At least three homes were reported damaged tonight after a suspected tornado touched down in Elbert County. Most of the damage was blown out windows, but one person suffered minor injuries, 9News reported.
CBS4 reported that the houses are near the town of Simla, just north of the El Paso County line. The station said the person was injured by glass broken by golf ball sized hail.
The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado touched down in Calhan about 7:46 p.m. Calhan is near Simla, just south of the county line.
The Colorado Department of Transportation reported that U.S. 24 is closed at Calhan because of the severe weather.
Meanwhile, a fresh tornado warning was issued in northwestern Weld County. The
warning, issued after radar indicated a tornado was possible north of the town of Nunn, extends until 9:30 p.m.Eastern El Paco County's tornado warning expired at 8:40 p.m.The tornado was first spotted near County Road 805 and Highway 86 in Elbert County.
To the north, at 8:05 p.m. radar picked up a severe thunderstorm with golf-ball-sized hail 24 miles northeast of Fort Collins moving south at 10 mph, which prompted the National Weather Service to extend the tornado watch for Weld, Morgan and Logan counties. That watch was raised to a warning in parts of Weld County about 8:35 p.m.
Front Range counties south of here to the Palmer Divide have been placed under a flash flood watch until midnight
Earlier, a trained spotter has reported a funnel cloud and 2-inch hail near Raymer in Weld County at 7:20 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.
Radar picked up a storm capable of producing a tornado at 7:14 p.m. moving south at 10 mph. The area was under a tornado warning until 7:45 p.m.
Earlier, a tornado warning also was in effect until 7:45 p.m. for Simla and central Elbert County after radar detected a severe thunderstorm with twister potential at 7:24 p.m. That storm is moving south at 20 mph, the National Weather Service said.
Forecasters had said the metro Denver area could be in for another round of wild, wet weather tonight, but chances are against it being quite as wild as the night before.
"Things have to come together just right to make what we had last night happen," said Bob Kleyla, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service. "For the same thing to happen in the same place two nights in a row, that would pretty unusual."
Because of last night's rain and hail — more than 6 inches saturated soils in some locations — the prospect of more rain today puts El Paso County under a flash flood warning until midnight.
This evening's storms have the potential to drop up to 2 inches more rain in less than an hour.
Last night's storms were stationary for long periods and was fed by moisture from the southeast, Kleyla said. Tonight's storms should move along faster, meaning less rain and intensity at any given location.
Today has the potential for hail up to 2-inches in diameter and winds up to 70 mph across northeastern Colorado where "a couple of weak tornadoes will also be possible," according to the weather service.
Rivers may rise quickly and dirt roads could be washed out by heavy rains, forecasters warn.
Showers and thunderstorms, some severe, should stick around through the night and Denver's low temperature should be about 57 degrees.
On Friday in Denver skies should be mostly sunny, but the city stands a small chance — 10 percent — of showers or a thunderstorm in the afternoon. High temperature in the city on Friday should top out at about 91 degrees.
Nearly all of western Colorado and easter Utah, spared the Front Range's weather, will be under a critical "red flag" fire danger warning from noon to to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with wind gusts up to 30 mph Friday and 50 mph Saturday, and relative humidity. between 6 and 11 percent, according to the National Weather Service.
