Storms muscled across eastern Colorado on Sunday, dropping heavy rain, pockets of hail, and briefly spinning up a rope-like landspout that quickly became the star of the afternoon weather show. The slender funnel touched down and lifted in short order with no immediate reports of injuries, although sudden downpours and hail made driving a headache along portions of the Front Range. Forecasters had already been warning residents to brace for severe storms as an energetic system pushed across the Plains.
Video shared by FOX31 Denver captured the short-lived funnel and sheets of rain sweeping over open country, while local coverage showed hail stacking up on roads in parts of northeastern Colorado. According to FOX31, the station's Pinpoint Weather team shot the footage and reported localized travel issues from hail and heavy rain.
Where the Funnel Was Spotted
The National Weather Service logged the touchdown near Keenesburg in Weld County, and a tornado warning briefly covered sections of south-central Weld County as spotters followed the storm's track, according to Denver7. The same cell dumped enough hail to cover stretches of Interstate 76, cutting visibility and forcing drivers to slow to a crawl through the area.
Part of a Bigger Severe Setup
The landspout and hail were not one-off oddities. Storm reports and post-storm analyses showed multiple hail and damaging wind reports across the Central Plains on Sunday, and meteorologists had already circled the region for rotating storms and large hail in their outlooks, according to a recap from VORTEX and national guidance from the Storm Prediction Center. Forecasters note that Colorado's eastern plains frequently churn out brief landspouts in spring when low-level spin gets pulled into developing thunderstorms.
How to Stay Safe
Landspouts usually do not last long, but they can still toss debris and cause localized damage. The National Weather Service advises heading to an interior room away from windows and keeping multiple ways to receive alerts whenever watches or warnings are issued. For detailed sheltering tips and preparedness steps, see the National Weather Service tornado safety guidance.
This story will be updated if the National Weather Service issues an official local storm report or if emergency management or transportation officials confirm additional impacts.
