Didn’t expect this today, witnessed the Rocky Mountain Arsenal Tornado from my office window!  Was sitting at work doing my thing when I noted a lot of cloud to ground lightning, and decided to take a break and look out the window.  I saw a large round section of cloud that looked interesting.  As I watched a small nipple formed (3:50pm) and start to slowly grow.  It was hard to tell if it was a funnel because it was rotating ever so slowly, but I could tell it was rotating.  The funnel continued to grow in size and I checked spotter network to see if it had been reported, and it had; they said a landspout at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal.

At this time there was a NWS tornado warning (radar) but it was near Fort Lupton which is a good distance to the north.  Shortly thereafter the cell was warned as it moved southwest (odd!) into western Aurora!  I watched the funnel for probably 10 minutes and then I could see the rain in the landspout funnel!  It lasted several more minutes and then became obscured by rain (4:05pm); although I could see the funnel for a little while longer.  About 20 minutes later I still saw what looked like a funnel but no landspout; although there was quite a bit of rain at the time too.

Awesome CG lightning in the area, including one that went through the funnel!  Great chase day, I probably walked 6 feet from my desk and saw the first tornado of the year! Chalk this one up on the list of tornados I’ve seen so far…