Sunday, June 15, 2014

Damaging weather in Colorado

Powerful storms pushed through Colorado Wednesday, causing isolated damage in eastern portions of the state. The National Weather Service (NWS) says spotters saw six reported tornadoes in the area. 
Winds to the south of one reported tornado spawned measured wind gusts up to 111 mph, which slammed the town of Hugo, Colorado, flattening a barn, downing power lines, and blowing over a semi-truck, which injured two people.
"Based on the wind directions and pressure patterns in the Weather Underground observations, as well as National Weather Service radar data, it appears Hugo was hit by powerful straight-line winds from a rear flank downdraft to the south of any actual tornado," said weather.com meteorologist Nick Wiltgen.
Reported tornadoes will not be confirmed until the NWS conducts surveys at the sites, but regardless, the strong winds and hail associated with the storms caused extensive damage.

Multiple cars were destroyed in the storms, including a classic: a 1962 Chevy Bel Air that was crushed when the gusting winds caused a barn to collapse in Hugo, KUSA reports.
According to KUSA, the car was more than just another vehicle to Richard and Jennie Hoefler. The couple had driven in that same car to their prom years ago. Luckily, despite the loss of their barn and car, the Hoeflers and their house were both spared from the destruction.
Lincoln County Sheriff's Capt. Clint Tweden said that despite the damage, most of Hugo's nearly 800 residents still had power after the storms pushed through the area.
 

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