a basement apartment and trapped a woman inside. She was found unresponsive in the apartment and died several hours later. Several homes in the immediate area suffered severe flood damage. The floodwaters also stalled vehicles and forced the closure of several intersections. In Sheridan, the heavy rain created a large sinkhole which swallowed a small SUV. A downed power line caused a fire in Arapahoe County. Severe thunderstorms produced damaging wind and hail in Jefferson, Logan, Morgan, Washington, and Weld counties.

In Sedalia, a 37-year-old woman and her horse were killed after lightning hit a nearby tree. A teenage girl was also seriously injured. Damaging microburst winds downed trees and power poles across parts of Adams, Arapahoe, Denver and Douglas Counties. Electrical lines and branches were also snapped causing scattered power outages.

A long-lived supercell thunderstorm produced widespread wind and hail damage, and several tornadoes as it tracked east/northeast across eastern Colorado. The first tornado was reported in northeastern Adams County. Then two more brief tornado touchdowns occurred as the storm moved east to near Akron. No damage was reported from the first three tornadoes. A stronger EF-1 tornado (86-110 mph winds) developed as the storm tracked east to near Platner. Significant damage occurred to a pole shed, where the tornado lifted the entire shed and destroyed it. Debris from this shed traveled around 1 mile to the southeast where the tornado lifted. Only minor structural damage occurred elsewhere on the farm northeast of Platner. Two families in a single-family home, totaling three adults and four children, were displaced by the damage. The Red Cross provided temporary lodging, food and clothing. ||The supercell formed over south Denver and tracked east/northeast across northeast Adams, southern Morgan and northern Washington Counties; the storm continued to produce severe weather as into moved into Yuma County. The length of the path through Northeast Colorado was approximately 121 miles from southeast Denver to the Yuma County line. The storm produced hail up to 1.5 inches in diameter in southeast Denver. As it moved across northeast Adams County, several power poles were sheared off at the base by straight-line winds, southwest of Leader. Across Morgan County, hail up to 1.5 inches in diameter was observed. The damage path became more extensive as the storm tracked across northern Washington County. Wind driven hail up to 1.75 inches was reported with extensive damage from around Akron east to the Yuma County line. Extensive hail damage included broken windows to cars and homes. Several power poles were snapped near Otis. In all, up to 10 structures were damaged or destroyed from near Platner to the Yuma County line. While some of the damage was tornadic, most of the damage was caused by straight-line winds. In addition, a severe thunderstorm produced large hail in Jefferson County.

Two colliding outflow boundaries merged over east Denver and northwest Aurora at the height of rush hour. The collision quickly spawned a severe thunderstorm that produced an EF1 tornado, damaging hail, torrential rain and flash flooding. The tornado touched down in east Denver and west Aurora. The tornado first touched down near Quebec and 6th Ave. It then moved east northeast across the Lowry Campus into the west part of Aurora. The tornado then lifted near Mount Nebo Memorial Park. Some homes had minor roof damage with one former apartment building on the Lowry Campus had more significant roof damage. The tornado and intense thunderstorm winds uprooted trees, damaging vehicles and blocking roads. ||The storm produced torrential rain, 2 to 2.5 inches, much of which fell in less than 30 minutes and resulted in flooded intersections and power outages. Flash flooding forced the evacuation of a theater at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center, where drifts of hail formed in the parking lot, and flooding set off alarms at the University of Denver's Ritchie Center. Numerous water rescues were reported as vehicles stalled flooded intersections. Many stoplights were knocked out. The water was reportedly 3-feet deep on the South Broadway ramp to Interstate 25. The bike path along Cherry Creek was inundated with several feet of water at the height of the storm. The South Platte River crested above flood stage for one hour. Employees still at work were urged to stay inside but others waded across flooded intersections downtown. About 30 flights had to be diverted from Denver International Airport.

Severe thunderstorms produced damaging winds across parts of Arapahoe, Denver and Morgan Counties. The winds downed trees and power lines which produced electrical outages.

Severe thunderstorms produced large hail, from quarter to golfball size, and damaging winds across Arapahoe, Boulder, Elbert and Jefferson Counties. Flash flooding was reported in central Jefferson County. Heavy rainfall produced street flooding in Denver with some basement flooding reported as well. The strong winds downed trees and power lines. One man was injured by a nearby lightning strike in Arvada. Lightning also sparked a small attic fire in Castle Pines and caused brief electrical outages in Denver.

A severe thunderstorm produced intense straight line winds in Larimer County. Over one thousand trees were blown down at the Bellair Campground near Red Feather Lakes. The tree damage stretched across a 36-acre area. In addition, power lines were downed near Molly Lake Trailhead, approximately mile marker 4 on Larimer County Road 69, and fences and signs were damaged. As a result, the campground was evacuated and closed until further notice.||A severe thunderstorm Denver area produced nickel to quarter size hail in parts of Adams and Denver Counties. In Washington County, hail up to golfball size was observed. Locally heavy rainfall produced some minor street flooding in parts of metro Denver. The heavy rainfall produced localized flash flooding near Bennett in Adams County.

Severe thunderstorms occurred in and around the Denver area. The storms produced large hail, from quarter to golfball size. Frontier Airlines canceled 16 flights, when several planes sustained hail damage. Forty flights at Denver International Airport were either delayed or canceled. Some homes in Green Valley Ranch east of Denver were damaged by hail. Several vehicles were also damaged. Five short lived tornadoes touched down but no damage was reported. ||The storms also produced heavy rain and strong damaging winds. The wind downed trees and power lines east of Denver. The heavy rain and hail, up to 6 inches deep in spots, caused street flooding around the metro area. The hailstorm at Dick���s Sporting Goods Park knocked out power to the stadium where the 4A and 5A girls soccer championship games were about to be played. The inclement weather snarled traffic on Interstate 70, Pe��a Boulevard, U.S. 85 and elsewhere due to the flooded roads. In some areas, snow plows were called out to clear the hail. Parts of Tower Road and Peoria Street, and other roads in Commerce City, were closed through the late evening hours, because of standing water. Several vehicles stalled in standing water where water pooled in the underpasses.

A microburst uprooted 30 to 40 large trees across a 12-block area of the Park Hill neighborhood in east central Denver. Several trees were snapped near the base along with numerous branches, 8 to 10 inches in diameter. Power poles and lines were also downed with resulted in outages which affected 700 hundred residents. One of the downed trees crushed a car's hood, narrowly missing the driver.

Severe thunderstorms broke late in the evening, striking areas hardest from Denver southward. Locations impacted by the storms included but were not limited to: Aurora, Castle Rock, Centennial, Highlands Ranch, Lone Tree, Parker, Surrey Ridge. The storms produced a barrage of large hail, damaging straight line winds, flash flooding and several short lived tornadoes. The hail ranged in size from 1 to 2 inches in diameter, and caused extensive damage to homes and automobiles. The hail inundated the roadways with several inches of hail in Douglas County. Consequently, snow plows had to be called out to clear the roadways. One tornado that touched down near Grover in Weld County ripped a tree from the ground and tossed it approximately twenty feet. ||The combination of torrential hail and heavy rain produced flash flooding in parts of Elbert, Douglas and Arapahoe Counties, as thunderstorms brought up to 3.35 inches of rain to some areas within 90 minutes. In Aurora, Picadilly Road was closed from flooding north of 6th Avenue. A water rescue took place on South Gun Club Road in Arapahoe County, where floodwaters were rushing to depth of 3 feet. Flash flooding forced the closure of several streets and roads from Parker south to The Pinery, where the floodwaters inundated the roadway with up to 2 feet in several locations.||At Centennial Airport in Arapahoe County, a historic B-17 Flying Fortress suffered extensive damage as hailstones as large as ping pong balls hit the aircraft. Although the airframe itself did not require repair, the fabric-covered ailerons and elevators were extensively damaged. The hail came straight down and punched holes in the fabric-covered control surfaces. The plane landed just hours before the storm hit to participate in the weekend tour stop. Lightning struck two homes, one in Lakewood and the other in Parker. Straight line winds downed trees and power lines in Aurora. As a result, scattered electrical outages affect approximately five thousand residents.

Severe thunderstorms produced extensive damage as they moved across the Urban Corridor. At Denver International Airport alone, large hail up to golfball size, very heavy rain and wind gusts to 59 mph caused substantial damage to 40 planes and stranded approximately 1,500 passengers overnight. Frontier and United Airlines were hardest hit as dozens of planes were taken out of service for repairs; forcing the cancellation of at least 220 flights over the next several days. Damage to the aircrafts alone was nearly $5 million. In addition, 83 cars in airport parking lots were damaged, along with some police cars and maintenance vehicles. In Watkins, two people suffered minor injuries and 35 to 40 homes were damaged. As many as 200 residents in a mobile home park were left homeless by the storm, forcing the Red Cross to open a shelter at Bennett High School. The trailer park contained 52 mobile homes, 14 recreational vehicles, 3 houses and a commercial building. Hailstones the size of softballs cratered the north sides of the mobile homes. Some farmers in the area said they lost as much as 85 percent of their total wheat crop. Power lines were also damaged which affected about 1,200 customers in Watkins. The strong winds also flipped over a tractor-trailer rig on Interstate 70 near Watkins Road. Insurance claims for the Watkins, Bennett and Brighton areas was estimated to be $17 million. The total damage estimate across the entire Urban Corridor, was $164.8 million, and included 17,200 automobile claims and 12,600 homeowner claims.||In addition, thunderstorms producing very heavy rainfall, caused flash flooding in the Four Mile Canyon burn scar west of Boulder. Three homes reportedly had water up to the windows with water flowing into structures at Fourmile Canyon Road and Gold Run Road. The heavy rain caused a 4-ft surge along Fourmile Creek through Orodell and into the entry of Boulder Creek. Several roads were affected which restricted access to the area. Roads were closed due to water and debris. Private bridges and drives were washed out and several residents were stranded and later rescued. Numerous cars were damaged in debris flows and several structures suffered flood damage but were not destroyed.

Heavy rain associated with a wet microbursts, produced over 3 inches of rain in 90 minutes across southeast Denver. In Denver, some underpasses were flooded with several feet of water which stranded motorists. As a result, the fire department conducted at least 10 water rescues. Some basements in Denver were inundated with up to 4 feet of water causing extensive flood damage. The Platte Valley and Western Model Railroad Club's model train display in Union Station was also damaged when 3 to 4 inches of mud and water spilled over some of the command and control systems. Several display modules and scenery pieces in a storage room were also damaged. The entire display spanned more than 1,000 feet of track in a room that was once used as the jail at Union Station in the 1900s. Urban and small stream flooding was reported across the surrounding Denver suburbs as well. The storm left about 28,000 Xcel customers without power when the storm snapped trees and power lines. ||In addition, heavy rain produced flash flooding in the Four Mile Canyon burn scar. Four debris slides occurred along Four Mile Canyon Drive, including one that was 100 yards wide and 4 feet deep. Several rockslides were reported in Lefthand and Boulder Canyons. A severe thunderstorm produced hail up to golfball size in Elbert County.

Severe thunderstorms produced intense straight-line winds in Granby, causing extensive damage. Town officials in Granby estimated at least 30 trees were knocked down from the storm, just within the city limits. At least two roofs were separated from the buildings themselves. The damage to the high school alone was estimated to be at least $200,000. Debris from the wind blew out vehicle windows. Power was knocked out temporarily in several areas throughout Grand County. A hiker near Grand Lake was injured when a falling tree hit struck her and injured her ankle. Very strong thunderstorm winds were also observed across portions of the Urban Corridor and Northeast Plains of Colorado. An intense microburst wind destroyed a ferris wheel in Merino and caused one minor injury. A lightning strike destroyed a home in north Denver.

Severe thunderstorms in Denver and the surrounding metropolitan area produced five tornadoes, large hail and damaging thunderstorm winds. The strongest of the tornadoes touched down near Southlands Mall, in southeast Aurora. Two men were injured, one seriously. Overall the damage was rated mild to moderate, which translated to an EF1 rating. Four other tornadoes touched down, two of which caused minor damage. Another EF1 tornado damaged a home, several outbuildings, and injured some horses in unincorporated Elbert County.||In addition to the tornadoes, large hail from 1 to 3 inches in diameter was observed. In parts of Aurora and Centennial, thunderstorm winds blew down power lines and caused electrical outages. Approximately 8,000 homes and businesses were left without power for nearly two hours. Most of the damage consisted of broken windows and roofs. This day was the first in a series of eight to cause damage along the Urban Corridor. Damage to homes and property along the Front Range totalled $161 million during the 8-day span, making it the state's fifth highest insurance loss. The majority of the property damage was caused by hail; 21,000 automobile claims and 13,000 homeowner claims were filed.

Five children and one adult were injured when winds, from a dry microburst, picked up an inflateable play house at Larimer County Reservoir. The wind swept up the house from its location on the beach, and knocked it into a steel pole before it came to a stop. One child was airlifted to Loveland with serious injuries, while the others suffered minor to moderate injuries. In Denver, strong thunderstorm winds blew several trees down, damaging homes and downing power lines. An elderly man was killed when a wind damaged tree broke free and crushed him while he attempted to remove it. The downed power lines caused outages to about 500 Xcel Energy customers.

Severe thunderstorms, producing hail up to quarter size, and heavy rain; trained across northern portions of the Denver Metropolitan area. The path of the storms stretched from around Golden to Denver International Airport. The thunderstorms formed quickly following the passage of a cold front. ||Some minor street flooding was also reported as hail clogged storm drains. The hail piled up 4 inches deep at Elitch Gardens amusement park in downtown Denver. Drivers were caught in up to 3 feet of water in some intersections. Xcel reported scattered power failures around the Denver metropolitan area. At D.I.A. some brief delays occurred as airlines were forced to pull in their ground crews for safety reasons. Lightning also struck two homes in Ft. Collins. No one was hurt in either incident. The incliment conditions forced the closure of Trail Ridge Road, in Rocky Mountain National Park, due to snow and very poor visibility.||Severe thunderstorms developed further south along the Palmer Divide. Hail up to 2.5 inches in diameter was reported over southern Elbert County. Hail damage was reported in the towns of Elbert and Limon, where skylights and windows were broken. Two tornadoes touched down but no structures were damaged.