6 p.m. UPDATE — Bellaire Lake Campground area near Red Feather Lakes is closed until further notice while U.S. Forest Service personnel assess and address damage from a severe thunderstorm that moved through the area this afternoon. More than 100 trees were knocked over from this high wind event. This closure includes Molly Lake Trailhead and dispersed campsites along the Manhattan Road.
The U.S. Forest Service is working closely with Larimer County Emergency Services to evacuate campers and address safety issues.
A Roosevelt Hotshot crew will begin clean-up work at the site on May 23.
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About 2,000 customers are without power in Red Feather Lakes this afternoon after heavy rain and damaging winds hit the area at about 2:30 p.m.
A tornado warning was issued by the National Weather Service, and there were several reports of funnel clouds in the area including over Deadman. North Forty received several second hand reports of a tornado touching down but we’ve been unable to confirm that.
Larimer County Sheriff’s Offce was reporting power lines down at 74E and CR 69.
Ramona Lake Cabins owner Rob Allman said the clouds were whipping every direction west of the town center and hail was followed by heavy rain.
“It was crazy,” he said.
Linda Bell lives east of Red Feather Lakes and watched the skies turn dark.
“I grew up in the midwest, and you always hear about the sky having a yellow glow before a tornado hits,” she said. “This was just like that, then the heavy rain hit. But no sign of funnel clouds.”