Tornado on the ground in Ellicott
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Heavy Wind Damages Homes In Plains Town
(AP) ELLICOTT, Colo. Powerful thunderstorms swept across eastern Colorado on Monday, spawning high winds that damaged at least two homes in the town of Ellicott and lightning that sparked several small fires.
No injuries were immediately reported in the town 20 miles east of Colorado Springs, said El Paso County spokesman Lt. Clif Northam.
Connie Beatty had just returned from the grocery store when she and her husband, Red, saw the storm coming in fast. They had no warning and no time to hide before howling winds crushed the south side of their ranch house.
"My husband said 'I better put the car in the garage, just in case,"' Beatty said in a phone interview as her husband worked with rescue teams outside. "A minute later, the hail started and I said, 'Here comes the wind' ... We had no warning."
Violent storms were reported along more than 100 miles of the Rockies' eastern slopes, from Larimer County south to El Paso County. In Evergreen, just west of Denver, lightning struck a recreation center and started a fire.
The building was evacuated and no one was injured, said Beth Morrison, an employee with a larger recreation center in the town in the foothills west of Denver.
"It was a one-time hit on the roof. It did ignite," she said.
The National Weather Service said a trained observer spotted a tornado six miles north of Ellicott about 4 p.m. Monday. The tornado was not immediately confirmed, but residents said there was little doubt about the fury of the storm.
Debbie McCammond didn't know the storm had struck a house about a half-mile from her home.
"The wind started, we got the real bad gust of wind, the hail started, then it calmed down," McCammond said. "That's when I ran out to get the rest of my clothes off the line. Then I just saw it coming across the pasture. It was a wall of water. It took out a tree, the roof off my shed.
"We had lots of warning, but I live in a doublewide. I figure it's going to get me one way or another."
The Beattys didn't have time to take shelter and in seconds, one end of their home collapsed, crushing a spare bedroom and a bathroom. No one was hurt, but Connie Beatty's voice shook with emotion as she spoke about the incident.
The Beatty's horse, a 9-year-old female named Classy, jumped a fence in panic and suffered cuts and bruises, but seemed otherwise unharmed, she said.
"We were mostly just worried about our animals," Beatty said.
Beatty said firefighters were still evaluating the damage, but she was hopeful she and her husband could stay in it.
Firefighters were responding to reports of at least three wildfires sparked by lightning strikes, Northam said.
(AP) ELLICOTT, Colo. Powerful thunderstorms swept across eastern Colorado on Monday, spawning high winds that damaged at least two homes in the town of Ellicott and lightning that sparked several small fires.
No injuries were immediately reported in the town 20 miles east of Colorado Springs, said El Paso County spokesman Lt. Clif Northam.
Connie Beatty had just returned from the grocery store when she and her husband, Red, saw the storm coming in fast. They had no warning and no time to hide before howling winds crushed the south side of their ranch house.
"My husband said 'I better put the car in the garage, just in case,"' Beatty said in a phone interview as her husband worked with rescue teams outside. "A minute later, the hail started and I said, 'Here comes the wind' ... We had no warning."
Violent storms were reported along more than 100 miles of the Rockies' eastern slopes, from Larimer County south to El Paso County. In Evergreen, just west of Denver, lightning struck a recreation center and started a fire.
The building was evacuated and no one was injured, said Beth Morrison, an employee with a larger recreation center in the town in the foothills west of Denver.
"It was a one-time hit on the roof. It did ignite," she said.
The National Weather Service said a trained observer spotted a tornado six miles north of Ellicott about 4 p.m. Monday. The tornado was not immediately confirmed, but residents said there was little doubt about the fury of the storm.
Debbie McCammond didn't know the storm had struck a house about a half-mile from her home.
"The wind started, we got the real bad gust of wind, the hail started, then it calmed down," McCammond said. "That's when I ran out to get the rest of my clothes off the line. Then I just saw it coming across the pasture. It was a wall of water. It took out a tree, the roof off my shed.
"We had lots of warning, but I live in a doublewide. I figure it's going to get me one way or another."
The Beattys didn't have time to take shelter and in seconds, one end of their home collapsed, crushing a spare bedroom and a bathroom. No one was hurt, but Connie Beatty's voice shook with emotion as she spoke about the incident.
The Beatty's horse, a 9-year-old female named Classy, jumped a fence in panic and suffered cuts and bruises, but seemed otherwise unharmed, she said.
"We were mostly just worried about our animals," Beatty said.
Beatty said firefighters were still evaluating the damage, but she was hopeful she and her husband could stay in it.
Firefighters were responding to reports of at least three wildfires sparked by lightning strikes, Northam said.
Ended up not being a tornado
EL PASO COUNTY - Experts say preliminary findings show damage caused to four properties by Monday's storm near Ellicott was not from a tornado.
Possible tornado damages three homes
Storm produces tornado, large hail
Bill Fortune with the National Weather Service in Pueblo says he believes the damage was not caused by a twister, but by high winds.
"Pretty much what I'm looking at is straight line winds, I don't see anything that would lead me to believe the damage was produced by a tornado," said Fortune.
However, witnesses say they saw a funnel cloud and don't believe the damage was from high winds.
"This was a tornado. I believe it took this much force to do that kind of damage," said Steve Waltz who lives near Ellicott.
Clean up continued Tuesday after Monday's storms. The damaged areas are about one and a half miles outside of Ellicott, which is 22 miles east of Colorado Springs.
No injuries were reported.
The final findings of what exactly caused the damage could be available as early as Wednesday.
EL PASO COUNTY - Experts say preliminary findings show damage caused to four properties by Monday's storm near Ellicott was not from a tornado.
Possible tornado damages three homes
Storm produces tornado, large hail
Bill Fortune with the National Weather Service in Pueblo says he believes the damage was not caused by a twister, but by high winds.
"Pretty much what I'm looking at is straight line winds, I don't see anything that would lead me to believe the damage was produced by a tornado," said Fortune.
However, witnesses say they saw a funnel cloud and don't believe the damage was from high winds.
"This was a tornado. I believe it took this much force to do that kind of damage," said Steve Waltz who lives near Ellicott.
Clean up continued Tuesday after Monday's storms. The damaged areas are about one and a half miles outside of Ellicott, which is 22 miles east of Colorado Springs.
No injuries were reported.
The final findings of what exactly caused the damage could be available as early as Wednesday.
cstockmyer
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Yikes its scary that all that damage can come from high winds!
I was on scene as the staging officer for this incident. There was quite a bit of discussion as to whether it was actually a tornado or just a real bad T-storm. NWS has said there was a supercell in that area when this occured.
There is always the possibility that there was a funnel cloud (which is NOT actually a tornado), but that the damage was caused by high winds. On the other hand, if looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then...
In any case, what caused the damage doesn't really matter to the folks who were affected by it.
There is always the possibility that there was a funnel cloud (which is NOT actually a tornado), but that the damage was caused by high winds. On the other hand, if looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then...
In any case, what caused the damage doesn't really matter to the folks who were affected by it.
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