A320 FLT CREW ENCOUNTERS RAIN; HAIL; WINDSHEAR AND AIRSPD INCREASE OF 25-30 KTS DURING APCH TO DEN. FLT CREW ELECTS TO GO AROUND AND HOLD UNTIL WX PASSES.

Narrative

WE WERE ON APCH TO RWY 35L IN DEN. THERE WAS A TSTM OFF TO THE W AND N OF THE FIELD BY 5-10 MI. AS WE GOT CLOSER TO THE MARKER; THE SKIES DARKENED AND THE HVY RAIN BEGAN TO STRETCH TOWARDS THE OM ON RWY 35L. WE OPTED TO TAKE RWY 35R. THE CAPT WAS EXTREMELY BUSY AT THE TIME CHANGING THE BOX AND COMMUNICATING WITH TWR. AROUND 9000 FT; WE OVERHEARD THE PLANE IN FRONT OF US ON RWY 35R SAY HE HAD +20 KTS ON APCH. JUST THEN WE STARTED TO ENCOUNTER HVY RAIN; WITH SEVERAL DOWNDRAFTS. WE WERE AT FLAPS FULL; GEAR UP (CAN'T REMEMBER ASKING FOR GEAR; BUT THOUGHT I DID). WE THEN ENCOUNTERED A 25-30 KT INCREASE AT ALMOST LEVEL FLT. WE OVERSPED THE FLAPS BY 10-15 KTS. I THEN SAID IT WAS TIME TO GO AROUND; AND AS I WAS INITIATING IT; WE ENCOUNTERED PEA-SIZED HAIL FOR APPROX 15 SECONDS. THE TWR WANTED US TO CONTINUE TOWARDS THE FIELD; BUT I DECIDED TO TURN AWAY FROM THE DOWNDRAFTS AND HAIL. WE HEADED E. WE WENT TO A FIX ON THE RWY 35L LOC AND HELD FOR ABOUT 5 MINS. THE STORM MOVED OFF THE FIELD AND WE ELECTED TO LAND ON RWY 34R UNEVENTFULLY.