The May 30, 2024 Denver hailstorm was a night event: between about 8:55 and 11:35 p.m., a series of supercells dropped hail across the north and east metro and into central Denver, and NOAA logged 79 hail reports in six metro counties, more than any other single day in this archive. Most stones were 1 to 1.75 inches, but hail reached 2 inches in Aurora and Henderson and 2.75 inches (baseball) in the Northfield and Central Park area. The Colorado Division of Insurance issued a consumer advisory the next day.
What happened on May 30, 2024
NWS Boulder’s record describes “a series of supercell thunderstorms” that traveled southeast across the metro, with the northern and eastern areas hit hardest and the largest stones reaching baseball size. The reports trace the track hour by hour:
- 8:55 to 9:30 p.m. Quarter-size hail near the Boulder airport, Niwot and Lafayette, then 1 to 1.5 inch hail in Broomfield. The Storm Prediction Center log includes 2.25-inch hail east of Broomfield.
- 9:30 to 9:50 p.m. Federal Heights, Northglenn and Thornton, with golf ball hail near 120th Avenue and Colorado Boulevard. A Northglenn report notes minor damage to siding, roofs and trees.
- 10 to 10:20 p.m. The core of the storm: 2-inch hail south-southwest of Henderson, 2.25 to 2.75 inch hail in the Northfield and Central Park area, and 2-inch hail in Aurora measured with calipers. NWS Boulder says the storm left the metro through Green Valley Ranch and northern Aurora.
- 10:35 to 11:35 p.m. A second storm with 1 to 1.75 inch hail across central Denver, Glendale, Cherry Creek, Greenwood Village and the Buckley area.
The NCEI entries carry no dollar figure. NWS Boulder’s May 2024 climate summary reports dented vehicles, broken windshields and roof damage, and says damage estimates were likely to reach the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Where the hail fell
| Area | Largest hail on record | Size name |
|---|---|---|
| Northfield and Central Park | 2.75 in. | Baseball |
| 53rd Avenue and Central Park Boulevard | 2.50 in. | Tennis ball |
| East of Broomfield (SPC preliminary) | 2.25 in. | Between hen egg and tennis ball |
| Aurora (north) and Henderson | 2.00 in. | Hen egg |
| Northglenn, Thornton and Buckley | 1.75 in. | Golf ball |
| Central Denver and Glendale | 1.75 in. | Golf ball |
| Broomfield, Barr Lake, Cherry Creek | 1.25 to 1.50 in. | Half dollar to ping pong ball |
If you live in Broomfield, Henderson or Aurora, you were along this track. The same northeast corner of the metro was hit by the May 26, 2010 storm.
What this storm’s hail does to a roof
Most of the 79 reports were 1 to 1.75 inches, the size that bruises shingles, knocks off granules and dents gutters and vents without obvious holes. That kind of damage is real but easy to miss, especially when the storm came at night and the roof looked fine the next morning. Near Central Park and Green Valley Ranch, where 2 to 2.75 inch hail fell, fractured shingles, cracked tile, broken skylights and dented siding are more likely. Hail of that size can damage any standard shingle.
Central Park and Green Valley Ranch are newer neighborhoods, but a newer roof is not an impact-rated roof. Standard architectural shingles are not rated for impact unless the product is labeled Class 4, so a roof only a few years old in 2024 could still be damaged.
How to check a roof for this storm
- Look at the gutters, downspouts and window screens on all sides for dents or tears.
- Check the roof vents and the tops of the air conditioning condenser for round dents.
- Look for granules collected at the downspout outlets.
- Book a free inspection and ask for photos of each slope, so you have a dated record before the next storm adds to it.
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 2 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
- June 21 and 22, 2023 Hailstorms: hail to 2.5 in.
- June 6, 2020 Derecho: gusts to 81 mph
- June 18 and 19, 2018 Hailstorms: hail to 3 in.
- 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, May 30, 2024; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, event 1176829 (Northfield and Central Park, 2.75 in.); NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, event 1176874 (Aurora, 2.00 in., caliper measured); NWS Boulder, May 2024 Climate Summary; Colorado Division of Insurance, consumer advisory after the May 30, 2024 metro hailstorm; NWS hail size reference; C.R.S. 10-4-110.8 (unofficial reproduction).
