At least two powerful EF2 tornadoes touched down east of the Denver Metro Area last weekend
At least two powerful EF2 tornadoes touched down east of the Denver Metro Area last weekend 04:43
The weather turned dangerous Sunday afternoon just east of the Denver metro area, where four tornadoes touched down between 1 and 2 p.m. Three of the four were rated EF2, and one was an EF1. Two of the EF2 tornadoes tracked near Bennett and Elkhorn Ranch, producing estimated winds up to 125 mph.
Incredibly, the two tornadoes near Bennett were on the ground simultaneously, from 1:40 to 1:46 p.m.
Damage surveys were conducted on Monday. Here are the preliminary reports:
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Elkhorn Ranch Tornado (NW Elbert County)
This tornado formed around 1:07 p.m. and was classified as a strong landspout, which is uncommon for this area. It caused damage near the Elkhorn neighborhood before dissipating five minutes later.
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Greg Torfin's home in Elbert County was damaged by a tornado. CBS
Manila Road Tornado (Arapahoe County)
The second tornado touched down south of Manila Village and tracked northeast. This one was tied to a more organized supercell.
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Tornado in Bennett capturedd on traffic camera along I-70 Colorado Department of Transportation
Bennett Tornado #1 (Arapahoe to Adams County)
This was the most significant tornado of the day, with a long 5-mile path just west and north of Bennett.
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A tornado in Adams County on Sunday. Cory Samaniego Lee
Bennett Tornado #2 (Northeast of Town)
A second tornado formed while the first was still on the ground, overlapping in time but not location. It was the widest of the four, with a path stretching over 4.5 miles.
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A tornado that struck Colorado on Sunday. Vickki Katchen
Joe Ruch
Joe Ruch is a First Alert Meteorologist with CBS News Colorado. Catch his latest First Alert Weather updates on TV and on our free streaming service, CBS News Colorado. Check out his bio and send him an email.