© AP Photo/ The Gazette, Christian MurdockSteven Carpe sinks knee-deep in hail in the southwest parking lot of The Citadel mall Thursday, June 7, 2012, after a hail and rain storm hit Colorado Springs, Colo., Wednesday night. Snowplows were used in Douglas County to clear hail up to 8 inches deep.
Storms brought a tornado and golf-ball-sized hail to Wyoming that downed power lines, damaged homes and pushed some empty train cars on their sides Thursday, a day after thunderstorms pummeled parts of Wyoming and Colorado with 2-inch hail and heavy rain.
Five structures were heavily damaged by the tornado Thursday, and 10 to 12 other structures also have damage, said Kelly Ruiz of the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security.
One person was treated at a hospital for a cut on the head, said local radio station owner Kent Smith, speaking for the Platte County Sheriff's Office.
A Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad crew reported the tornado struck a train that had stopped in the Wheatland area due to 55 mph winds and a tornado warning, BNSF spokesman Gus Melonas said. Five empty train cars derailed onto their sides, and another was leaning over, he said. No injuries were reported.
Some power lines also were downed, Ruiz said.
Comment: Interesting that the Chinese recognise this phenomenon to be geological in nature, as opposed to Western media, which largely portrays it as man-made.