The June 18 and 19, 2018 Denver hailstorms are two storms that put 3-inch (tea cup) hail on different parts of the metro on back-to-back days. On the evening of June 18, the north metro was hit, from Superior and Lafayette to Northglenn, Henderson and Brighton. Early on the afternoon of June 19, the south metro was hit, around Englewood, Greenwood Village, Centennial and Aurora. NOAA logged 67 hail reports in the metro counties over the two days, and the Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association estimated $276.4 million in damage.
What happened on June 18 and 19, 2018
NWS Boulder’s summary describes very large hail, up to 3 inches, that “pummeled portions of the Front Range Urban Corridor” and the northeast plains, with reports of roofs collapsed by hail and major hail damage in the northern metro. It ranked as the eighth costliest hailstorm in Colorado to that date.
June 18, Monday evening. Hail started in Boulder at about 6 p.m. At 7:31 p.m., 3-inch hail fell southeast of Superior, and Louisville and Lafayette followed with 2 to 2.5 inch stones; the Storm Prediction Center log notes shattered vehicle windshields north of Lafayette. Between 8:20 and 9:05 p.m. the storm crossed Broomfield, Federal Heights and Northglenn with 1.5 to 2 inch hail and finished with 2.5-inch hail near Henderson and 2.75-inch hail north of Brighton.
June 19, Tuesday afternoon. After small hail near Niwot and Longmont around noon, a new storm hit the south metro at about 1 p.m. West of Englewood, near Centennial, 3-inch hail was reported at about 1:25 p.m., followed by 2.75 inches in Greenwood Village, 2 inches in Glendale and Smoky Hill, 2.5 inches near Cherry Creek Reservoir and Buckley, and 2.75 inches south-southwest of Arapahoe Park at about 2:06 p.m. Quarter hail reached The Pinery and Parker by about 3:30 p.m.
Where the hail fell
| Area | Date | Largest hail on record | Size name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Superior | June 18 | 3.00 in. | Tea cup |
| North of Brighton | June 18 | 2.75 in. | Baseball |
| Lafayette and Henderson | June 18 | 2.50 in. | Tennis ball |
| Louisville, Northglenn, Federal Heights | June 18 | 2.00 in. | Hen egg |
| West of Englewood, near Centennial | June 19 | 3.00 in. | Tea cup |
| Greenwood Village and Arapahoe Park | June 19 | 2.75 in. | Baseball |
| Cherry Creek Reservoir and Buckley | June 19 | 2.50 in. | Tennis ball |
| Glendale and Smoky Hill | June 19 | 2.00 in. | Hen egg |
Homeowners in Louisville, Broomfield, Centennial and Aurora were in one swath or the other.
What tennis ball to tea cup hail does to a roof
At 2.5 to 3 inches, hail fractures standard architectural shingles in a ring pattern you can feel through a glove, exposes the fiberglass mat and can crack the deck boards beneath. It breaks concrete and clay tile, and stones of this size crush the plastic and thin metal of roof vents and skylight domes. Wood shakes split along the grain. On flat or low-slope sections, such as porch roofs and additions, heavy wet hail can pile up and overload the framing, which fits NOAA’s note of collapsed roofs.
How to check a roof for this storm
- Match the date to your location using the table above; the two days hit different suburbs.
- Check low-slope roofs, porch covers and patio covers for sagging or ponding.
- Look for cracked skylight domes and crushed vents from the ground.
- Book an inspection with photos and keep them with your claim file if you report the damage.
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 8 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.
Denver, CO inspection and hail help
If you live in the Denver metro, start with our Denver hail damage repair page, book a free Denver roof inspection, or read what a Denver roof inspection covers. 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 (303) 209-0152.
Other recorded storms in the Denver metro
- May 30, 2024 Hailstorm: hail to 2.75 in.
- June 21 and 22, 2023 Hailstorms: hail to 2.5 in.
- June 6, 2020 Derecho: gusts to 81 mph
- May 8, 2017 Denver hailstorm (full write-up)
- September 29, 2014 Hailstorm: hail to 1.75 in.
- June 6, 2012 hailstorm, Colorado Springs and south Denver (full write-up)
- July 13, 2011 Hailstorm: hail to 4.5 in.
- May 26, 2010 Hailstorm: hail to 2.75 in.
- Full storm archive: Colorado Springs, Denver and Austin
Sources: NOAA SPC storm reports, June 18, 2018; NOAA SPC storm reports, June 19, 2018; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, event 752304 (Superior, 3.00 in.); NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, event 752365 (Englewood, 3.00 in., $276.4 million); NWS, Summer 2018 hailstorms; NWS hail size reference; C.R.S. 10-4-110.8 (unofficial reproduction); Colorado Division of Insurance, hail consumer advisory (May 22, 2024).
