Woman Casually Enters Severe Storm, Yells While Pelted By Hail

By Chris Spears

DENVER (CBS4) - Note to self: here's what you should not do during a thunderstorm.

In particular, one that has been classified as severe due to large hail.

CBS4 viewer Michael Clarkson took this video Tuesday afternoon while seeking shelter during a hailstorm near 80th and Wadsworth in Arvada.

In the video, a woman can be seen casually walking into the hail and yelling "ouch" as she bent down to collect some of the stones.

What's astounding is there's no sense of urgency to rethink her decision and she can be heard continuing to yell for about 20 seconds.

Perhaps the woman felt inclined to make a report to the National Weather Service so the general public could stay well informed, but likely not.

Hailstones falling to the ground can reach speeds of 20 mph or greater and can be life threatening.

While we highly discourage anyone from entering a hailstorm, if you feel the need to do so, please consider some type of protection, especially for your head.

And hail is not the only hazard here because all thunderstorms, severe or not, produce lightning, which is the number one cause of injury and death in Colorado.

Meteorologist Chris Spears writes about stories related to weather and climate in Colorado. Check out his bio, connect with him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter @ChrisCBS4.