Colorado Springs CO. tornadoes?

[otowi]

I remember one when I was about six where we had to go down to the basement and hang out for a few hours and afterward we found our neighbor's shed had blown away and a few neighbors' cars were overturned and a few windows around the area were broken. That's the most I've ever seen or heard of in the city/suburbs of the Springs itself - we've had more damaging winds than that that were not cyclonic - we can occasionally get some very strong straight winds. A crazy chinook wind in January about 3 years back knocked over a bunch of semis and tore off a bunch of roofs and a lot of trees were torn up from their roots.

Ellicott had a major (by our standards) tornado that destroyed the school in about 2001, but no one was hurt.

Funnel clouds are not all that uncommon here but actual tornadoes are pretty rare and they tend to be weak EF-0 or EF-1. Since the classification system has been used, there has never been an EF-5 tornado in Colorado, and only one EF-4 that actually started in Oklahoma and crossed the state line. Based on historical data, there is less than one EF-3 per year, about 6 a decade. Only about 5 tornado-caused deaths since 1950. Climate change does suggest that more and stronger tornadoes may be a reality over time, but in Colorado tornadoes are not generally a big deal. They are mostly located on the Eastern plains in lower populated areas - Weld County is the tornado hotspot for the state.

Tornadoes are not something people in Colorado Springs generally worry about, but we do have tornado drills at schools, etc., just in case.

https://climate.atmos.colostate.edu/..._Tornadoes.pdf

[EmmiesLittles]

Originally Posted by cravinbob

Yes there are tornadoes in Colorado Springs. There are funnel clouds also, which are called tornadoes when they touch the earth.
In 1979 I believe I had lived here a year and 3 tornadoes touched down on the city's westside at about 21st and highway 24. One traveled east on Colorado Ave and all three did their share of damage. A liquor store called the Bottle Stop had its west side wall sucked out about 6 inches. The wall was made of cinder blocks. I have a few photos of damage in my photo box. It was a very thick sky just prior and the thunder clouds had a greenish hue. Then the rain then hail started and quickly became a down pour. The tornadoes appeared in trio for about 5 minutes travelling northeast then began going back up into the sky. The rain and hail stopped as the storm just like that moved on. The sky was as blue as could be and then trash started falling from the sky: fiberglass. roof shingles, small limbs and leaves and numerous other junk.
I have seen fierce storms here and also funnel clouds but not so much in the last decade. The city is not in the mountains but just east in what is called high desert plains. It can get cold and snow can drift on roads stranding the unprepared after a sunny morning. Winters usually were cold days followed by warm days but that pattern has changed to cold days only in winter. We are on the western edge of tornado alley, make no mistake, the weather can get violent. Residents must always bring clothing on outings for any type weather no matter the season. One year the Pikes Peak Hill Climb was delayed on July 4th because of snow!

Just came across your post regarding tornadoes in Colorado Springs and would love to know how to view the photos you mention.

I love our city even though I'm a transplant from 25 years ago.

[Miss Hepburn]

Wish I knew how to post the photo to my phone of the tornado 2 days ago in Black Forest ...on ABC Nat'l News they said it was funnel cloud...it was HUGE! It was on that cool cloudy day.

[wilberry]

wow

[wilberry]

Originally Posted by Miss Hepburn

Wish I knew how to post the photo to my phone of the tornado 2 days ago in Black Forest ...on ABC Nat'l News they said it was a funnel cloud...it was HUGE! It was on that cool cloudy day.

wish I could have seen that!

The original OP might still be in COS somewhere .......

[mlulu23]

Here are the search results for tornado in Black Forest, Colorado.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=tornado+in...=v139-1&ia=web

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by allup

Been here 20 years, Never heard of one in the Springs. All are north west of Denver.

They're northeast of Denver, sometimes Aurora gets tornado warnings. Aurora is right on the edge of the Plains.

[wilberry]

awesome pictures