AURORA | Channel 9 weathermen said doppler radar shows that four tornados touched down Wednesday afternoon, none causing serious damage. National Weather Service officials said nine tornados were reported across the Front Range during the fast moving storm.
Aurora and much of the metro area is could see a repeat of afternoon thunderstorms, according to local weather predictors.
“We may be looking at a repeat again today in Aurora,” said Dayle Ceders of 7News weather. “Expect temperatures to climb from the 50s to the 70s with the chance for more afternoon thunderstorms. The storms may start firing after noon and contain heavy spots of rain, with hail and even the possibility of a tornado. Things calm down a bit starting Friday through Sunday as the chance for afternoon storms reduces a bit each day. By Monday, expect some drier conditions.”
Radar shows relatively weak tornados touched down at about 2 p.m. Wednesday, one near Parker Road and Peoria, one near Hampden and Chambers, one near Alameda and Chambers and one at Tower Road and Smith Road. Another tornado was spotted on the ground at Watkins at 2:45 p.m.
Some traffic lights were inoperable and spotty street flooding was reported across the city. Up to 5 inches of hail, some the size of ping pong balls, was reported in northwest Aurora.
Police and others said heavy rain and hail were widespread. There have been no reports of heavy damage.
Frontier Airlines says 13 of its flights from Denver International Airport were canceled because its aircraft were damaged by hail.
All flights were grounded Wednesday afternoon because of a tornado warning and severe thunderstorms that brought hail and strong winds to the area. There were delays of about an hour and a half after operations resumed.
Officials used snow plows to clear the hail from the main airport access road.
— The Associated Press contributed to this story