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WINDSOR — The twister, accompanied by hail approaching baseball size, caused multiple crashes and some injuries on area roads and rolled several semis off U.S. 85 north of Gilcrest.
The lone death was a male camper at a trailer park outside Greeley, according to the Weld County coroner. He was identified as Oscar “Mike” Manchester, 52.
The large tornado, one of several to develop north of Denver on Thursday, plowed northwest from Gilcrest to Windsor, ravaging farms, lumberyards, commercial areas, trailers, a day care and at least 60 homes along a 35-mile path.
Moving at a 30-mph clip, it tugged down power lines, toppled trucks and cattle cars, derailed part of a train, and hurled wood and metal bits of roof up to 200
Greeley police Sgt. Joe Tymkowych tracked the tornado as it struck the city and churned buildings to shambles, with winds perhaps whipping up to 200 mph.
“You’ve heard of tornadoes that hit the ground and then go back into the clouds,” Tymkowych said. “This one, it just saton the ground, and it kept going and going.”
He said the twister struck the west edge of Evans and advanced to Greeley’s western outskirts, where it slammed into the headquarters of Swift & Co. and the regional headquarters for State Farm Insurance.
The tornado caused heavy damage to the roofs of both buildings, blew out windows and mangled cars in the parking lots. From there, the swirling winds ravaged Missile Silo Park, overturning several trailers and killing a camper, Tymkowych said.
Dwight Smidt pointed to a trailer blown 50 yards from its parking spot, where he said a Vietnam veteran he had just met may have died in the storm.
The twister “picked it up and smashed it to the ground. It ripped the whole top of it off,” Smidt said. “It ripped the carpet right off the floor. All these parts, way out there” - he pointed into a field - “were part of the trailer.” Other trailers from the park were ripped from foundations and blown into

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The town hall and several other buildings in Windsor were hit by a mile-wide tornado this morning, and at least one person has died as the twister carved a swath of destruction through Weld County.
Colorado State Trooper Ryan Sullivan said the tornado caused multiple crashes and multiple injuries on highways in Weld County. Colo. 60 and U.S. 85 were closed as state patrol and emergency crews work to help the motorists.
The Weld County Coroner’s office has confirmed at least one death but could not provide details.
Weld County Sheriff’s Commander Ken Poncelow said the fatality is in a house in the Windsor area. Poncelow said that “dozens of houses and dozens of cars” were badly damaged and several semis were rolled off U.S.
85 north of Gilcrest.
There are no other reports of fatalities and relatively few injuries, mostly minor. He said all agencies have been mobilized and that extra shifts have been called in.
Seven people were admitted to the Medical Center of the Rockies with injuries, but their conditions weren’t available, said spokesman Gary Kimsey. Poudre Valley Hospital, which is part of the same hospital system, received no casualties.
But both facilities moved patients into hospital hallways as a safety precaution from 12:45 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. as the storm moved through. Poudre Valley Hospital also moved about 200 non-medical personnel and visitors into the basement.
The heaviest damage was reported in Dacono, Windsor and Greeley, according to the weather service.
A daycare center in Windsor was damaged, but the children had been evacuated to a nearby bank before the tornado hit the area.
Hundreds of businesses and homes were leveled or damaged by the tornado. Trees and power lines were down throughout the city of Windsor. Cars were smashed by downed trees and poles. Some were overturned.

denverpost.com

FORT COLLINS — Fort Collins Mayor Doug Hutchinson and City Manager Darin Atteberry have been named race starters for the seventh annual Colorado Marathon to be held May 4.
”I’m delighted to be involved,” said Hutchinson. “The Colorado Marathon has become a signature event that showcases Fort Collins and the scenic Poudre Canyon to thousands of runners and their friends and families.”
”We’re thrilled to have Mayor Doug Hutchinson and City Manager Darin Atteberry involved in the event, especially as race registrations are really booming this year,” said race director Brian Cathcart. “This began as — and remains — a true grassroots, authentic Fort Collins experience and the collective efforts of our race committee, volunteers, sponsors and the community are really starting to pay off.”
Fort Collins has been rated by Runner’s Magazine as one of the top 25 running communities in the nation. The Colorado Marathon, starting in Poudre Canyon, drops 1,200 feet as it passes through Laporte and along the river to finish in the center of downtown Fort Collins.
Last year’s marathon drew about 3,000 participants from 42 states and six countries. For more information, visit www.thecoloradomarathon.com.

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