Winds Scream Across Colorado On Saturday
DENVER (AP/CBS4) - High winds buffeted most of the state Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
A gust of 69 mph was reported in Wray, about 140 miles east of Denver near the Nebraska border, and multiple times wind speeds in excess of 50 mph were reported in the Boulder area.
Wind-related power failures were reported on the Front Range, in Breckenridge and elsewhere in the state.
A semi that was parked on the shoulder of E-470 in the southeast Denver metro area was blown over, a semi blew over on C470 and two semis were toppled on U.S. 85 north of Denver, Baker said. All three drivers reported minor injuries, Baker said.
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A large light pole fell in Hughes Stadium on Colorado State University's campus in Fort Collins.
A 126-mph gust was recorded at 5 a.m. by an automated weather station at a remote site in Summit County 12,000 feet above sea level. That was not a record for the state. National Park Service rangers have said winds in excess of 200 mph have been measured atop the 14,259-foot Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Accidents, high winds and debris on roadways closed some highways intermittently throughout the day. High-profile vehicles were barred from a 180-mile stretch of Interstate 76 between Denver and the northeast corner of the state Saturday morning, but the restriction was lifted later.
Aspen, Breckenridge and Winter Park ski areas delayed the openings of some lifts and gondolas because of the wind.
A high-wind warning was in effect for a wide swath of the high plains from the southern borders of Colorado and Kansas to the Canadian border for most of Saturday. The warning area shrank and moved eastward later in the day.
The Summit Daily News reported that about 5,000 customers lost electric power in Breckenridge on Saturday morning. The Denver Post reported that 19,000 homes lost electricity at scattered locations statewide.
Xcel Energy said thousands were without power on the Front Range Saturday night but they hoped to have most customers back with power within a few hours.
(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
