DENVER – A round of thunderstorms that produced hail and heavy rain over Colorado caused hazardous travel conditions on Thursday, leading to at least one water rescue.
The Bennett-Watkins Fire Department said they responded to a highway east of Denver International Airport to an individual who was stranded in their vehicle by standing water.
Firefighters urged drivers to stay away from the highway during the rescue operation and avoid travel until water levels subsided.
Thunderstorms dropped several inches of rain over a short period of time which led to Flash Flood Warnings being issued for several counties around the metro by the National Weather Service.
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The NWS received several witness accounts of flooding throughout the city and reported one to two feet of water covering some streets northwest of Denver around 5:30 p.m. local time.
Scott Milani took photos of Interstate 25, which resembled a feature more like a lake after the storms moved through.
Multiple lanes of the usually busy interstate appeared to be underwater, and several vehicles ended up stranded after drivers tried to travel through the ponding on the roadway.
After the storms moved eastward, video showed Colorado Department of Transportation crews working to clear debris and standing water from the highway.
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The FOX Forecast Center warned another round of showers and thunderstorms was likely on Friday as the Independence Day weekend gets underway.
Disturbances are moving around a prominent ridge of high pressure parked over the central U.S.
This phenomenon is frequently referred to as the “ring of fire” pattern by meteorologists and is expected to slowly weaken and push eastward over the holiday weekend.