Left Hand Valley Courier - All Local, All The Time

Mary Wolbach Lopert

Fierce Winds. The month of March decided to go out like a lion and not a lamb. On Friday, March 30, hurricane winds not only created Dust Bowl scenes along Highway 119, but also uprooted trees and snapped branches. A 40-year-old tree with a branch measuring between 12 and 14 inches in diameter was no match for the wind, just missing the owner's truck. Not only did the wind uproot a pine tree and completely block Mt. Audubon in Gunbarrel Estates, but it also blew over a cottonwood that knocked down a fence, damaged a shed and blocked part of the Cottontail Trail. The falling tree brought down power lines causing a blackout for a few hours. While Xcel Energy restored power quickly, cleaning up the downed tree took a few days longer.