Due to the proximity of the funnel clouds, a mass text alert to seek cover was issued to residents. Tornado sirens were sounded through out Lusk as well. Once the town was clear of any danger, the siren for “all-clear” sounded. According

to Santistevan, one of the funnel clouds had disappeared in what is called a rain wrap. Santistevan told the Herald the two funnel clouds are referred to as “rope clouds.”

There are different types of clouds which can indicate they may pro- duce a tornado or funnel cloud. There are Rotating funnel clouds, wall clouds and low-hanging green- ish colored clouds. Cumulonimbus clouds are associated with severed thunderstorms.

Santistevan said, “We no longer had a visual on it [the funnel cloud]. You don’t see them and those are the dangerous ones.”

Santistevan said it is not rare for these types of storms to travel through Niobrara County. Two years ago, a funnel cloud was reported to have touched down near Duck Creek and went through a homeowner’s yard. Tornados are based on the EF scale, or Enhanced Fujita scale. This metric classifies tornados based on the destructive path they leave on the ground.

“The weather service and I went to Duck Creek to survey the dam- age,” said Santistevan “Where it touched, there was a lot of damage. Itwas an EF3.”

Niobrara County and Lusk were fortunate during the last series of severe thunderstorms. Lusk was also spared the heavy damage that accompanies hail.

“To my knowledge and the weath- er service’s knowledge, neither one of the funnel clouds touched the ground,” said Santistevan. “Man- ville and Lance Creek had hail, but a lot of it was really heavy rain.”

Niobrara Sheriff’s Office, the Wyoming State Patrol, and Sheriff Randy Starkey provided spotters, which visually tracked the violent storms. Santistevan also had Colby Thurstan as a spotter.

“I had two out at the Lance Creek area, I had the deputy sheriff out west,.The sheriff was out and my- self with the Highway Patrol,” said Santistevan. “We did not know what the weather pattern was going to do after the first funnel cloud was spot- ted. The first siren was out at Manville. I set off the siren there and Lusk’s was set off. It is a warning sig- nal telling everyone to seek cover.”

The National Weather Service played an important role during the sever thunderstorms on Tues- day. According to Santistevan, the weather service is able to let him know when the “all-clear” siren can be sounded. The all clear siren was sounded approximately an hour after the initial sightings of the tornados.

“We did get good rain out of the thunderstorms,” said Santistevan. “The only thing different from this year from last there weren’t any funnel clouds. We had the potential was there last year, but this year we did have them appear.”

Santistevan’s believes there was adequate warning for people to seek shelter.

“You just don’t know what is com- ing,” said Santistevan. “Right after the second funnel cloud was spot- ted, which was out on 28-mile road, I sent out the alarm.”

The code red was used and IPAWS (Integrated Public Alert and Warning System) was enacted in the county. The weather service auto- matically sends out the alert. Any cell phone near a tower will set off.

For more information to sign up for the Code Red alerts, go to www. niobrarasheriff.org. For more information about weather alerts, go to www.weather.gov.