The August 5, 2023 hailstorm in El Paso County is a clear example of a storm that grew as it moved. NOAA logged 36 hail reports in the county, most between about 2:15 and 3:50 p.m. Quarter-size hail near the Air Force Academy became golf ball hail in Black Forest and Falcon, hen egg hail northeast of Peterson Space Force Base, and 3 to 4 inch stones in rural southeast El Paso County. The populated areas between the Academy and Schriever saw 1 to 2 inch hail.
What happened on August 5, 2023
NWS Pueblo called it “the one and only time this year when there was a proper monsoonal tap over southern Colorado.” Moist air from the south fed storms that had strong wind shear to work with: southeasterly winds at the ground and northwesterly winds aloft. The office noted the storm nearly produced a tornado, though no damage from one was found.
The reports, many of them submitted through the mPING app and social media, show the track. From about 2:15 to 2:40 p.m., 1 to 1.25 inch hail fell around the Air Force Academy and north of the city. From 2:35 to 3 p.m., the storm crossed Black Forest, Falcon and the area north and east of Peterson with 1.5 to 2 inch hail. Around 3:10 p.m. it dropped 2.5 to 2.75 inch hail near Schriever Space Force Base, and between about 3:45 and 3:50 p.m. it produced the largest stones, 3 to 4 inches, well southeast of Fountain and Schriever near Truckton.
Where the hail fell
| Area | Largest hail on record | Size name |
|---|---|---|
| About 13 miles south-southeast of Schriever | 4.00 in. | Softball |
| About 12 miles southeast of Fountain | 3.25 in. | Baseball plus |
| Near Schriever SFB | 2.75 in. | Baseball |
| Truckton area | 2.50 in. | Tennis ball |
| Northeast of Peterson SFB | 2.00 in. | Hen egg |
| Black Forest, Falcon and Peterson | 1.75 in. | Golf ball |
| Air Force Academy area, Security and Widefield | 1.25 in. | Half dollar |
If you live in Falcon, Peyton or Black Forest, you were along the middle of this track.
What this storm’s hail does to a roof
At 1.5 to 2 inches, metal roof panels on homes and outbuildings dent visibly even though they rarely leak, and whether the dents count as damage depends on the cosmetic damage terms in your policy. Asphalt shingles at that size show bruises and fractures across the slopes that faced the storm. Farther southeast, where 3 to 4 inch hail fell, barns, sheds and pole buildings are at least as exposed as homes, and skylights and solar panels can break outright.
Read our guide to the cosmetic damage exclusion in Colorado before deciding what to do about dented metal.
How to check a roof for this storm
- Check metal first: roof panels, ridge caps, vents and gutters show hail dents clearly from a ladder or the ground.
- Look at outbuildings too. Hail that marked a shed or barn roof also hit the house.
- On shingle roofs, look for dark, round spots where granules are missing on the slopes that faced the storm.
- Book an inspection with photos, and keep them with your policy papers if you decide not to act yet.
Claim timing for a Colorado storm
Colorado sets no single deadline to report roof damage; your policy does, often as prompt notice. A Colorado homeowner's policy cannot give you less time to sue than the statute of limitations (C.R.S. 10-4-110.8(12)), and the Division of Insurance advises calling your insurer or agent soon after a hailstorm. Replacement cost policies usually hold back depreciation until the work is done: see finishing repairs to recover depreciation and how long you have to file a hail claim.
This storm is now 3 years old, and hail marks weather. An inspection shows whether marks look fresh or aged, which an adjuster weighs when tying damage to a date. General information, not legal advice; the claim is always yours, and our part is the inspection, dated photos and written scope.
Colorado Springs, CO inspection and hail help
If you live in Colorado Springs and El Paso County, start with our Colorado Springs hail damage repair page, book a free Colorado Springs roof inspection, or read Colorado hail season guide. Integrity Roofing and Painting is veteran-owned and family-run since 1990, an Owens Corning Platinum Preferred contractor with 650+ Google reviews, and we respond the same business day. Call (719) 488-2800.
Other recorded storms in Colorado Springs and El Paso County
- August 5, 2020 Hailstorm: hail to 2 in.
- August 6, 2018 Hailstorm: hail to 4 in.
- June 13, 2018 Hailstorm: hail to 3 in.
- July 28, 2016 Colorado Springs hailstorm (full write-up)
- June 6, 2012 hailstorm, Colorado Springs and south Denver (full write-up)
- July 4, 2010 Hailstorm: hail to 2 in.
- Full storm archive: Colorado Springs, Denver and Austin
Sources: NOAA SPC storm reports, August 5, 2023; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, event 1134381 (southeast of Schriever, 4.00 in.); NWS hail size reference; C.R.S. 10-4-110.8 (unofficial reproduction); Colorado Division of Insurance, hail consumer advisory (May 22, 2024).
