Severe weather erupted by early afternoon along the urban corridor, as funnel clouds were spotted in Adams and Broomfield counties, prompting two Tornado Warnings.
The first warning was issued around 1:30 p.m. when weather spotters noticed rotation in clouds near Thornton, Northglenn and Commerce City. Another was issued at about 2:30 p.m.
While it was still unclear if any of the funnel clouds touched-down as tornadoes, there were reports of minor storm damage in Commerce City where several trees were toppled in the area of 67th and Bellaire.
But residents of Bellaire Street are convinced it was a tornado that came through their neighborhood early this afternoon, though authorities are not so sure. In any event, some significant tree damage did occur in the area.
One resident said it had stopped raining and the winds had picked up.
"I heard this sound and it sounded like you were standing right in front of a freight train when they're pulling the horn," he said, "and I screamed at everybody. I said get in the house, get in the bathtub."
Another eyewitness experienced the power of the storm, too.
"I mean it was sucking stuff out of the house. It sucked a neighbor's window out, and I finally got back to the house and closed the door and it was gone. That was it, you know," said Stoney Deardeuff. "Just the power of it, you couldn't even breathe...just sucking everything in its path."
"A big gust of wind and I looked out the window and the tree came crashing down. It came down before any sirens went off," said resident Cindy Perez.
No injuries were reported.
The storms also brought heavy rain and pea to marble-sized hail to many parts of the metro area.
The National Weather Service said the hail was 2 to 3 inches deep on the ground in Thornton Wednesday and no bigger than three-quarters of an inch in diameter. But it was so widespread that plows were used to clear the roads in the north suburbs.
One to two inches of rainfall is possible in the metro area through Friday morning.
The Mountains above 10,000 ft. can expect 8-16" of wet snow. The valleys will see moderate rains.
The rain finally tapers off by Friday morning. We'll see a few peaks of sunshine on Friday too. Saturday looks sunny to partly sunny with highs around 70. Sunday features some sun but a chance of an afternoon storm - high around 72.
Those who live in the middle of large land masses - North America, Northern and Southern Eurasia, India and China - can expect to see more extreme weather events as large air masses move and collide.
Conversely, those who live within about 100 miles (160km) from an ocean, with its moderating effects, need not fear such harsh weather. Just don't reside *too* near to the ocean, as there are tsunamis, too.
What with the entire Northern Hemisphere and especially the US now being irradiated and polluted with plutonium, uranium, cesium, strontium, iodine and other radioactive fission products, it might be time to move, however. There will be more accidents, most likely.
Since the Southern Hemisphere has fewer nuclear reactor plants, it might be a good destination. Some places in South America could be attractive, although I'll admit that I haven't researched any as yet.