Tornado Rips Through N. Colorado; 1 Killed

Massive Twister Flips Over Tractor-Trailers, Rips Roofs Off Buildings

(AP)  A large tornado tore through several northern Colorado towns on Thursday, flipping over tractor-trailers, ripping roofs off buildings and killing at least one person.

The Weld County coroner's office confirmed one person was killed in the storm, which struck about 50 miles north of Denver. The office declined to provide details about how or where the person was killed.

The National Weather Service issued a tornado warning just after noon, and The Associated Press began fielding calls about a tornado touchdown soon afterward. The storm moved north-northwestward through or near the towns of Platteville, Milliken, Greeley and Windsor. Television footage showed homes and buildings with roofs missing and farm irrigation equipment crumpled.

Emergency personnel were trying to determine how many people were hurt, and how badly.

"We have every type of injury, broken bones, cuts, bruises, from everything from falling trees to broken glass hitting them," said Jolene Schneider, spokeswoman for the Windsor Fire Department. "Only thing we are trying to figure out now is how many and how severe."

Windsor, a farm town of about 16,000, appeared the hardest hit. Video footage showed a dark gray funnel perhaps a quarter-mile wide near the town with heavy hail and rain. At least one residential neighborhood in Windsor appeared to have suffered heavy damage.

"It passed right over us like a big, white monster," said 87-year-old Windsor resident Thomas Coupe.

Splintered wood, mangled metal and other debris cluttered roads, yards and agricultural fields. About 130 children at a daycare center in Windsor were reported safe after the storm passed through; playground equipment outside the center was damaged.

"My house is gone," said Pete Ambrose, a caretaker at a Weld County campground outside Greeley. "I lost my dog. I lost my cats. I lost my camper. I lost everything."

Windsor resident Liz Meyer, 65, said she heard thunder and hail and rushed with her dog into her basement. Her house wasn't damaged, but a 60-foot tree was uprooted from two blocks away and dumped near her home. "And look. It went into the street instead of into my house," Meyer said.

Parts of Interstate 25, the state's main north-south highway, and state Highway 85, an alternate route, were closed to traffic. The American Red Cross was setting up a shelter at the Windsor Community Center.

Some 60,000 customers lost power in the area, according to XCel energy.

A tornado warning also was issued for an area about 100 miles northeast of Denver, but there were no reported tornadoes. A funnel cloud was spotted near Longmont, about 30 miles north of Denver, but there were no immediate reports of damage.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning Thursday afternoon for southeastern Wyoming.

State troopers responded to reports of vehicles turned over on Interstate 80 in Laramie, a dispatcher with the Wyoming Highway Patrol said.

On its Web site, the Wyoming Department of Transportation Web posted video showing a tractor trailer on its side and a boat that apparently had been blown off of a flatbed trailer on the interstate.

The Laramie Fire Department said it had received no reports of a tornadoes touching down in the area.

[bdrlnt4rl]

okcnfrcr

you said the key word,,,,,pray

[okcnfrcr]

I have seen first hand fresh evidence of the destructive nature and size of tornados. I was a first responder in OKC May 3, 1999. The tornado was on the ground for about 90 miles was close to a mile wide and at it''s greatest force was estimated to be 306 mph. The things you see about straw impaled into wood poles, 2x4''s going through several walls, cars compacted into unrecognizable heaps of metal etc. It was all there. We have 3 excellent weather stations with two having helicopters with extremely experienced pilots and storm spotters. The National Weather Service and SEvere storms laboratory is just south in Norman. If you ever are in one, get low in shelter, bathroom, closet, if you have helmets (bicycle or Motorcycle put them on, mattresses or clothes over you and pray.

[awhender]

Hello My name is Andrew and I am a resident of Weld County Colorado, Greeley to be more exact. I have lived here for 12 years... which is really long because i''m only 16, and I have never seen a tornado this size ever. My Grandma''s car is totalled, and my aunt is in the hospital. A local town, Windsor is ruined and the community is in tatters. Anyone who tells me that this is no big deal and happens often in the area clearly is clueless off the area.

[truthyness]

What''''s in Obamas Passport file that he doesn''''t want anyone to see anyway??

What''''s the big deal??

Show us your PASSPORT FILE Obama!!!

[bdrlnt4rl]

HawkSprings


and trust me on this one, i am not going on global warning. relating the religious points to the religious people out there.

[bdrlnt4rl]

has anyone looked up the site cb_brooklyn posted?? and any opinions on it.

[hawksprings]

talk about diverse places!!! signs are slapping us in the face!!!!!
Posted by bdrlnt4rl at 06:47 PM : May 22, 2008

I''''m not sure if this was mentioned in the article, but the local news here stated that some of the funnels were nearly a mile wide. A tornado of that magnitude in Colorado is extremely rare, we''''re just barely part of the area considered "Tornado Alley".
Posted by sverre5

Now Let''s not get all Global Warming on us here.
Weld County COlorado has one of the highest incidents of tornadoes in the entire US. More than most every county in "Tornado Alley". So a tornado in this area is not uncommon at all. Plus they are only rating it at an F2 or F3. Plus there has been TREMENDOUS growth in this area, and the subdivision hit didn''t even exist a few years ago.

[CB_Brooklyn]

These tornadoes are probably being created by the "Global Elite".

See Dr Judy Wood''s latest paper on "black-op" technology and how it''s being used against us instead of for productive purposes:

9/11 Weather Anomalies and Field Effects
http://www.drjudywood.com/articles/erin/


How many know there was a powerful hurricane (Erin) in the Atlantic Ocean in September of 2001? Hurricane Erin was closest to NYC, and at its largest size, on 9/11.

Hurricanes and tornadoes resemble gigantic Tesla Coils, a building block of free-energy technology. See above paper for more information.

[bdrlnt4rl]

talk about diverse places!!! signs are slapping us in the face!!!!!

[sverre5-2009]

I''m not sure if this was mentioned in the article, but the local news here stated that some of the funnels were nearly a mile wide. A tornado of that magnitude in Colorado is extremely rare, we''re just barely part of the area considered "Tornado Alley". Hopefully the victims of this storm get the help they need to rebuild.

[aaabee-2009]

Posted by Edward1975 at 04:58 PM : May 22, 2008

Charity is giving, Edward. Not taking.

[edward1975-2009]

So we can expect the world to send money for our disaster fund. Oh , only we do that. Sorry.