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Tennis Ball-Sized Hailstones Damage Cars, Homes

ELIZABETH, Colo. (CBS4) - A massive complex of supercell thunderstorms rolled through Elbert County Wednesday evening and produced hailstones that were nearly as big as tennis balls.

The storm came through at approximately 6:45 p.m.

Gabe Zepeda, a 12-year-old boy who lives in the town of Elizabeth, said it was both exciting and frightening when the storm passed over.

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"All of a sudden I just heard this loud crack. I was like, 'What?' All of a sudden I look out the window, I see crazy, like big, big ice cubes just falling from the sky."

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Hail from a storm in Elizabeth during early June 2015. (credit: CBS)

Just north of Zepeda's town CBS4 found a minivan and truck with shattered windshields and dented hoods from the hail.

A home's side window was also shattered, and a chicken coop was banged up.

CBS4's Justin McHeffey said thunderstorms have to have incredible updraft strength to hold the ice aloft for as long as these did.

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