The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch for much of northeastern Colorado including the Denver Metro area.  Counties under the watch include Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, Douglas, Elbert, Kit Carson, Lincoln Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Sedgwick, Washington, Weld and Yuma.  This watch is in effect until 8:00pm tonight. 

Tornado Watches are issued when weather conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms that are capable of producing tornadoes. A tornado watch therefore implies that it is also a severe thunderstorm watch.

As we all saw two weeks ago in Weld County, conditions can quickly deteriorate and the weather can present a very real danger to life and property.  Now would be a good time to run through tornado emergency procedures in your mind. 

Please remember, should the tornado threat increase:  Get in, get down and cover up!  A well built structure with a basement is ideal shelter but if that is not available, an interior bathroom or closet is next best.  Modular and mobile homes are NEVER a good option nor are vehicles.  If you are in a vehicle and a tornado is near, abandon it immediately and seek shelter in a low lying area such as a ditch. 

For these and other tornado safety tips, please see our Severe Weather 101 – Tornadoes. 

UPDATE, 1:13pm – Severe damage appears to have been caused by the first tornado to strike today. The Greeley Tribune is reporting one possible tornado death near the missile silo park near Colo. 257 near 10th Street in west Greeley. Reports are that old town Windsor has been heavily damaged.

UPDATE, 12:38pm – At 12:23pm law enforcement reported a tornado 4 miles west of Dacono (24 miles north of Denver). Storm is moving at 33mph. A Tornado Warning is active for the immediate area including Niwot, Dacono and Longmont.

Thursday, May 22nd, 2008 12:25pm MDT

The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch effective until 8:00pm tonight for much of the central plains including the Denver metro area. Visual and radar indications show great potential for severe thunderstorms, hail and tornadoes in the area under the watch.

At 11:30am radar showed a tornado touching down three miles east of Milliken (about 45 miles north of Denver). The radar image at the right shows the cell in its early stages with a tornado signature. Reports indicate that there have been no injuries but officials have closed Highway 85 at Highway 60 after two semi-trailers were blown over in that area. Power is reported out in Greeley.

All readers should be reminded that a Tornado Watch is issued by the Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma as a precautionary alert when conditions are favorable for the development of tornadoes in the specific area. You may wish to familiarize yourself by reading our Severe Weather 101 – Tornadoes article.

Please stay tuned to area media outlets for more information as this afternoon’s weather develops.

After three consecutive days with temperatures over 85, change is in the air. Low pressure is intensifying over the foothills this afternoon and as a result the chance of thunderstorms is on the increase.

East of a line from Greeley to Byers will be where the greatest threat for severe storms will be. Large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes are a distinct possibility. Closer to the foothills and the metro area, late afternoon and evening will bring gusty winds and a chance for small hail. Scattered showers are possible through midnight.

The slow moving low will help keep temperatures down near normal for the foreseeable future after today however they also will provide for a chance of thunderstorms each day. Some of these storms may become severe although telling where and how widespread this activity will be is difficult. Certainly the northeastern plains have the greatest chance to see some excitement.

A number of advisories are in place at the current time. The southeastern part of the state is under Fire Weather Watches as things are tinder dry. In the mountains, much of the state west of the Continental Divide is under Flood Advisories. The recent warm temperatures have spurred fears of faster than normal snow melt and many rivers and streams are expected to reach flood stage.

This time of year just about anything can be expected. Keep an eye on the skies – especially if you are going to be outdoors for the upcoming holiday weekend.

For those that have seen the Discovery Channel’s StormChasers TV series, you may find it interesting to know that I have just learned that the StormChaser team is currently in Fort Morgan at this very moment.  As mentioned above, severe storms are likely over the northeastern plains this afternoon and evening and they apparently are there expecting the same and hoping to get some good data.  For those that haven’t seen this series, it is a MUST SEE for anyone interesting in severe weather or storm chasing!