Colorado thunderstorms to bring damaging winds, severe hail

Sunday afternoon thunderstorms are forecast to bring damaging winds and severe hail to Colorado, especially along the Eastern Plains, according to the National Weather Service.

Storms will spread across the metro area and Eastern Plains by late afternoon and continue into the evening, weather service forecasters said in a hazardous weather outlook.

The strongest storms on Colorado’s Eastern Plains will bring 60 mph wind gusts and quarter-sized hail about an inch in diameter, according to the outlook.

The National Severe Storms Laboratory, which is part of the same federal agency as the weather service, considers hail at least 1 inch in diameter severe and non-tornado winds exceeding 50 mph damaging.

In northern and central Colorado, wind speeds will be closer to 40 mph and only small hail is expected, according to the weather service’s Boulder office.

Forecasters said the worst of Sunday’s storms will end around midnight.

Severe storms with damaging winds and large hail will also be possible across the Eastern Plains on Monday, according to the outlook.

Afternoon storms across Colorado during the rest of the week are forecast to bring small hail, gusty winds, heavy rain and lightning. No damaging winds or severe hail is expected.