Tornado Warning: Denver International Airport

UPDATE 6:41PM MDT. Via DailyKos, here is the FAA's TDWR reflectivity image showing the radar on top of a satellite image of the airport. The tornado was moving north to NNE. So, it missed the terminal and other structures.

UPDATE: 5:13PM. Reader Mark in the comments notes that DIA has well-marked tornado shelters. This has been previously noted on the blog.

UPDATE: 2:52PM. The wind measuring equipment clocked a gust of 84 knots = 97 mph. Here is a photo of the tornado via Twitter.

UPDATE: 2:42PM MDT: The tornado was on the ground from 2:31 2:21pm until 2:36pm. It was confirmed by the NWS as being over the "eastern" part of the airport. No word yet on damage/injuries, if any.


UPDATE 2:29PM MDT. The circulation has taken a more northerly path and it is in the general vicinity of the center of the airport. The DIA web cam is off the air. The circulation is where the bright green and pink come together.

 Web cam:

UPDATE: They can see the tornado from the airport's weather station. It touched down at 2:21pm.

KDEN 182022Z 06021G28KT 5SM +FC TSRA FEW050 BKN080CB BKN180 21/07 A3002 RMK FUNNEL CLOUD B18 FUNNEL CLOUD E20 TORNADO B21 AO2 PK WND 07028/2020 LTG DSNT E-S RAB03 OCNL LTGICCG VC E TS OHD MOV E VIRGA SW P0005

Strong tornado indication in the wind velocity data (circled). Radar time: 2:15pm MDT.

The hook echo is circled and the storm is moving the direction of the pink arrow. Its current movement will take it across the southeast part of the runway complex.