Strong winds up to 65 mph will also buffet eastern Colorado, forecasters said. Non-tornado winds above 50 mph are classified as “damaging” by NWS meteorologists.

Wind shear is the most important determinant of severe weather potential as long as sufficient atmospheric instability exists. Colorado's geography produces many of the severe threats we see.

Thursday afternoon, the Denver metro area will be under a Level 1 – Marginal risk for severe weather, while parts of Eastern and Southeastern Colorado are under a Level 2 – or slight risk for severe storms.