Colorado Hail Storm

Losses, 2024 dollars

$1.5 billion

Losses at the time

$1.0 billion

Deaths

0

The losses and deaths are NCEI’s, counting everything the disaster did. The episodes below are only what the Weather Service filed in its Storm Events record, which counts damage differently and often not at all, so the two never add up and are shown apart.

• Damaging Wind in Arizona, July 18, 2009$20,000 · 65 kt wind · 1 eventWinds were estimated at ovr 60 mph across the area.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, July 18 to 19, 2009$280,000 · 2.5 in hail · 8 eventsScattered thunderstorms developed over the northwestern South Plains of west Texas during the evening hours of the 18th. These storms eventually spread southward over the western and central South Plains.
• Flash Flood in Arizona, July 18, 20091 eventMonsoon moisture continued to fuel scattered thunderstorms over the Mojave Desert. One storm produced flash flooding.
• Damaging Wind in Nevada, July 18, 200960 kt wind · 1 eventScattered thunderstorms occurred across western Nevada.
• Damaging Winds and High Wind in Utah, July 18 to 19, 200966 kt wind · 3 eventsStrong gusty winds were observed in northern Utah on July 18th and 19th, both due to thunderstorms and virga.
• Lightning Strike in Arizona, July 18, 2009$100,000 · 1 eventStrong thunderstorms were reported in parts of Mesa.
• Hail in Texas, July 19, 20091 in hail · 2 eventsSevere thunderstorms developed across the east central and southeast Texas Panhandle during the early morning hours producing hail. No damage or injuries were reported.
• Damaging Winds in Texas, July 19 to 20, 200952 kt wind · 2 eventsOn July19-20, thunderstorm wind gusts of 60 mph were reported in Fisher and Menard Counties.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, July 19, 2009$629,000 · 1.75 in hail · 14 eventsThunderstorms developed in the afternoon hours along and south of a frontal boundary near the Red River. Weak disturbances in northwest flow aloft likely aided in lift for storm development. The strongest storms produced hail up to the size of golfballs.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Florida, July 19, 2009$500 · 61 kt wind · 7 eventsHigh wind gusts and hail occur from the Lake Okeechobee region to the southeast coast metro.
• Damaging Wind in Florida, July 19, 2009$4,000 · 52 kt wind · 1 eventAnother a-typical cold front stalled across north Florida. Westerly flow aloft increased and brought scattered showers and thunderstorms onshore throughout the day.
• Damaging Wind in Florida, July 19, 200961 kt wind · 2 eventsAn isolated severe thunderstorm produced 61 knot winds as it passed over the Ft. Pierce Airport (KFPR). A funnel cloud was also observed inland over St. Lucie County.
• Damaging Winds in Wyoming, July 19, 2009$3,000 · 53 kt wind · 2 eventsShowers and thunderstorms developed in a dry environment setting the stage for microbursts.
• Hail in Colorado, July 19, 20090.75 in hail · 1 eventHail up to the size of pennies was noted over western Las Animas County.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, July 19, 2009$50,000 · 2.75 in hail · 8 eventsStrong northwesterly flow aloft with abundant low level moisture combined to produce several strong to severe thunderstorms across the western portion of southeast Texas.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in North Dakota, July 19, 20091.5 in hail · 5 eventsIn the early evening hours of July 19th, Severe Thunderstorm Watch 605 was issued in anticipation of severe thunderstorms developing in the vicinity of a low level moisture convergence axis and an approaching mid level short wave trough.
• Hail in Colorado, July 19, 20091 in hail · 3 eventsThunderstorms moved across northern Yuma County and produced heavy rain and quarter size hail.
• Hail in New Mexico, July 19, 20091 in hail · 1 eventStrong northwest flow aloft combined with sufficient low level moisture allowing for the development of isolated severe weather across the central high plains.
• Damaging Wind in California, July 19, 200953 kt wind · 1 eventIsolated thunderstorms developed in the afternoon over the San Bernardino and Riverside County deserts. A storm in La Quinta, CA produced winds up to 61 MPH.
• Damaging Wind in Texas, July 19, 2009$50,000 · 1 eventWith continued north to northwest winds from 700 to 200 Hpa, another low amplitude and fast moving 700 to 300 Hpa trough moved near the area again from the north and northwest. This produced isolated severe thunderstorms from Lee to Karnes Counties.
• Hail in South Dakota, July 19, 20090.88 in hail · 1 eventA thunderstorm produced nickel sized hail in Castle Rock.
• Lightning Strike in Arizona, July 19, 20091 injured · $5,000 · 1 eventScattered afternoon and evening thunderstorms developed across much of southern Arizona. There were no severe weather reports in southeast Arizona, but storms did produce frequent lightning.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Texas, July 19 to 20, 2009$50,000 · 0.75 in hail · 4 eventsNortherly mid level flow combined with strong heating and a boundary from previous convection resulted in the development of an mesoscale convective system over the Edwards plateau.
• Damaging Wind in Arizona, July 19, 2009$250,000 · 90 kt wind · 1 eventVery strong winds developed from thunderstorms over far southwest Maricopa County on Sunday evening. Considerable damage resulted as storms moved to the north.
• Damaging Wind in Arizona, July 19, 2009$10,000 · 52 kt wind · 1 eventThunderstorms moved to the north across mostly rural areas.
• Hail in Nebraska, July 19, 20090.88 in hail · 1 eventThunderstorms moved from northern Yuma County into Dundy County producing nickel size hail.
• Damaging Wind in Nevada, July 19, 200951 kt wind · 1 eventPilot Peak mesonet site recorded a 59 mph wind gust.
• Damaging Winds in Arizona, July 19, 2009$22,000 · 60 kt wind · 2 eventsA small cluster of thunderstorms formed along an old outflow boundary in Tempe.
• Hail in North Dakota, July 19 to 20, 20091.5 in hail · 7 eventsA trough of low pressure pushed through eastern North Dakota and into the Red River Valley and helped ignite a few thunderstorms. A good push of warm air in the lower layers of the atmosphere also helped sustain these storms.
• Lightning Strike in Nebraska, July 20, 2009$5,000 · 1 eventLightning struck a home in North Platte during the early morning hours.
• Flash Flood and Flood in Texas, July 20, 2009$11,000 · 56 kt wind · 4 eventsThunderstorms developed overnight in a northwest flow pattern aloft. One storm in Freestone County produced hail, wind, and flash flooding.
• Flash Flooding and Hail in Virginia, July 20, 2009$16,000 · 1 in hail · 9 eventsNumerous showers and storms developed during the morning hours. Some of these storms reached severe levels in parts of Virginia. Locally heavy rain also accompanied some of the storms with flash flooding the outcome in one location.
• Hail in Minnesota, July 20, 20091 in hail · 3 eventsA trough of low pressure pushed through eastern North Dakota and into the Red River Valley and helped ignite a few thunderstorms. A good push of warm air in the lower layers of the atmosphere also helped sustain these storms.
• Flash Flooding and Damaging Wind in Arkansas, July 20, 20097 injured · $170,000 · 50 kt wind · 4 eventsHigh pressure to the west nudged toward the center of the country. A warm front in the southern Plains lifted slowly into Arkansas. Winds around the front became southerly, and moisture increased readily.
• Flash Flooding in North Carolina, July 20, 2009$100,000 · 2 eventsNumerous showers and storms were across the region during the day. A couple of these produced enough heavy rain in a short period of time to prompt flash flooding.
• Hail in Florida, July 20, 20090.88 in hail · 2 eventsHail falls in southern sections of Miami-Dade County.
• Flash Flood and Damaging Winds in Nevada, July 20, 200958 kt wind · 3 eventsMonsoon moisture fueled an outbreak of thunderstorms over the Mojave Desert. Several storms produced high winds and flash flooding.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in North Dakota, July 20, 200952 kt wind · 4 eventsAfter one round of overnight thunderstorms, the stronger convection waned a little in the morning hours of the 20th. However, the surface trough lingered across southeast North Dakota with dew points right around 60F.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Arkansas, July 20, 2009$40,000 · 70 kt wind · 3 eventsRemnant outflow boundaries from thunderstorms that developed across northeast Texas during the overnight hours of Sunday, July 19th, allowed for additional scattered showers and thunderstorms to develop during the daylight hours of Monday, July 20th, and spread east across the…
• Flash Flood and Hail in North Carolina, July 20, 2009$15,000 · 1.75 in hail · 20 eventsA cluster of convection developed across central North Carolina as a large upper trough and upper jet translated east across the area.
• Damaging Winds in Louisiana, July 20, 200953 kt wind · 2 eventsRemnant outflow boundaries from thunderstorms that developed across northeast Texas during the overnight hours of Sunday, July 19th, allowed for additional scattered showers and thunderstorms to develop during the daylight hours of Monday, July 20th, and spread east across the…
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Nebraska, July 20, 2009$233,000 · 2.75 in hail · 27 eventsStorms developed in an unstable atmosphere along and ahead of a cold front as it progressed southeastward across western and north central Nebraska.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in Wyoming, July 20, 2009$20,000 · 1 in hail · 5 eventsUpslope flow behind a cold front combined with a favorable wind environment helped to generate strong to severe thunderstorms in Fremont and Johnson counties.
• Flash Flood and Damaging Winds in Arizona, July 20, 2009$15,000 · 59 kt wind · 4 eventsMonsoon moisture fueled an outbreak of thunderstorms over the Mojave Desert. Several storms produced high winds and flash flooding.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in Missouri, July 20, 20091.5 in hail · 2 eventsIsolated severe wind and hail was produced from thunderstorms that developed well north of a stationary front located across eastern Oklahoma.
• Damaging Wind in South Dakota, July 20, 20091 death · 1 eventA thunderstorm produced wind gusts at Coldbrook Reservoir on the north side of Hot Springs.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in North Carolina, July 20, 20091.75 in hail · 13 eventsScattered severe storms affected the mountains and foothills of North Carolina, as well as the Piedmont east of Charlotte, during the early evening hours.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in Georgia, July 20, 2009$10,000 · 1 in hail · 2 eventsA strong upper level disturbance in combination with the sea breeze pushing into a moist and unstable air mass, resulted in scattered thunderstorm development across southeast Georgia.
• Damaging Winds in Arizona, July 20, 2009$23,000 · 52 kt wind · 2 eventsHigh pressure aloft shifted to western Arizona on July 20th, creating northwest flow aloft over southeast Arizona. Scattered afternoon thunderstorms developed over the region. A relatively dry boundary layer encouraged the production of strong thunderstorm downburst winds.
• Hail in Kentucky, July 20, 20091 in hail · 1 eventTwo small bands of thunderstorms produced a couple of reports of large hail in Martin and Pike counties on July 20th. The lone report of severe severe was of 1 inch diameter hail in Martin county.
• Hail in Georgia, July 20, 20091 in hail · 1 eventIsolated strong storms developed across the area under weak steering flow as an upper level trough carved out across the eastern seaboard.
• Tornadoes and Hail in Kansas, July 20, 2009$25 million · EF0 · 46 eventsAn intense supercell developed in western Nebraska during the afternoon and moved south through the evening hours, producing golf ball to softball sized hail and damaging wind gusts to near 80 mph.
• Hail in Florida, July 20, 20090.75 in hail · 1 eventIsolated strong storms developed across the area under weak steering flow as an upper level trough carved out across the eastern seaboard.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in Nebraska, July 20, 2009$7,000 · 4.25 in hail · 6 eventsAn intense supercell developed in western Nebraska during the afternoon and moved south through the evening hours, producing golf ball to softball sized hail and damaging wind gusts to near 80 mph.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, July 20, 20092 in hail · 12 eventsSeveral rounds of large hail and heavy rainfall affected portions of Dickinson County during the evening of July 20th. Hail to the size of hen eggs and over three inches of rain were reported during the late evening hours.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Kansas, July 20 to 21, 20094 injured · $2.5 million · EF0 · 53 eventsA cold front and associated upper level disturbance triggered widespread severe thunderstorms across central, south-central and southeast Kansas during the evening and overnight hours of July 20th. The following are some highlights from the event.
• Flash Flooding and Hail in West Virginia, July 20, 2009$30,000 · 0.75 in hail · 3 eventsAn unusually deep mid level trough for mid July was in place over the Ohio Valley. The resulting cool pool of air aloft helped to generate instability showers and thunderstorms.
• Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Arizona, July 20, 2009$25,000 · 60 kt wind · 4 eventsWinds associated with thunderstorms caused areas of blowing dust along with spotty minor damage.
• Hail in Wyoming, July 20, 20091 in hail · 1 eventAn isolated storm produced some hail near Albin, WY.
• Hail in Nebraska, July 20, 20091.5 in hail · 1 eventAn isolated storm produced some large hail over far northwestern Kimball county.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in Texas, July 20, 2009$10,000 · 1.75 in hail · 4 eventsStrong northwesterly flow and abundant low level moisture combined to produce severe weather in the Brazos Valley.
• Damaging Winds in Tennessee, July 20, 200950 kt wind · 3 eventsJust enough instability was present in the vicinity of an upper level low pressure system in place over Eastern Kentucky with aid from a weak surface trough for the generation of isolated severe convection across Northeast Tennessee.
• Damaging Wind in Colorado, July 20, 200958 kt wind · 1 eventAn intense supercell developed in western Nebraska during the afternoon and moved south through the evening hours, producing golf ball to softball sized hail and damaging wind gusts to near 80 mph.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Oklahoma, July 20 to 21, 2009$5,000 · 2.75 in hail · 27 eventsThunderstorms developed along a warm front located over southern Kansas. Two lines of thunderstorms moved south into Oklahoma during the evening and overnight hours. Both lines produced large hail and damaging winds as they moved through much of the western half of the state.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Kansas, July 20, 2009$120,000 · 2 in hail · 17 eventsA strong upper level jet interacted with a warm front to produce thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening, some of which became severe.
• Hail and Damaging Winds in Oklahoma, July 20 to 21, 200961 kt wind · 8 eventsSevere thunderstorms occurred over northeast Oklahoma during the late evening hours of the 20th and the early morning hours of the 21st.
• Damaging Wind in South Carolina, July 20, 200955 kt wind · 1 eventIsolated severe storm developed along weak convergence zone.
• Tornado and Hail in Colorado, July 20, 2009$354 million · EF0 · 30 eventsA severe thunderstorm produced damaging winds, large hail and very heavy rain across the western and southern suburbs of Denver. Widespread damage was observed in the cities of Arvada, Wheat Ridge and Lakewood.
• Hail in Oklahoma, July 20, 20091 in hail · 1 eventA severe thunderstorm developed over the eastern Oklahoma Panhandle during the late evening and produced some large hail. No damage or injuries were reported.
• Hail in Texas, July 20, 20091 in hail · 2 eventsSevere thunderstorms developed across the northeastern Texas Panhandle during the late evening and produced some large hail. No damage or injuries were reported.
• Lightning Strike in North Carolina, July 21, 2009$200,000 · 1 eventLightning started a fire which destroyed a home east of Charlotte.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in Colorado, July 20, 20091.25 in hail · 6 eventsSevere thunderstorms in El Paso County produced hail up to half dollar size as well as thunderstorm wind gusts near 70 mph.
• Damaging Winds in Texas, July 21, 200956 kt wind · 2 eventsThunderstorms moved south into northern Texas during the late night hours of the 20th. Particularly damaging winds were the main hazard with the thunderstorms as they moved into Wilbarger and Wichita counties.
• Flash Flooding and Flooding in Kansas, July 21 to 22, 2009$20,000 · 6 eventsTraining thunderstorms which developed under weak upper flow and a weak surface boundary produced heavy rainfall and flooding across portions of southeast Kansas and southwest Missouri. Some locations reported 24 hour rainfall totals near 5 inches.
• Damaging Wind in Arkansas, July 21, 200961 kt wind · 1 eventAn isolated severe thunderstorm occurred over west central Arkansas during the early morning hours of the 21st.
• Flash Flooding in Missouri, July 21, 20092 eventsTraining thunderstorms which developed under weak upper flow and a weak surface boundary produced heavy rainfall and flooding across portions of southeast Kansas and southwest Missouri. Some locations reported 24 hour rainfall totals near five inches.
• Tornadoes and Flash Flooding in Arkansas, July 21, 2009$385,000 · EF0 · 9 eventsA moist, semi-tropical atmosphere existed over Arkansas on the 21st. A cold front moving through the state triggered some showers. A waterspout and two tornadoes occurred from mid afternoon through early evening.
• Flash Flood and Damaging Winds in Puerto Rico, July 21, 2009$6,000 · 9 eventsA tropical wave accompanied by a wind surge crossed the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on July 21st.
• Hail in West Virginia, July 21, 20091.75 in hail · 2 eventsAn upper level low moving across the Ohio Valley produced scattered severe thunderstorms across eastern Ohio, northern West Virginia, and western Pennsylvania.
• Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Louisiana, July 21, 20091 injured · $5,000 · 52 kt wind · 4 eventsA small line of strong to severe thunderstorms moved rapidly to the northeast across Rapides Parish during the early afternoon hours, producing several reports of wind damage and causing one injury due to lightning.
• Hail in Pennsylvania, July 21, 20091 in hail · 15 eventsAn upper level low moving across the Ohio Valley produced scattered severe thunderstorms across eastern Ohio, northern West Virginia, and western Pennsylvania.
• Flash Flood in Arkansas, July 21, 20091 eventA low pressure system moved through the Mid-South during the afternoon and evening hours of July 21st, 2009. Showers and thunderstorms developed in association with the low pressure system. Some of the storms produced heavy rain and flash flooding.
• Flash Flood in Missouri, July 21, 20091 eventA low pressure system moved through the Mid-South during the afternoon and evening hours of July 21st, 2009. Showers and thunderstorms developed in association with the low pressure system. Some of the storms produced heavy rain and flash flooding.
• Hail and Lightning Strike in Minnesota, July 21, 20091 death · 1.75 in hail · 25 eventsSeveral factors led to severe hail development across portions of Minnesota Tuesday afternoon, July 21st.
• Hail in Ohio, July 21, 20091 in hail · 4 eventsAn upper level low moving across the Ohio Valley produced scattered severe thunderstorms across eastern Ohio, northern West Virginia, and western Pennsylvania.
• Tornado in Arkansas, July 21, 2009$5,000 · EF0 · 1 eventRain during the early morning hours dissipated and the atmosphere became very unstable during the afternoon hours across the region. The result was severe thunderstorms that developed ahead of a frontal boundary.
• Hail in Minnesota, July 21, 20091.75 in hail · 2 eventsThunderstorms produced large hail in Cottonwood and Jackson Counties of southwest Minnesota on the early afternoon of July 21st.
• Hail in Ohio, July 21, 20091.25 in hail · 6 eventsA cluster of thunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours of July 21st. A few of the stronger storms became severe.
• Hail and Damaging Wind in West Virginia, July 21, 200960 kt wind · 5 eventsA surface boundary remained over West Virginia while a south-southeast flow aloft pumped in plenty of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.
• Tornado and Hail in Texas, July 21, 2009$3.0 million · EF0 · 3 eventsThunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours of the 21st along a pre-existing low level boundary over the western and southern South Plains of west Texas. One of the initial storms produced quarter size hail near Wilson (Lynn County).
• Damaging Wind in New York, July 21, 2009$5,000 · 50 kt wind · 1 eventThunderstorms preceded and accompanied a cold front moving across the region during the late morning and afternoon hours. The thunderstorm winds downed power lines in the town of Caledonia in Livingston county.
• Hail in Colorado, July 21, 20091.75 in hail · 9 eventsStrong to severe thunderstorms over portions of Las Animas...Custer...Fremont and Huerfano Counties generated hail up to the size of golf balls.
• Flash Flooding in New Mexico, July 21, 2009$23,000 · 2 eventsA back door cold front squeezed through the central mountain passes and canyons into the Rio Grande Valley early in the morning, increasing low level moisture and setting up a surface boundary nearby.
• Hail in Iowa, July 21, 2009$17,000 · 1 in hail · 2 eventsA low pressure system passed south of Iowa during the day as an inverted trough and weak upper level system passed over the state during the afternoon and evening. Skies had cleared during the day, allowing for some instability to develop.
• Damaging Winds in Texas, July 21, 2009$200,000 · 56 kt wind · 9 eventsRain during the early morning hours dissipated and the atmosphere became very unstable during the afternoon hours across the region. The result was severe thunderstorms that developed ahead of a frontal boundary.
• Hail in Wisconsin, July 21, 2009$25,000 · 1 in hail · 1 eventSeveral factors led to an isolated severe hail report in West Central Wisconsin Tuesday afternoon, July 21st.
• Flash Flood in Tennessee, July 21, 20091 eventA low pressure system moved through the Mid-South during the afternoon and evening hours of July 21st, 2009. Showers and thunderstorms developed in association with the low pressure system. Some of the storms produced heavy rain and flash flooding.

Every billion-dollar disasterEvery storm of 2009Tornadoes in 2009

NOAA NCEI, U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters (2025), https://doi.org/10.25921/stkw-7w73, and the Storm Events Database for the episodes.