On Sunday, a tornado in Bennett, Colorado, tore through Pioneer Solar, an 80-megawatt facility owned by a cooperative delivering power to Castle Rock and other nearby communities.

Residents in Bennett and Elbert County were left cleaning up damage Monday after a swath of tornadoes blew through the area on Sunday afternoon.

The National Weather Service on Tuesday morning said preliminary data showed the significant tornadoes were EF2s, meaning between 111 mph to 135 mph wind speeds and “considerable”

The most comparable tornado in recent Colorado memory was in Highlands Ranch in the summer of 2023. Winds in that event peaked at 105 miles per hour with a tornado rating of EF0-EF1. An estimated 30 structures, including 17 homes, were damaged. That storm was accompanied by tennis ball-sized hail.

A new tornado watch has been issued for southwestern Kansas and western Oklahoma until 10 p.m. CDT. According to the Storm Prediction Center, a few tornadoes are possible and a couple could be intense (EF3 or stronger). Widespread large hail (up to 3 inches in diameter) and damaging wind gusts up to 70 mph are all possible.

9NEWS Weather Impact Meteorologist Cory Reppenhagen captured a tornado near Bennett, Colorado, on Sunday, May 18, 2025. COLORADO, USA — Tornado damage was reported in multiple areas in Adams, Arapahoe and Elbert counties after a severe storm hit the area Sunday. Severe thunderstorm and tornado warnings were issued for the area Sunday afternoon.

BENNETT, Colo. ( KDVR) — Resources for the Bennett tornado victims are now available on-site from the Red Cross. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday, the Red Cross set up a disaster assistance center at the Bennett Recreation Center at 455 S. 1st St. for dozens of individuals impacted by Sunday’s tornadoes.