Flash-floods rendered several Colorado Springs roadways impassable Wednesday night, and pelted the city with hailstones greater than an inch in diameter.
Flood waters crippled the east side of Colorado Springs, leaving drivers stranded in deep waters at several major intersections, and prompting police to close several roads. Colorado Springs firefighters were busy locating drivers who abandoned their cars to the rushing tides.
Police urged drivers to avoid the following roads due to flooding:
CHELTON & PLATTE
MAIZELAND & ACADEMY
CONSTITUTION & CIRCLE E. to ACADEMY
UNION & FILLMORE {ALL DIRECTIONS}
PLATTE & ACADEMY {ALL DIRECTIONS}
GALLEY & CHELTON
CHELTON & QUERIDA
Sections of all of the roads were barricaded to drivers as police tried to navigate flood waters.
Union Boulevard from Constitution Avenue to Palmer Park Boulevard was closed briefly Wednesday evening due to flooding. Waters surged around North Academy Boulevard and East Platte Avenue, shutting down several lanes.
Drivers were told to avoid Academy Boulevard and Maizeland Road due to heavy flooding, and the Colorado Springs Fire Department responded to several pleas for help from drivers all along Constitution Avenue. Constitution was flooded and impassable and every intersection, according to police radios.
There was at least one report of a car underwater near The Citadel mall off Galley Road, on the east side of town. Firefighter dashed to multiple rescues, often just protecting abandoned cars about to be overtaken by rising water. At least one person had to be rescued in the area of Santa Rosa and Chelton, where much of strom's troubles were centered.
Just before 9 p.m. the calls for help were still coming in--from drivers whose cars were struck, and from concerned residents as they watched water rush past their homes. Some reports came in that sections of South Chelton Road, north of Mallard Drive, had collapsed.
On the northeast side of Colorado Springs, six inches of water was gushing along I-25, according to the National Weather Service.
A flash-flood warning for Colorado Springs and eastern El Paso County, issued by the National Weather Service, is in effect until 9:30 p.m.
The severe thunderstorm that blew in Colorado Springs just before 7 p.m. is expected to pelt golf ball-sized hailstones on northern El Paso County Wednesday night, according to the National Weather Service.
Strong wind gusts of up to 60 mph are expected to whip through the Pikes Peak Region as well. Weather service maps show the storm sweeping through northern El Paso County and across the eastern plains.
Elsewhere, more flash flood warnings and small tornadoes hit the eastern side of the state. A small tornado was spotted north of Denver International Airport around 5 p.m., according to the Associated Press.
Flash flood warnings were also issued for parts of Elbert, Douglas, and Arapahoe Counties.
PLEASE CALL THE POLICE AT 719.444.7000 IF YOU WANT TO REPORT A FLOOD IN YOUR AREA
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