At least 90 injured as golf-ball-sized hail pelts crowd at Colorado's Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Medics raced to the Red Rocks Amphitheater just after 9 p.m. to find dozens injured from the onslaught of hail – mostly cuts but some victims with broken bones, according to West Metro Fire. Seven people were taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Concertgoer talks about moments large hail fell on Red Rocks Amphitheatre
At least 90 people were injured Wednesday evening during an outdoor concert in Colorado when a thunderstorm carrying golf-ball-sized hail moved over the stadium. Jessica Thompson joins FOX Weather to talk about the scary experience as hail began to pelt concertgoers at Red Rocks.
MORRISON, Colo. – At least 90 people were injured Wednesday evening during an outdoor Louis Tomlinson concert in Colorado when a thunderstorm carrying golf-ball-sized hail moved over the stadium and relentlessly pelted the crowd.
Medics raced to the Red Rocks Amphitheater just after 9 p.m. to find dozens in the crowd injured from the falling hail – mostly cuts but some victims with broken bones, according to West Metro Fire. Seven people were taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Videos from the crowd show a chaotic scene as people were struck by the hail, with victims showing off multiple welts and bruises as hail piled up on the ground and torrential rains instantly turned parts of the stadium into raging rivers.
Dramatic scenes from Colorado as a massive hail storm strikes a concert at the Red Rocks Amphitheatre.
At least 90 people were injured after large hail pummeled the crowd at the outdoor concert of the English singer Louis Tomlinson in Colorado on Wednesday as severe thunderstorms moved across the state.
"In a matter of minutes we had to run under a tree," a woman at the concert told KDVR-TV. "And we just got welted and got hit really hard and covered our heads and closed in to people as close as we could."
The National Weather Service's storm report estimated at least 90 were injured but added "the preliminary number of injuries here is based on reports from local fire/rescue and is likely underestimated."
The Red Rocks Amphitheatre had tweeted out a first delay for approaching storms just after 8 p.m. MDT, urging concertgoers to seek shelter in their vehicle and await an all-clear, which was given at 8:35 p.m.
A second weather delay was announced just after 9 p.m., again urging those there to seek shelter. The massive hailstorm struck soon after.
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"We are cold, tired and covered in bruises," tweeted Catalina M in response to the Red Rocks Amphitheater tweet announcing the second severe weather delay.
Hail stones reaching at least 2 inches in diameter can fall at least as fast as 44 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
Golf ball-sized hail pelts crowd at Colorado Louis Tomlinson concert
At least 80 people were injured when a massive hailstorm struck the Red Rock Amphitheater in Morrison Wednesday evening, leaving a chaotic scene as people scrambled for cover. (Video: @mcatalina82 via Storyful)
‘A crazy six weeks in the foothills’
The show was postponed just before 10:30 p.m. but Tomlinson later tweeted he would someday return.
A spokesperson for Red Rocks Amphitheatre said they would welcome Tomlinson back.
"We want to take a moment to acknowledge the severe weather event at Red Rocks last night and offer our sincere best wishes to everyone affected by last night’s storms across Colorado," a spokesperson for Red Rocks Park & Amphitheatre tweeted Thursday morning. "We hope to see Louis Tomlinson and his fans back soon under clear Colorado skies – we know this was supposed to be a special night and many of you traveled long distances to be here, which makes decisions regarding the postponement or cancellation of shows even harder."
The theatre noted weather has been a constant thorn in their side over the past several weeks.
"We're having a little talk with Mother Nature about this weather business at Red Rocks," the spokesperson tweeted. "Between a wind-whipped opening night wildfire, snow showers, torrential rains and hail, it's been a crazy six weeks in the foothills."
Meanwhile, the threat of additional thunderstorms bringing large hail looms both Thursday and Friday in eastern Colorado.