NWS: Tornado confirmed in Custer County, minimal damage reported

(CUSTER COUNTY, Colo.) — The Pueblo National Weather Service (NWS) has confirmed the tornado activity seen on Wednesday, July 30, through a virtual damage assessment of the area.

According to the NWS, the tornado touched down nearly one mile west of the Silver West Airport, just south of Westcliffe and Silver Cliff, lasting from 3:10 to 3:15 p.m.

Courtesy: Custer County Sheriff’s Office

The tornado was 20 yards, or 60 feet, wide, and traveled .34 miles in five minutes. Images provided by the Custer County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO), the virtual damage assessment only showed three damaged power poles. According to the NWS, the powerline poles were “leaning and damaged.”

“However, the conditions of the poles and the saturated soils, we’ve decided to rate it an EF-0 tornado with 85 MPH wind gusts,” the NWS wrote via Facebook.

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