NWS Pueblo Tracks Strong Thunderstorms Across Southeast Colorado With Wind, Hail and Frequent Lightning

Overview

• NWS Pueblo used Doppler radar to locate discrete thunderstorms over the southeast Colorado plains, including storms near Trinchera and Branson and another near Two Buttes.
• Radar indicated the Trinchera-area cell was moving southeast at about 20 mph while the Two Buttes cell was moving east near 25 mph, showing organized motion that can lead to rapid changes in intensity.
• The storms were producing hazards including wind gusts up to about 50 mph and hail from pea size up to a half inch in diameter.
• Frequent cloud-to-ground lightning was reported, with forecasters reminding the public that lightning can strike as far as 10 miles from a storm and advising immediate shelter indoors or in a vehicle.
• NWS advised people to monitor local radio and TV for updates and to report any severe weather to their nearest law enforcement agency so those reports can be relayed to the NWS; Colorado’s late-spring thunderstorm season often yields fast-moving cells capable of localized damage.