LARAMIE, Wyo. (WFLA/NBC/AP) — Meteorologists told residents to take shelter as a tornado touched down on the plains in southeastern Wyoming.
The Casper Star-Tribune reports the twister formed north of Laramie on Wednesday evening, and there was no immediate word on damage or injuries.
The National Weather Service’s Cheyenne office tweeted photos of a well-established, gray funnel cloud moving over the prairie at about 15 mph, adding, “As picturesque as it may look, we ask that you take shelter now. No picture is worth getting hurt.”
Coltin Grasmick, who is an Atmospheric Science PhD student at the University of Wyoming in Laramie tweeted a stunning series of photos (see below) that showed the tornado as it developed.
Video shows the force of the storm as it tore across the ground throwing dirt up in the sky.
The National Weather Service said the tornado was on the ground for at least 45 minutes.
No one was injured.
The view of the thunderstorm currently north of Laramie. #wywx pic.twitter.com/VcMqVfjZ46— Coltin Grasmick (@Codagras) June 6, 2018
Tornado north of Laramie #wywx pic.twitter.com/g89LzlvS9X— Coltin Grasmick (@Codagras) June 6, 2018
This thing is still on the ground and huge! #wywx #tornado pic.twitter.com/IGT6ILnhGa— Coltin Grasmick (@Codagras) June 6, 2018
Still going . . . Literally about to run into a mountain. #wywx pic.twitter.com/B6BcDxNhK3— Coltin Grasmick (@Codagras) June 7, 2018
Incredibly, this tornado made it over the mountain ridge then roped out at 6:40 for a duration of exactly 1 hour! #wywx pic.twitter.com/Rd2MioFHX2— Coltin Grasmick (@Codagras) June 7, 2018