The September 29, 2014 Denver hailstorm over Centennial and Aurora is proof that a storm does not need giant hail to be costly. The largest stone NOAA recorded was 1.75 inches (golf ball), near Centennial Airport, but the hail fell across Highlands Ranch, Cherry Hills Village, Centennial and Aurora in about 45 minutes. The Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association counted 14,287 property claims and 29,297 auto claims, $213.3 million in insured losses, which made it the eighth most expensive hailstorm in Colorado at the time.
What happened on September 29, 2014
NWS Boulder described a storm system that brought hail up to golf ball size and street flooding to parts of the metro, then spread east onto the plains. It was the most costly hailstorm of the 2014 season, and it came at the very end of it.
The reports follow a short, tight track. At about 2:20 p.m., quarter-size hail fell in Highlands Ranch. By 2:32 p.m. nickel hail was falling in Cherry Hills Village, and by 2:34 p.m. the storm reached the area north-northwest of Centennial Airport with 1 to 1.75 inch hail. From about 2:40 to 3:05 p.m. it crossed Aurora around Buckley, now Buckley Space Force Base, with 1 to 1.5 inch stones. East of the metro, the storm’s winds, estimated at 70 knots (about 81 mph), downed power poles along Highway 79 near Bennett, and a semi-trailer detached on Interstate 70 west of Tower Road.
Where the hail fell
| Area | Largest hail on record | Size name |
|---|---|---|
| Centennial (north-northwest of the airport) | 1.75 in. | Golf ball |
| Aurora (west of Buckley) | 1.50 in. | Ping pong ball |
| Aurora (south and east of Buckley) | 1.25 in. | Half dollar |
| Highlands Ranch | 1.00 in. | Quarter |
| Cherry Hills Village | 0.88 in. | Nickel |
If you live in Centennial, Aurora or Highlands Ranch and your roof is older than 2014, this storm is part of its history. Our Highlands Ranch hail storm guide covers what to do when roofers knock after a storm like this.
What golf ball and smaller hail does to a roof
Hail of 1 to 1.75 inches rarely punches holes, but it does real damage that is easy to underestimate. On asphalt shingles it knocks granules loose and bruises the mat, and on older, brittle shingles the bruises can crack. Aluminum gutters, downspouts, box vents and window wraps dent readily at this size, so dented metal is often the first sign homeowners notice. Concrete tile usually survives golf ball hail, though older or thinner tile can chip at the corners.
Because the damage is subtle, storms like this one produce a wide spread of outcomes: some roofs need full replacement, many need nothing, and the difference is the age and type of the shingle. That is exactly the kind of storm where an inspection with photos matters more than what neighbors decide.
How to check a roof for this storm
- Confirm the roof’s age. A roof replaced after September 2014 never saw this storm.
- Look at the soft metal on every side of the house for dents, and at the downspout outlets for granules.
- On a close inspection, ask for test squares on each slope so the hit count per slope is written down.
- If the roof has had several smaller storms since, ask the inspector to describe which marks look newest.
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 12 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
- June 18 and 19, 2018 Hailstorms: hail to 3 in.
- May 8, 2017 Denver hailstorm (full write-up)
- 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, September 29, 2014; NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, event 538617 (Centennial Airport, 1.75 in., $213.3 million); NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database, event 538631 (Manila, 70 kt estimated gust); NWS hail size reference; C.R.S. 10-4-110.8 (unofficial reproduction); Colorado Division of Insurance, hail consumer advisory (May 22, 2024).
