Several powerful storms unleashed “gigantic” tornadoes in Colorado, causing baseball-sized hailstones that shattered windows and potentially shattered the state’s size record. Yuma County, a rural region to the west of Denver, was under tornado warnings on Tuesday. The National Weather Service (NWS) urged residents to seek shelter as severe thunderstorms with winds up to 60 mph swept through surrounding areas.

The NWS predicted “severe storms” into the evening, accompanied by “destructive hail,” though uncertainties remained about the weather’s extent and development. Meteorologists later measured hailstones up to three inches in diameter.

Storm chaser Dakota McGee shared images of “extremely severe hail” she found south of Yuma, displaying hailstones comparable in size to a four-inch softball or slightly larger than a golf ball.

Reports suggest that even larger hail might have fallen, potentially surpassing Colorado’s prior record of 4.83 inches and 8.5 ounces from August 2019. Storm chaser Dan Fitts shared a hailstone image from Highway 36, near Kirk, with a recorded diameter of around 5.3 inches, prompting the NWS station in Goodland, Kansas, to request freezing the stone for potential state record certification.

The NWS spokesperson stated that the hailstone is now stored in a freezer, awaiting verification from the Colorado state climatologist.

Amidst the tumultuous weather, storm chasers documented tornadoes. One storm chaser described the loss of a car window due to hail in the midst of a “rear flank downdraft,” a cooler air pocket caused by hail. Another storm chaser captured footage of an “absolute monster” tornado near Yuma.

The NWS forecasted diminishing storm coverage in the Denver and Boulder area, though severe thunderstorm watches persisted for eastern Colorado and parts of Kansas. Colorado’s tornado season typically spans from May to August, marked by twisters and severe thunderstorms.