A powerful tornado swept north-northwestward across Weld County, carving a path of destruction, nearly 39 miles in length.  The tornado, up to one-mile wide at times, initially touched down northeast of Platteville and finally lifted 6 miles west-northwest of Wellington.  A tornado assessment in the aftermath of the tornado revealed extensive areas of damage.  On the enhanced Fujita Scale there were pockets of EF3 damage, mainly near the Missile Silo Park Campground, and to businesses and home in eastern Windsor.  Farmers also reported extensive damage to crops and irrigation equipment.
There was one fatality, and 78 injuries ranging from broken bones to minor cuts and lacerations.  One man was killed when he tried to escape a trailer park in his motor home.  Tractor trailers were flipped along U.S. Highway 85, and over 200 power poles were snapped or blown down. Approximately 60,000 people were left without electricity.  The tornado overturned 15 railroad cars and destroyed a lumber car on the Great Western Railway of Colorado.  The tornado also flattened Windsor's main feedlot and destroyed a dairy barn.  Most of the four-hundred cows were killed in the tornado or destroyed later. In addition to the damaging winds, the thunderstorm also produced hail up to the size of baseballs.
Another tornado rated an EF1, from a separate severe thunderstorm, briefly touched down near Dacono and destroyed 5 buildings. The tornado overturned a five-wheel trailer and injured the man who was sitting inside.
Preliminary estimates from FEMA indicated 850 homes were damaged, and nearly 300 homes were significantly damaged or destroyed.  The Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association reported $1 million of damage to electric transmission lines.  Privately insured damages totaled $147 million, making it the state's 4th costliest disaster.

Hail in LARIMER, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 12:54:00 to 22-MAY-08 12:54:00 (MST-7)
Location: BERTHOUD
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: Amateur Radio

Hail in BOULDER, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 11:28:00 to 22-MAY-08 11:28:00 (MST-7)
Location: LONGMONT
Magnitude: 1.25 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Thunderstorm Wind in LARIMER, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 12:15:00 to 22-MAY-08 12:15:00 (MST-7)
Location: WELLINGTON
Magnitude: 76.00 EG
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Strong winds damaged a loafing shed.

Hail in BOULDER, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 11:10:00 to 22-MAY-08 11:10:00 (MST-7)
Location: LONGMONT MUNI ARPT
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: Amateur Radio

Hail in WELD, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 11:20:00 to 22-MAY-08 11:20:00 (MST-7)
Location: IDAHO CREEK
Magnitude: 1.25 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in LARIMER, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 12:30:00 to 22-MAY-08 12:30:00 (MST-7)
Location: POUDRE PARK
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A tree fell on a house.

Hail in PHILLIPS, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 16:47:00 to 22-MAY-08 16:47:00 (MST-7)
Location: HAXTUN MUNI ARPT
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in WELD, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 11:16:00 to 22-MAY-08 11:16:00 (MST-7)
Location: LIBERTY
Magnitude: 2.00 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in WELD, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 12:47:00 to 22-MAY-08 12:47:00 (MST-7)
Location: WINDSOR
Magnitude: 2.00 
Reported by: Amateur Radio

Hail in BOULDER, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 11:20:00 to 22-MAY-08 11:20:00 (MST-7)
Location: LONGMONT
Magnitude: 1.50 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in WELD, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 14:55:00 to 22-MAY-08 14:55:00 (MST-7)
Location: ROCKPORT
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in BOULDER, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 11:30:00 to 22-MAY-08 11:30:00 (MST-7)
Location: LONGMONT
Magnitude: 1.50 
Reported by: NWS Employee

Thunderstorm Wind in WELD, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 11:30:00 to 22-MAY-08 11:30:00 (MST-7)
Location: NUNN
Magnitude: 56.00 EG
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in BOULDER, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 11:20:00 to 22-MAY-08 11:20:00 (MST-7)
Location: LONGMONT
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: NWS Employee

Hail in LARIMER, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 11:30:00 to 22-MAY-08 11:30:00 (MST-7)
Location: LOVELAND
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in WELD, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 10:54:00 to 22-MAY-08 10:54:00 (MST-7)
Location: WINDSOR
Magnitude: 1.50 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in LARIMER, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 12:04:00 to 22-MAY-08 12:04:00 (MST-7)
Location: WELLINGTON
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: NWS Employee

Hail in BOULDER, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 11:05:00 to 22-MAY-08 11:05:00 (MST-7)
Location: LONGMONT
Magnitude: 1.50 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in LARIMER, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 11:03:00 to 22-MAY-08 11:03:00 (MST-7)
Location: FT COLLINS AIRPARK
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in WELD, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 10:56:00 to 22-MAY-08 10:56:00 (MST-7)
Location: WINDSOR
Magnitude: 2.75 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in WASHINGTON, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 12:19:00 to 22-MAY-08 12:19:00 (MST-7)
Location: PINNEO
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in LARIMER, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 10:47:00 to 22-MAY-08 10:47:00 (MST-7)
Location: BLACK HOLLOW JCT
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in LARIMER, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 11:57:00 to 22-MAY-08 11:57:00 (MST-7)
Location: DRAKES
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: Storm Chaser

Hail in LARIMER, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 10:30:00 to 22-MAY-08 10:30:00 (MST-7)
Location: DRAKE
Magnitude: 1.75 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in LARIMER, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 11:45:00 to 22-MAY-08 11:45:00 (MST-7)
Location: LOVELAND
Magnitude: 1.75 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in JEFFERSON, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 10:15:00 to 22-MAY-08 10:15:00 (MST-7)
Location: GOLDEN
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in LARIMER, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 11:40:00 to 22-MAY-08 11:40:00 (MST-7)
Location: BERTHOUD
Magnitude: 0.75 
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in LARIMER, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 11:30:00 to 22-MAY-08 11:30:00 (MST-7)
Location: LOVELAND
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in WELD, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 10:48:00 to 22-MAY-08 10:48:00 (MST-7)
Location: WINDSOR
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Tornado in WELD, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 11:30:00 to 22-MAY-08 11:32:00 (MST-7)
Location: DACONO
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Reported by: Law Enforcement

A tornado touched down and destroyed 5 buildings near Dacono.  One person was injured.  The tornado overturned a five-wheel trailer and injured the man who was sitting inside.

Hail in LARIMER, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 10:45:00 to 22-MAY-08 10:45:00 (MST-7)
Location: TIMNATH
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in LARIMER, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 11:51:00 to 22-MAY-08 11:51:00 (MST-7)
Location: LOVELAND
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: NWS Employee

Hail in WELD, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 10:19:00 to 22-MAY-08 10:19:00 (MST-7)
Location: GILCREST
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail in LARIMER, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 11:45:00 to 22-MAY-08 11:45:00 (MST-7)
Location: BERTHOUD
Magnitude: 0.88 
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Tornado in LARIMER, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 11:08:00 to 22-MAY-08 11:16:00 (MST-7)
Location: TIMNATH
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A powerful tornado continued into Larimer County.  A barn and two out buildings were destroyed near Timnath.  A center pivot was overturned and a parked car was swept around the corner of a house and rolled over. The tornado finally lifted 6 miles west-northwest of Wellington.

Tornado in WELD, COLORADO
From 22-MAY-08 10:26:00 to 22-MAY-08 11:08:00 (MST-7)
Location: PLATTEVILLE ARPT
Tornado F-scale: EF3
Property damage: 147.00M
Reported by: Trained Spotter

A powerful tornado swept north-northwestward across Weld County and into Larimer County, carving a path of destruction, nearly 39 miles in length. The tornado, up to one-mile wide at times, initially touched down northeast of Platteville and finally lifted 6 miles west-northwest of Wellington.  A tornado assessment in the aftermath of the tornado revealed extensive areas of damage. On the enhanced Fujita Scale there were pockets of EF3 damage, mainly near the Missile Silo Park Campground, and to businesses and home in eastern Windsor.
There was one fatality, and 78 injuries. One man was killed when he tried to escape the trailer park in his motor home.  Preliminary estimates from FEMA indicated 850 homes were damaged, and nearly 300 homes were significantly damaged or destroyed. Privately insured damages totaled $147 million, and the Poudre Valley Rural Electric Associated reported $1 million of damage to electric transmission lines.