Thunderstorms pelt southern Colorado with hail, flooding rain
Monday’s thunderstorms brought winter in July across Teller and El Paso counties as hail pelted streets already flooded from the heavy rain.
The storms started around 3 p.m. and quickly built a deluge of water as the clouds slowly passed. KRDO Meteorologist Katie Donovan said one of the problems with that system was that it moved so slow, it provided time for the rain to cause flash flooding.
And that’s exactly what happened, as streets became rivers in Woodland Park, Manitou Springs, Colorado Springs, and Fountain. One scene in south Fountain looked like the icy waters of Antarctica:
Rain varied in intensity, but most places saw several inches accumulate through the afternoon. Flash flood warnings were repeatedly issued throughout the night. Manitou Springs saw literal rapids as water cascaded through the streets.
Multiple highways were closed due to flooding throughout the night. Highway 24’s closure near Chipita Peak right around 5 p.m. caused the biggest headache for commuters trying to get to and from Woodland Park. It wasn’t until about 9 p.m. that the highway had one lane open in each direction.
We got reports of cars that stalled out in the flood waters, especially near 19th and Uintah, but no serious injuries were reported.
Unlike the massive hail storm in June, very little damage has been reported. The hail came down in buckets, but it was small enough to not cause widespread damage to windshields and house sidings. Some of the hail in Green Mountain Falls looked similar to a wall of granite.
The storm also produced several tornado warnings in El Paso County and Pueblo County, but no tornadoes touched down in the immediate area. One tornado was confirmed on the ground about five miles away from Hartsel, but no damage has been reported.
Now the focus is on the cleanup as residents clear debris that washed in with the floods. Lightning strikes also severed tree limbs and split trunks into pieces, and we’ve seen reports of several road culverts severely damaged. We’ll have stories on those efforts throughout the day.
When severe weather is in the area, stay with KRDO for continuous updates.
Monday’s Updates:
Severe thunderstorms rolled across the front range Monday afternoon, bringing torrential rain, hail, and flash flooding.
A flash flood warning was issued for El Paso County, including Colorado Springs, Manitou Springs, and Woodland Park. A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for areas south of Security and Fountain due to tennis ball sized hail. (Scroll down for videos)
Severe thunderstorm warnings were issued Monday evening for Canon City, Pueblo, and Otero County. Flash flooding was spread throughout Canon City, with several streets made impassable. Highway 115 between Canon City and Florence was closed by flooding, as was Highway 50 in La Junta Monday evening.
Businesses in Manitou Springs should evacuate due to the flooding concerns, and residents near creek beds should shelter in place or move to higher ground. City Hall was closed due to flooding. An evacuation center was set up at Community Congregational Church.
The Colorado Department of Transportation has closed all roads entering Manitou Springs. A mudslide was also reported on Highway 24 near Chipita Park.
West Highway 24 was shut down due to the blockage and flooding near Manitou Springs between Crystola and Cave of the Winds. ( PHOTOS ) Traffic was flowing in both directions on the eastbound lanes of Highway 24 as of about 8:45 p.m. The westbound lanes were still closed, but traffic was diverted into a “head-to-head configuration,” according to CDOT.
The Colorado Springs Police Department said officers were on accident alert until about 7 p.m. due to flooding concerns. A section of 19th Street and Uintah was flooded and several cars were reported stuck in the water. A section of Gold Camp Road in North Cheyenne Canyon Park was closed due to scree slides.
La Veta, just miles away from the disastrous SpringFire, was put on a flash flood warning until about 7 p.m.
( CLICK HERE for Radar)
WATCH: Flash flooding in Woodland Park
VIDEO: Flooding near 31st Street on Highway 24
VIDEO: Flooding on Manitou Ave.
Earlier
A severe thunderstorm warning was issued for El Paso County at about 2:40 p.m. due to high winds and possible golf ball size hail.
A Flash Flood Watch has been issued for much of southern Colorado. This continues until midnight. The threat of rapidly-developing floods is especially felt over urban areas with poor drainage and a lot of runoff. We’ll also have to watch local, recent burn scars which are particularly susceptible to flash floods. Remember: turn around, don’t drown! Never drive into flooded waters.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch also is in effect, lasting until 7 p.m. This involves the I-25 corridor and surrounding areas. In these areas, powerful gusts at or exceeding 70 mph could cause damages to property: trees, sidings, and roofs. On top of that, large hail could threaten property. When a Severe Thunderstorm Warning is issued in your neighborhood, remember: when thunder roars, head indoors!
Stay with your StormTracker 13 weather team. We’ll keep you ahead of the storms! To track the storms with us, download our free StormTracker 13 weather app in the Google and Apple stores.
