Severe thunderstorm warning issued for west central Logan County, 70 mph winds, hail

West central Logan County was under the gun for a severe thunderstorm warning that covered Grover, Logan Corners and nearby rural areas, with the first alert set to expire at 5:45 p.m. MDT. The storm carried 70 mph wind gusts and ping pong ball-size hail, a combination that could damage roofs, siding, windows and vehicles, injure people and animals outdoors, and make driving dangerous on open county roads.

The National Weather Service in Denver/Boulder said the storm was near Grover, about 43 miles northeast of Greeley, and moving southeast at 40 mph when the warning was issued at 5:04 p.m. MDT on May 9. The warning covered West Central Logan County, North Central Morgan County and Northeastern Weld County, placing a broad slice of northeast Colorado in the storm’s path as the cell tracked toward lower elevations and more populated ground.

By 6:10 p.m. MDT, the warning was still in effect until 6:30 p.m. MDT, and the storm had shifted to about 5 miles south of Stoneham, or 20 miles north of Fort Morgan, while continuing southeast at 40 mph. In that later update, the hail threat was described as small hail and the wind gusts were listed at 60 mph, but the storm still posed a risk to anyone outside or traveling between Stoneham, New Raymer and the Fort Morgan area.

The hail threat was the most surprising hazard in the warning. Ping pong ball-size hail can punch holes in roofing, crack or shatter windows, dent cars, strip leaves from crops and leave farm equipment exposed to expensive damage in a matter of minutes. Even smaller hail can still batter windshields, make rural highways treacherous and create a hazard for livestock and pets left without shelter.

After the storm passed, residents in Logan County and nearby communities were left to check for broken shingles, missing siding, cracked windows, dented hoods and wind-driven debris around yards, barns and outbuildings. Any downed limbs, damaged power lines or hail-stripped crops could quickly turn a short-lived storm into a longer cleanup across the county.