Tornado touches down near Denver International Airport
A landspout tornado touched down Friday afternoon just north of Denver International Airport (DIA), marking a volatile start to the Father’s Day weekend in Colorado. This localized twister formed near Lochbuie, along Highway 76 in Adams County, where towering thunderstorms surged to heights of 45,000 feet. The intense updraft was fueled by a potent mix of deep moisture, early summer heat, and strong outflow winds.
The storm unleashed 60 mph wind gusts across neighborhoods on the Eastern Plains, accompanied by hail the size of quarters near Fort Morgan.
Weekend forecast: sweltering temperatures and storm risks
As Saturday arrives, isolated afternoon storms are expected from Interstate 25 (I-25) all the way to the Kansas and Nebraska borders. There is a marginal risk for severe hail in extreme eastern Colorado, especially in areas exposed to lingering instability.
However, the dominant story this weekend is the oppressive heat. Temperatures will surge into the 90s °F (32–37 °C) across lower elevations, while mountain towns will climb into the 70s and 80s °F (21–31 °C).
Some parts of southern Colorado are poised to hit a scorching 100 °F (38 °C) on Father’s Day, making it one of the hottest weekends of the year so far.
Stay alert for pop-up storms, especially in the afternoons, but brace for a blazing hot stretch as we head deeper into June across Colorado.
