Big Hail Hits Fountain: Cars and Gardens Take the Brunt

The day started sunny, but the sky over Fountain turned gray as a hailstorm rolled in, smashing into cars and shaking gardens across several neighborhoods. While not the most massive storm of the past decade, its impact was still hard to ignore.

The Impact

• Fountain Mesa Park
  Every vehicle outside was marked with tiny dents that look like speckles. Residents say the hailstones were as hard as rocks, leaving clear dents on doors and hoods.

• Personal Accounts
  “I was talking to a friend on the phone in my basement, and the hail hit so hard that it seemed louder than our conversation,” one person shared. Even in a closed space, the sound of ice against metal was unmistakable.

• The Mueller Family
  The Muellers, who moved to Fountain only a few years ago, described the event as “the worst hail we’ve seen here.” Lura Mueller added that she had never encountered such large hailstones before. The suddenness of the storm left many shocked, watching from their windows as damage spread.

Residents Recall Past Hailstorms

• “We had to sit by the door and watch everything get wrecked,” said Holly Gillespie.
• Christy Gillespie noted her car was heavily dented and that she could see damage on the roof, suggesting similar conditions for many other vehicles left outside.

Outdoor Damage

• Flower beds and lawns suffered, with some plants uprooted or crushed by the weight of the hail.
• Community members are scrambling to assess and repair both their cars and gardens.

Community Response

Despite the damage, neighbors have come together to share information on insurance claims and repair options.

• Some are already planning to cover their vehicles in garages to avoid future incidents.
• Others hope the city will consider better protective measures for public spaces.

A Stark Reminder

The hailstorm served as a stark reminder that severe weather can strike without warning. Residents are now more cautious, keeping an eye on the skies and preparing for any sudden downpours that could bring hard ice to their homes.