Tornado Blog Day 2
Residents Spooked By Report Of Second Tornado
POSTED: 3:00 pm MDT May 22,
2008
UPDATED: 12:46 pm MDT May 24,
2008
DENVER -- 6:45 p.m. FridayThe University of Colorado at Boulder and the American Red Cross on Monday will sponsor a donation drive to aid victims of disaster in Colorado like those devastated by Thursday's deadly tornadoes in Weld County, Colo.Volunteers from the Red Cross and University of Colorado will be stationed at three collection points around Folsom Field - the endpoint of the DICK'S Sporting Goods BolderBoulder 10K race - to collect donations from race fans, runners, their family members and members of the Boulder community.
5:13 p.m. Friday"All animals currently at the Windsor temporary shelter are being moved to the Humane Society in Evans. Any future animal pickups will also be taken to the Humane Society. This move is taking place in order to place the animals in an inside shelter."- Deputy Shane Scofield, Weld County Sheriff's Office
4:00 p.m. Friday7NEWS Meteorologist Scott Mace reports the tornado is likely a land spout, which is essentially a "very large dust devil."The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch for Western Morgan County until 4:30 p.m.
3:54 p.m.7NEWS reporter Jaclyn Allen reports she is with a group of 90 people in a bank. They have been told to take cover by authorities. She reported the sky is dark and gray and the winds are blowing.7NEWS anchor Mitch Jelniker said many people are "spooked."The first tornado touched down about 11 miles east of Greeley and the storm is moving to the north at 45 mph. The storm is expected to stay east of Greeley, but it is possible people living on the far east of Greeley could be affected.Any residents in the area should move away from windows and get into a basement or a cellar.
3:48 p.m.7NEWS reporter Steve Saunders is in Greeley and reports strong winds and that a Weld County Sheriff Deputy said a tornado was reported on the ground east of Greeley.Scott Mace reports that the tornado was likely a land spout and was in fact a very small tornado. We have not been able to visually spot a tornado however.Northern Colorado is under a Tornado Watch until 7 p.m. Friday.
3:54 p.m. FridayWe are getting reports from eyewitnesses on the ground of a tornado near Greeley. The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Warning for Weld County.Residents are being advised to seek shelter.The reports are coming from local law enforcement on the ground.7NEWS Meteorologist Scott Mace reports the tornado is likely not caused by a thunderstorm.Jason Luber in AirTracker7 is reporting heavy winds in the area.
3:18 p.m. FridaySome light showers are moving through the Denver metro area at this hour.These showers are light in intensity and will be short-lived.We are not detecting any severe weather in or near the Denver area at this time.We’ll keep you up to date as conditions warrant.-Steve Hamilton, Forecaster/Producer
1:20 p.m. FridayLarimer County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Manager has asked me to alert the public to a tornado watch that is in effect this afternoon in Larimer County. A watch means that conditions are favorable but no tornados have been sighted. The watch extends from Larimer County to the Nebraska state line.A flash flood watch is also in effect in Larimer County. Rain on already saturated ground could induce rapid runoff into streams and rivers.We are asking the public to be aware of these conditions and take appropriate precautions.-- Eloise B. Campanella, Press Information Officer, Larimer County Sheriff's Office
1:08 p.m. FridayThe Colorado Ag Disaster Fund is seeking donations to assist the farmers and ranchers hit by the recent tornados in Weld county. Donations will lend a hand to farmers and ranchers as they pickup the pieces in the aftermath of the tornados. Building materials, fencing supplies and other items are immediately needed.Please support those affected by sending a tax deductible donation to:Colorado Ag Disaster Fund: Weld County Tornado Fund
9177 East Mineral Circle
Centennial, CO 80122
12:13 p.m. FridayUnited Way of Weld County is receiving calls for help and for volunteer opportunities at 211 or 970-353-4300. Windsor is still in Emergency Operations mode. Officials are making the area safe for volunteers to enter. There are power lines down and ruptured gas lines that need to be dealt with before volunteers can safely work. The Emergency Operations Center has advised that no one go to Windsor to help unless you have been contacted with specific information. It may be several days before volunteers are contacted.United Way of Weld County is not accepting any clothing or personal items at this time. The thought is appreciated, however, at this point the effort may hinder effective response to the disaster sites.Weld Food Bank is accepting non perishable food in case lots. Consider tuna, peanut butter, ramen, food items with flip top containers, juice, crackers, etc. Please be thoughtful with your donation.Cash donations are always useful. Always the right size and color. Make donations to United Way of Weld County (UWWC Disaster Fund), American Red Cross or Catholic Charities Northern. Many other funds are being established as well.100 percent of the funds collected ill be directed to recovery efforts of tornado victims.
12:05 p.m. FridayWeld Food Bank will be open Saturday between 9 and Noon for the specific purposes of accepting food donations, cash donations and to fill emergency food boxes for distribution to disaster victims. Volunteers are needed on Saturday to fill food boxes and sort donated food.The Food Bank will be accepting food donations at the warehouse located at 1108 H Street in Greeley. They are asking for donations of CASES of canned goods … meats, stews, chili, soups, canned fruits and vegetables, snack foods, cereals and crackers.(We are asking for CASES of food to avoid the time it takes to normally sort through large quantities of mixed foods. This allows us to expedite distribution to both disaster victims and the area agencies serving them.)Volunteer response has been amazing. Please thank the community for us. WFB needs no more volunteers to build food boxes today (Friday), but is asking for volunteers again tomorrow morning from 9 to noon at the food bank, located at 1108 H Street, in Greeley.Volunteers may contact Sarah at 356-2199, Ext 307 for information.
11:45 a.m. FridayThe Greeley Area Realtors Association is hosting a donation drop off site in Greeley today at Jackson's Sports Grill at 2118 35th Ave. Canned goods, non-perishable food items, and money donations can be dropped off between 3 and 6 pm today, May 23.
11:43 a.m. FridayColorado Farm Bureau Alert: Many farms and ranches were damaged or destroyed in the storms, including the CSU ARDEC research facility outside of Ft. Collins, and the Hertzke and DeHaan Dairies in Windsor.Presently, authorities are asking that relief efforts be planned to start in the next few days and not immediately. They are currently conducting an initial assessment of the damage and will need disaster relief assistance in the coming days.Colorado Farm Bureau is standing ready to help in the cleanup and is creating the Volunteer Task Force. CFB asks that anyone who would like to help in the clean-up effort, contact one of the members below. In addition to monetary aid, the clean up will require able bodies, equipment, and meals for displaced residents, etc. Colorado Farm Bureau will be compiling a list of volunteers, what they can provide and when, and will match those volunteers with those who need assistance at the appropriate time.To get your name on the Volunteer Task Force list, please contact:Mark Arnusch
Weld County Farm Bureau President
(H) 303-732-0723
(C) 303-371-6126
mjarnusch@earthlink.net
Bob Winter
CFB State Board Member
(H) 970-686-2037
(C) 970-302-4453
winterfarm@aol.com
Amber Clay
CFB State Women's Committee Member
(C) 720-530-4303
aclay418@aol.com
11:30 a.m. FridayLucille Mantelli, director of communications and public affairs at Carestream at Kodak Colorado Division in Windsor says the plant will be closed until 7 a.m. Tuesday.
11:15 a.m. FridayThe Salvation Army is accepting donations to help those affected by the recent Colorado tornadoes. Last year, The Salvation Army provided emergency disaster relief in Holly, CO for over 6 weeks and spent over $127,000.To make a monetary donation please send a check payable to The Salvation Army earmarked ‘Disaster Relief' to P.O. Box 17607, Denver, CO 80217, call 1-800-SAL-ARMY or make a donation online www.imsalvationarmy.org.
11:10 a.m. FridayThe Budweiser Event Center is shutting down operations and all services are being relocated to the Windsor Community Recreation Center located at 250 N. 11th Street.
11:00 a.m. FridayToday the American Red Cross will be: Providing mass distribution of food and water for those affected by the tornadoes in Northern Colorado Establishing a Client Services Center at the Windsor Community Center Moving our headquarters from the chapter office to the McKee building at The Ranch Distributing food and water to clients and first responders at the Windsor Community Center and at The Ranch and on mobile routes with our Emergency Response Vehicles Finalizing the assessment of the number of homes affected by the disasterDisaster Action Team members from a number of Colorado Red Cross Chapters are working to reach the victims of the devastating tornadoes that ripped through northeastern Colorado on Thursday. Equipment and volunteers from across Colorado are arriving and being deployed all day.For those who would like to volunteer to help with cleanup efforts, please advise them to NOT simply show up in Windsor. They need to get involved with an organization. The best place to start is by contacting the Larimer and/or Weld County United Way. The United Way’s 211 system is facilitating response. If you need information about shelters, road closures, donations and volunteering for clean-up please dial 211.
10:58 a.m. FridaySeveral highways near Windsor are still closed following the tornadoes that struck parts of Larimer and Weld counties yesterday. The closures mainly impact traffic coming into or out of Windsor. Currently, State Highway 257 and SH 392 into Windsor are closed to through traffic and only local residents or emergency personnel will be allowed to travel into Windsor.
10:55 a.m. FridayGoodwill Industries of Denver is offering assistance to those affected by Thursday's devastating tornadoes in northern Colorado. Families and individuals in need will be able to shop in any of the Goodwill stores in northern Colorado.“Our mission is to help people in need achieve self-sufficiency,” says Tim Welker President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Denver. “We want to extend assistance to the individuals and families in northern Colorado and help them get back on their feet as soon as possible.”Vouchers will be issued to families via the Mile High United Way. To receive vouchers, please call the United Way’s 2-1-1 emergency line or call 303-433-8900. If you’d like to donate items to Goodwill for families in need, visit the Goodwill website to find the store nearest you at www.goodwilldenver.org.
10:44 a.m. FridayThe Emergency Operations Center is receiving many requests of what areas are restricted. Here is a map of the current closed areas in Windsor from information obtained by the Windsor Command Post.
10:38 a.m. FridayWeld Food Bank is distributing emergency food boxes to disaster victims today at the Windsor Community Center. Boxes will be distributed from 1 to 3 PM today at the Windsor Community Center, located at 250 11th Street.
10:13 a.m. FridayThe public can search for family and friends impacted by the storm at Red Cross www.safeandwell.org.The Emergency Operations Center is asking anyone with photographs of the disaster to send them to sscofield@co.weld.co.usGreeley REC Center and the Greeley Family FUNPlex are no longer shelters.- Anyone wanting to donate time, money, or resources please use the form below to contact United Way or call United Way at 211 or 970-353-4300 or 800-559-5590.
7:00 a.m. FridayOnly authorized people are being allowed access into the Windsor area. Law enforcement asks other people to avoid coming to the area to see the damage, as roads are backed up and this hinders further emergency assistance.
10:00 p.m.The U-haul Company of Northern Colorado is offering 30 days of free storage to Colorado families affected by Thursday's tornadoes. Families needing more information about the 30-days-for-free self-storage assistance program should contact the following storage facility:U-Haul Storage Center Longmont
3885 Highland Dr.
Mead, CO 80542
970-535-6262
9:02 p.m.Carbon Monoxide TipsDonated Food Items Guidance
8:51 p.m.The University of Northern Colorado is offering temporary housing. Call 970-351-2175.The Cheyenne VA Medical Center and its clinics in Greeley and Fort Collins are available to provide assistance for veterans with medical needs including mental health counseling. The Greeley clinic is located at 2001 70th Ave.The Government of Mexico expresses its sympathy to the families affected by the tornado that hit Weld County this morning. If you are a Mexican national and your family was affected by this natural disaster, contact immediately the Department for Legal Affairs of the Consulate General of Mexico to receive assistance. Dial 303-331-1110 ext. 122, 123 and 106 or the 24/7 emergency line 303-667-8657, where they will analyze case by case.El Gobierno de México extiende su solidaridad con las familias mexicanas afectadas por el tornado Que azotó al Condado de Weld Esta mañana. Si usted es mexicano y su familia fue afectada por este desastre natural, comuníquese al Departamento de Protección Del Consulado General de México para recibir asistencia. Llame a los teléfonos 303-331-1110 ext. 122, 123 y 106 o al número de emergencias 303-667-8657, en donde analizaremos caso por caso.
8:43 p.m.Several roads are closed in Northern Colorado because of debris and downed power lines. CDOT Road Closures.
8:42 p.m.For those looking to find out about the welfare of loved ones impacted by the northeastern Colorado tornadoes, the American Red Cross offers the "Safe and Well" Web site."Safe and Well" is a registration and search site where victims of disasters like the tornadoes can visit to register themselves as safe and well. Loved ones outside the area can search the site for information on their loved ones.The Safe and Well service is available in English and Spanish.
8:34 p.m.As of 5 p.m., The Ranch Complex in Loveland will be the host site and command center for American Red Cross relief efforts for victims of the recent tornado system, which swept through northern Colorado earlier Thursday.Victims of the storm system will be directed to the First National Bank Exhibition Hall on the Ranch campus.Red Cross related questions can be directed to: 1-800-824-6615.Shelter, food, water, and supplies will be offered to the 500 to 1,000 people expected to arrive at The Ranch Complex over the next 24-hours.The Ranch can also accommodate up to 500 animals in the Ranchway Feeds Pavilions on campus. At this site owners may stay with their animals.The Ranch Complex received no damage, other than a brief power outage, as the result of the two tornadoes, which passed within a mile of the Larimer County owned facilities. The Ranch and Global-Spectrum’s Budweiser Events Center employees are expected to work through the night to assist in the efforts; food will be provided by Ovations Food Services and local contributing vendors.
8:28 p.m.Two Home Depot stores near the effected areas will be open until midnight to help customers with emergency supplies such as generators, flashlights, batteries and clean up supplies. Additionally local Home Depot stores are engaged with local Red Cross at the Windsor Recreation Center (evacuation point) providing relief supplies and volunteer support.Stores open until Midnight tonight:The Home Depot, 4502 John F Kennedy Parkway
Fort Collins (970) 206-0774
The Home Depot, 2815 35th Ave
Greeley, (970) 506-0662
8:20 p.m.The Humane Society is setting up a processing center at the Windsor Community Center where people can pick up lost animals and drop off animals that have been found.The shelter is located at:
250 11th Street
Windsor, Colo.
Please do not take animals from the Windsor area to any other facility other than the temporary Shelter that has been set up at the Windsor recreational center. The Weld County CART team is set up and prepared to receive, it and tag the animals.
8:13 p.m.A power outage in Windsor has forced the closure of the Red Cross shelter located at the Windsor Community Center.The shelter and its occupants will be moved to the Budweiser Events Center shelter location listed below:Budweiser Events Center
"The Ranch"
5290 Arena Circle
Loveland, CO
Near the intersection of I-25 and Highway 34 in Loveland.
8:07 p.m.The Foothills Assembly Church is accepting donations for victims. Items needed for the Windsor tornado victims are: diapers, baby food, and toiletry items (such as tooth paste, toilet paper,).Donation drop off location: Foothills Assembly Church 305 W. Swallow Rd. Ft. Collins, Co. starting at 9:00 a.m. Friday May 23, 2008.
8:05 p.m.Allstate policyholders can now call 800-54-STORM for their claims. This number allows adjusters to streamline damage claims and help our customer's begin the rebuilding process as quickly as possible.
8:01 p.m.Qwest is offering free Call Forwarding to customers in northern Colorado who are impacted due to damages from today’s tornado. Call Forwarding enables customers to have calls automatically forwarded to another phone number, such as a mobile phone or the number of family or friends they are staying with until they are able to return to their homes or small businesses.Due to power outages in the area, Qwest equipment is currently running on back-up generator power, and the majority of Qwest’s network and services are operating normally. Qwest is continuing to assess services impacted in the hardest hit areas. Qwest has dispatched additional personnel and resources to assess network damages caused by the tornado.Qwest customers in Windsor and surrounding areas who have been impacted can call 1 800-573-1311 to set up Call Forwarding free of charge.
People who want to donate to victims can contact the Red Cross.
6:20 PM: WB CO 392 out of Windsor closed due to gas main break 5:25 PM: Gov. Bill Ritter lifts off in a National Guard helicopter to survey the damage. 2:49 PM: Weld County offices closed for the rest of the day. 2:38 PM: Highway 60 and Highway 85 open southbound 2:34 PM: Anyone needing Shelter may go to the Bud Center at the Ranch in Larimer County - Red Cross will be available. 2:28 PM: Highway 392 closed at highway 257 - Highway 257 closed 2:24 PM: 2 Tornadoes on the ground - 37 st and Two Rivers Parkway and other is at WCR 52 and highway 257 - Take shelter if you are in this area. 2:22 PM: Highway 85 is Closed at this time - More information to follow. 1:57 PM: One confirmed fatality. Location of fatality was at Missile Park Campground, in Weld County. No other information at this time 1:54 PM: Shelters established for Greeley Residents at the Greeley Rec Center (651 10th Ave) and the Greeley Funplex (1501 65th Ave) 1:09 PM: Windsor schools go into in LOCKDOWN, all parents should NOT go to the Windsor schools now. 12:07 PM: Tornado hits Windsor 12:00 PM: Tornado skirts Greeley 11:40 AM: Tornado hits Milliken 11:32 AM: Tornado hits Gilcrest 11:26 AM: Tornado first reported on ground near Milton Reservoir
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5:13 p.m. Friday"All animals currently at the Windsor temporary shelter are being moved to the Humane Society in Evans. Any future animal pickups will also be taken to the Humane Society. This move is taking place in order to place the animals in an inside shelter."- Deputy Shane Scofield, Weld County Sheriff's Office
4:00 p.m. Friday7NEWS Meteorologist Scott Mace reports the tornado is likely a land spout, which is essentially a "very large dust devil."The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch for Western Morgan County until 4:30 p.m.
3:54 p.m.7NEWS reporter Jaclyn Allen reports she is with a group of 90 people in a bank. They have been told to take cover by authorities. She reported the sky is dark and gray and the winds are blowing.7NEWS anchor Mitch Jelniker said many people are "spooked."The first tornado touched down about 11 miles east of Greeley and the storm is moving to the north at 45 mph. The storm is expected to stay east of Greeley, but it is possible people living on the far east of Greeley could be affected.Any residents in the area should move away from windows and get into a basement or a cellar.
3:48 p.m.7NEWS reporter Steve Saunders is in Greeley and reports strong winds and that a Weld County Sheriff Deputy said a tornado was reported on the ground east of Greeley.Scott Mace reports that the tornado was likely a land spout and was in fact a very small tornado. We have not been able to visually spot a tornado however.Northern Colorado is under a Tornado Watch until 7 p.m. Friday.
3:54 p.m. FridayWe are getting reports from eyewitnesses on the ground of a tornado near Greeley. The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Warning for Weld County.Residents are being advised to seek shelter.The reports are coming from local law enforcement on the ground.7NEWS Meteorologist Scott Mace reports the tornado is likely not caused by a thunderstorm.Jason Luber in AirTracker7 is reporting heavy winds in the area.
3:18 p.m. FridaySome light showers are moving through the Denver metro area at this hour.These showers are light in intensity and will be short-lived.We are not detecting any severe weather in or near the Denver area at this time.We’ll keep you up to date as conditions warrant.-Steve Hamilton, Forecaster/Producer
1:20 p.m. FridayLarimer County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Manager has asked me to alert the public to a tornado watch that is in effect this afternoon in Larimer County. A watch means that conditions are favorable but no tornados have been sighted. The watch extends from Larimer County to the Nebraska state line.A flash flood watch is also in effect in Larimer County. Rain on already saturated ground could induce rapid runoff into streams and rivers.We are asking the public to be aware of these conditions and take appropriate precautions.-- Eloise B. Campanella, Press Information Officer, Larimer County Sheriff's Office
1:08 p.m. FridayThe Colorado Ag Disaster Fund is seeking donations to assist the farmers and ranchers hit by the recent tornados in Weld county. Donations will lend a hand to farmers and ranchers as they pickup the pieces in the aftermath of the tornados. Building materials, fencing supplies and other items are immediately needed.Please support those affected by sending a tax deductible donation to:Colorado Ag Disaster Fund: Weld County Tornado Fund
9177 East Mineral Circle
Centennial, CO 80122
12:13 p.m. FridayUnited Way of Weld County is receiving calls for help and for volunteer opportunities at 211 or 970-353-4300. Windsor is still in Emergency Operations mode. Officials are making the area safe for volunteers to enter. There are power lines down and ruptured gas lines that need to be dealt with before volunteers can safely work. The Emergency Operations Center has advised that no one go to Windsor to help unless you have been contacted with specific information. It may be several days before volunteers are contacted.United Way of Weld County is not accepting any clothing or personal items at this time. The thought is appreciated, however, at this point the effort may hinder effective response to the disaster sites.Weld Food Bank is accepting non perishable food in case lots. Consider tuna, peanut butter, ramen, food items with flip top containers, juice, crackers, etc. Please be thoughtful with your donation.Cash donations are always useful. Always the right size and color. Make donations to United Way of Weld County (UWWC Disaster Fund), American Red Cross or Catholic Charities Northern. Many other funds are being established as well.100 percent of the funds collected ill be directed to recovery efforts of tornado victims.
12:05 p.m. FridayWeld Food Bank will be open Saturday between 9 and Noon for the specific purposes of accepting food donations, cash donations and to fill emergency food boxes for distribution to disaster victims. Volunteers are needed on Saturday to fill food boxes and sort donated food.The Food Bank will be accepting food donations at the warehouse located at 1108 H Street in Greeley. They are asking for donations of CASES of canned goods … meats, stews, chili, soups, canned fruits and vegetables, snack foods, cereals and crackers.(We are asking for CASES of food to avoid the time it takes to normally sort through large quantities of mixed foods. This allows us to expedite distribution to both disaster victims and the area agencies serving them.)Volunteer response has been amazing. Please thank the community for us. WFB needs no more volunteers to build food boxes today (Friday), but is asking for volunteers again tomorrow morning from 9 to noon at the food bank, located at 1108 H Street, in Greeley.Volunteers may contact Sarah at 356-2199, Ext 307 for information.
11:45 a.m. FridayThe Greeley Area Realtors Association is hosting a donation drop off site in Greeley today at Jackson's Sports Grill at 2118 35th Ave. Canned goods, non-perishable food items, and money donations can be dropped off between 3 and 6 pm today, May 23.
11:43 a.m. FridayColorado Farm Bureau Alert: Many farms and ranches were damaged or destroyed in the storms, including the CSU ARDEC research facility outside of Ft. Collins, and the Hertzke and DeHaan Dairies in Windsor.Presently, authorities are asking that relief efforts be planned to start in the next few days and not immediately. They are currently conducting an initial assessment of the damage and will need disaster relief assistance in the coming days.Colorado Farm Bureau is standing ready to help in the cleanup and is creating the Volunteer Task Force. CFB asks that anyone who would like to help in the clean-up effort, contact one of the members below. In addition to monetary aid, the clean up will require able bodies, equipment, and meals for displaced residents, etc. Colorado Farm Bureau will be compiling a list of volunteers, what they can provide and when, and will match those volunteers with those who need assistance at the appropriate time.To get your name on the Volunteer Task Force list, please contact:Mark Arnusch
Weld County Farm Bureau President
(H) 303-732-0723
(C) 303-371-6126
mjarnusch@earthlink.net
Bob Winter
CFB State Board Member
(H) 970-686-2037
(C) 970-302-4453
winterfarm@aol.com
Amber Clay
CFB State Women's Committee Member
(C) 720-530-4303
aclay418@aol.com
11:30 a.m. FridayLucille Mantelli, director of communications and public affairs at Carestream at Kodak Colorado Division in Windsor says the plant will be closed until 7 a.m. Tuesday.
11:15 a.m. FridayThe Salvation Army is accepting donations to help those affected by the recent Colorado tornadoes. Last year, The Salvation Army provided emergency disaster relief in Holly, CO for over 6 weeks and spent over $127,000.To make a monetary donation please send a check payable to The Salvation Army earmarked ‘Disaster Relief' to P.O. Box 17607, Denver, CO 80217, call 1-800-SAL-ARMY or make a donation online www.imsalvationarmy.org.
11:10 a.m. FridayThe Budweiser Event Center is shutting down operations and all services are being relocated to the Windsor Community Recreation Center located at 250 N. 11th Street.
11:00 a.m. FridayToday the American Red Cross will be: Providing mass distribution of food and water for those affected by the tornadoes in Northern Colorado Establishing a Client Services Center at the Windsor Community Center Moving our headquarters from the chapter office to the McKee building at The Ranch Distributing food and water to clients and first responders at the Windsor Community Center and at The Ranch and on mobile routes with our Emergency Response Vehicles Finalizing the assessment of the number of homes affected by the disasterDisaster Action Team members from a number of Colorado Red Cross Chapters are working to reach the victims of the devastating tornadoes that ripped through northeastern Colorado on Thursday. Equipment and volunteers from across Colorado are arriving and being deployed all day.For those who would like to volunteer to help with cleanup efforts, please advise them to NOT simply show up in Windsor. They need to get involved with an organization. The best place to start is by contacting the Larimer and/or Weld County United Way. The United Way’s 211 system is facilitating response. If you need information about shelters, road closures, donations and volunteering for clean-up please dial 211.
10:58 a.m. FridaySeveral highways near Windsor are still closed following the tornadoes that struck parts of Larimer and Weld counties yesterday. The closures mainly impact traffic coming into or out of Windsor. Currently, State Highway 257 and SH 392 into Windsor are closed to through traffic and only local residents or emergency personnel will be allowed to travel into Windsor.
10:55 a.m. FridayGoodwill Industries of Denver is offering assistance to those affected by Thursday's devastating tornadoes in northern Colorado. Families and individuals in need will be able to shop in any of the Goodwill stores in northern Colorado.“Our mission is to help people in need achieve self-sufficiency,” says Tim Welker President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Denver. “We want to extend assistance to the individuals and families in northern Colorado and help them get back on their feet as soon as possible.”Vouchers will be issued to families via the Mile High United Way. To receive vouchers, please call the United Way’s 2-1-1 emergency line or call 303-433-8900. If you’d like to donate items to Goodwill for families in need, visit the Goodwill website to find the store nearest you at www.goodwilldenver.org.
10:44 a.m. FridayThe Emergency Operations Center is receiving many requests of what areas are restricted. Here is a map of the current closed areas in Windsor from information obtained by the Windsor Command Post.
10:38 a.m. FridayWeld Food Bank is distributing emergency food boxes to disaster victims today at the Windsor Community Center. Boxes will be distributed from 1 to 3 PM today at the Windsor Community Center, located at 250 11th Street.
10:13 a.m. FridayThe public can search for family and friends impacted by the storm at Red Cross www.safeandwell.org.The Emergency Operations Center is asking anyone with photographs of the disaster to send them to sscofield@co.weld.co.usGreeley REC Center and the Greeley Family FUNPlex are no longer shelters.- Anyone wanting to donate time, money, or resources please use the form below to contact United Way or call United Way at 211 or 970-353-4300 or 800-559-5590.
7:00 a.m. FridayOnly authorized people are being allowed access into the Windsor area. Law enforcement asks other people to avoid coming to the area to see the damage, as roads are backed up and this hinders further emergency assistance.
10:00 p.m.The U-haul Company of Northern Colorado is offering 30 days of free storage to Colorado families affected by Thursday's tornadoes. Families needing more information about the 30-days-for-free self-storage assistance program should contact the following storage facility:U-Haul Storage Center Longmont
3885 Highland Dr.
Mead, CO 80542
970-535-6262
9:02 p.m.Carbon Monoxide TipsDonated Food Items Guidance
8:51 p.m.The University of Northern Colorado is offering temporary housing. Call 970-351-2175.The Cheyenne VA Medical Center and its clinics in Greeley and Fort Collins are available to provide assistance for veterans with medical needs including mental health counseling. The Greeley clinic is located at 2001 70th Ave.The Government of Mexico expresses its sympathy to the families affected by the tornado that hit Weld County this morning. If you are a Mexican national and your family was affected by this natural disaster, contact immediately the Department for Legal Affairs of the Consulate General of Mexico to receive assistance. Dial 303-331-1110 ext. 122, 123 and 106 or the 24/7 emergency line 303-667-8657, where they will analyze case by case.El Gobierno de México extiende su solidaridad con las familias mexicanas afectadas por el tornado Que azotó al Condado de Weld Esta mañana. Si usted es mexicano y su familia fue afectada por este desastre natural, comuníquese al Departamento de Protección Del Consulado General de México para recibir asistencia. Llame a los teléfonos 303-331-1110 ext. 122, 123 y 106 o al número de emergencias 303-667-8657, en donde analizaremos caso por caso.
8:43 p.m.Several roads are closed in Northern Colorado because of debris and downed power lines. CDOT Road Closures.
8:42 p.m.For those looking to find out about the welfare of loved ones impacted by the northeastern Colorado tornadoes, the American Red Cross offers the "Safe and Well" Web site."Safe and Well" is a registration and search site where victims of disasters like the tornadoes can visit to register themselves as safe and well. Loved ones outside the area can search the site for information on their loved ones.The Safe and Well service is available in English and Spanish.
8:34 p.m.As of 5 p.m., The Ranch Complex in Loveland will be the host site and command center for American Red Cross relief efforts for victims of the recent tornado system, which swept through northern Colorado earlier Thursday.Victims of the storm system will be directed to the First National Bank Exhibition Hall on the Ranch campus.Red Cross related questions can be directed to: 1-800-824-6615.Shelter, food, water, and supplies will be offered to the 500 to 1,000 people expected to arrive at The Ranch Complex over the next 24-hours.The Ranch can also accommodate up to 500 animals in the Ranchway Feeds Pavilions on campus. At this site owners may stay with their animals.The Ranch Complex received no damage, other than a brief power outage, as the result of the two tornadoes, which passed within a mile of the Larimer County owned facilities. The Ranch and Global-Spectrum’s Budweiser Events Center employees are expected to work through the night to assist in the efforts; food will be provided by Ovations Food Services and local contributing vendors.
8:28 p.m.Two Home Depot stores near the effected areas will be open until midnight to help customers with emergency supplies such as generators, flashlights, batteries and clean up supplies. Additionally local Home Depot stores are engaged with local Red Cross at the Windsor Recreation Center (evacuation point) providing relief supplies and volunteer support.Stores open until Midnight tonight:The Home Depot, 4502 John F Kennedy Parkway
Fort Collins (970) 206-0774
The Home Depot, 2815 35th Ave
Greeley, (970) 506-0662
8:20 p.m.The Humane Society is setting up a processing center at the Windsor Community Center where people can pick up lost animals and drop off animals that have been found.The shelter is located at:
250 11th Street
Windsor, Colo.
Please do not take animals from the Windsor area to any other facility other than the temporary Shelter that has been set up at the Windsor recreational center. The Weld County CART team is set up and prepared to receive, it and tag the animals.
8:13 p.m.A power outage in Windsor has forced the closure of the Red Cross shelter located at the Windsor Community Center.The shelter and its occupants will be moved to the Budweiser Events Center shelter location listed below:Budweiser Events Center
"The Ranch"
5290 Arena Circle
Loveland, CO
Near the intersection of I-25 and Highway 34 in Loveland.
8:07 p.m.The Foothills Assembly Church is accepting donations for victims. Items needed for the Windsor tornado victims are: diapers, baby food, and toiletry items (such as tooth paste, toilet paper,).Donation drop off location: Foothills Assembly Church 305 W. Swallow Rd. Ft. Collins, Co. starting at 9:00 a.m. Friday May 23, 2008.
8:05 p.m.Allstate policyholders can now call 800-54-STORM for their claims. This number allows adjusters to streamline damage claims and help our customer's begin the rebuilding process as quickly as possible.
8:01 p.m.Qwest is offering free Call Forwarding to customers in northern Colorado who are impacted due to damages from today’s tornado. Call Forwarding enables customers to have calls automatically forwarded to another phone number, such as a mobile phone or the number of family or friends they are staying with until they are able to return to their homes or small businesses.Due to power outages in the area, Qwest equipment is currently running on back-up generator power, and the majority of Qwest’s network and services are operating normally. Qwest is continuing to assess services impacted in the hardest hit areas. Qwest has dispatched additional personnel and resources to assess network damages caused by the tornado.Qwest customers in Windsor and surrounding areas who have been impacted can call 1 800-573-1311 to set up Call Forwarding free of charge.
People who want to donate to victims can contact the Red Cross.
6:20 PM: WB CO 392 out of Windsor closed due to gas main break 5:25 PM: Gov. Bill Ritter lifts off in a National Guard helicopter to survey the damage. 2:49 PM: Weld County offices closed for the rest of the day. 2:38 PM: Highway 60 and Highway 85 open southbound 2:34 PM: Anyone needing Shelter may go to the Bud Center at the Ranch in Larimer County - Red Cross will be available. 2:28 PM: Highway 392 closed at highway 257 - Highway 257 closed 2:24 PM: 2 Tornadoes on the ground - 37 st and Two Rivers Parkway and other is at WCR 52 and highway 257 - Take shelter if you are in this area. 2:22 PM: Highway 85 is Closed at this time - More information to follow. 1:57 PM: One confirmed fatality. Location of fatality was at Missile Park Campground, in Weld County. No other information at this time 1:54 PM: Shelters established for Greeley Residents at the Greeley Rec Center (651 10th Ave) and the Greeley Funplex (1501 65th Ave) 1:09 PM: Windsor schools go into in LOCKDOWN, all parents should NOT go to the Windsor schools now. 12:07 PM: Tornado hits Windsor 12:00 PM: Tornado skirts Greeley 11:40 AM: Tornado hits Milliken 11:32 AM: Tornado hits Gilcrest 11:26 AM: Tornado first reported on ground near Milton Reservoir
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