Colorado weather: Landspout tornado spotted near DIA
Severe thunderstorms could bring large hail, tornadoes, high winds and lighting to swaths of the Eastern Plains, according to the National Weather Service.
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Update 5 p.m.: A landspout tornado formed north of Denver International Airport on Friday afternoon, according to reports from trained weather spotters.
Witnesses reported the tornado southwest of Lochbuie along Interstate 76, east of Brighton, at 4:10 p.m.
Landspout tornadoes are different than supercell tornadoes because they can form without the clouds above rotating, according to the National Weather Service. They are most common on Colorado’s Eastern Plains and in Wyoming and New Mexico.
Update 4:40 p.m.: A storm over Adams and Weld counties has weakened enough that it likely won’t produce a tornado, National Weather Service forecasters said.
Folks can still expect small hail, gusty wind and heavy rains as the storm moves over the area.
Sections of Adams, Weld and Morgan counties are under a severe thunderstorm warning, with ping-pong-sized hail and 60 mph winds possible.
“People and animals outdoors will be injured. Expect hail damage to roofs, siding, windows, and vehicles. Expect wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees,” forecasters wrote.
Update 4:15 p.m.: A tornado warning is in effect for sections of Adams County north of Denver International Airport, according to forecasters.
Weather radars indicate a tornado is possible, the agency said in an alert. Pea-sized hail is also possible. The tornado warning lasts until 4:30 p.m. and is expected to impact the Brighton area.
People should move inside to a room on lowest floor away from windows. Anyone outdoors or in a mobile home or vehicle should move to the closest substantial shelter to protect themselves from flying debris, forecasters said.
Original story: Severe thunderstorms could bring large hail, tornadoes, high winds and lighting to swaths of the Eastern Plains on Friday, according to the National Weather Service.
A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect until 10 p.m. for northeast Colorado, including Weld, Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Sedgwick, Washington and Yuma counties, forecasters said. Storms could bring scattered hail up to 2 inches, winds up to 75 mph and frequent lightning.
A brief tornado is also possible in Yuma County, according to the agency.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
