Manitou Springs hailstorm Friday is area’s fourth of summer

Another round of insurance claims likely will come from Friday afternoon’s hailstorm in Manitou Springs, the fourth significant storm to hit the Colorado Springs area this season.

On Monday, State Farm Insurance alone reported receiving 180 damage claims after Friday’s storm.

One of the victims was a brand-new KRDO NewsChannel 13 vehicle. It came out of the storm covered with small dents and had a cracked windshield. Damage is estimated at $10,000.

Marble-sized hail pounded the town while preparations were wrapping up for the 63rd annual Pikes Peak Ascent and Marathon. Organizers shortened the ascent because of the threat of severe weather that, as it turned out, didn’t materialize in the area.
The marathon went on as scheduled.

Major hailstorms caused significant damage Aug. 6 and June 13 in Security-Widefield, Fountain and other areas of south Colorado Springs and southern El Paso County.

Another storm July 23 affected much of the same area, snapped nearly two dozen power poles in Hanover, caused widespread flooding and washed out a section of Old Pueblo Road that still hasn’t been repaired.

According to the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association, both of the major storms have so far produced a combined $342 million in insured losses and 53,000 damage claims.

Still, the two major storms aren’t among the top 10 in Colorado history, the RMIIA said.