Meteorologist Britta Merwin

It was around 3:30pm this past Wednesday June 27, 2007 that the tornado warning for Teller County in Colorado came flashing on to our data computers. I must admit that I was very surprised to see the warning since tornadoes are very rare in that part of Colorado. The tornado touched down around the Woodland Park area in Teller County, which is nestled in the front range of the Colorado Rockies. Unlike the eastern plains of Colorado, this area is not characterized as a tornado hot spot.

Clouds begin to build and rotate above Colorado Springs, Colo., Wednesday, June 27, 2007. (AP Photo/ The Gazette, Bryan Oller)

I lived in Monument only nine miles from Woodland Park and about 20 minutes from Colorado Springs. It is a beautiful area roughly 8500 feet above sea level and is known for being near the base of gorgeous Pike’s Peak, which reaches 14,115 feet into the atmosphere. Although beautiful this is not the typical “Wizard of Oz” like picture that most would imagine when it comes to tornado touch down locations.

This geographical area is best known for creating Rocky Mountain Lows. As air moves up and over the Rockies it is compressed, then when the air descends down towards the plains the air is stretched. This squeezing of the air actually creates vorticity, also known as rotation, and makes a low-pressure circulation that can later develop into the large systems that impact the plains and east coast. Although tornadoes can happen in any state at anytime they are not frequent in areas like Woodland Park because of the geographic characteristics.

Only five tornadoes have been recorded in Teller County over the past 57 years! All of these tornadoes have been small ranging from an EFO to an EF1. These twisters pack winds from 65-110 miles per hour causing damage to trees but little damage to structures. Tornadoes are very hard to predict and are still not fully understood by meteorologists but by looking at climate records it is easier to see that conditions can be prime during certain times of the year for particular locations. All five of these recorded tornadoes in Teller County occurred at the end of June beginning of July suggesting that this time period can have favorable atmospheric conditions for these rare tornadoes.

Remember when NBC Weather Plus alerts a tornado warning it is extremely important to seek shelter right away. The best thing to do is to get to the lowest level of your home in a central interior room like a bathroom or a closet. It is also a good idea to have an emergency preparedness kit with a battery powered radio, non-perishable food, water, first aid kit, and any other survival items.

The Red Cross has a great emergency preparedness kit.

Till next time keep your eye to the sky and stay safe!