I've lived all over the country, and when I've thought about Colorado in the past, I never really thought about tornadoes, or Colorado as a hotspot for tornadoes. While that is the case for a lot of the state, that thinking certainly does not apply to the Eastern Plains region of the state in particular, Weld County where we are the hotspot for tornadoes.

East of the front range and especially around I-25 is a very active spot for funnel clouds and tornadoes to touch down. In fact, Weld County is THE biggest hotspot for tornadoes and not just in Colorado, but in the entire United States.

According to the National Weather Service out of Boulder, Weld County has seen more tornadoes than any other county in the United States, and we can add one more to the list after yesterday's tornado that hit around Platteville. It was actually a "land spout" tornado, and in the below video Denver 7's Mike Nelson explains:

YouTube/Denver 7

 

YouTube/  The Denver Channel

I never would've guessed Weld County would be #1 for tornadoes in the country, but in this next video, we learn some REALLY interesting facts on why that's the case, AND see some incredible footage.

YouTube/Pecos Hank

Here's one from this past year just past Lucerne:

YouTube/ Finding Focus Ministries

Plus, who can forget about the big tornado that ripped through the heart of Windsor several years back?

YouTube/ Town Of Windsor

With this being severe weather awareness week and tornado season happening just around the corner, here's a friendly reminder and of things to do in case of a tornado.

  • Go to the lowest and smallest room
  • Get under something sturdy or in a hallway.
  • Get away from windows.
  • Cover yourself from blankets, pillows and coats to protect you from debris. If you have a bike helmet available, put it on.
  • Crouch as low as possible to the floor.
  • A bathtub may also offer a shell of partial protection.

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