Live storm blog: No relief likely until later Monday around Colorado Springs; airport schedule disrupted

Jan. 10--Strong winds will likely continue to be a problem for Colorado Springs and other parts of the Pikes Peak region until about 4 or 5 p.m. Monday, according to meteorologist Clint Skelly of the National Weather Service in Pueblo. Regional wind gusts are at about 70 mph on Monday morning, he added.

The Colorado Springs area won't likely see relief until late Monday afternoon, with winds calming down to about 15 mph with gusts up to only 25 mph, Skelly said.

He added that regional wind speeds for the rest of the week likely won't be as strong as Monday morning.

The latest on the blustery weather and high wind warning Monday in the Colorado Springs area:

- for a list of closings and delays due to weather.

- for live traffic and road updates.

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Update 8:49 p.m.

Colorado Springs Utilities reported 276 outages affecting about 5,900 customers just after 8:30 p.m., an improvement from three hours earlier, when more than 300 outages were affecting nearly 10,000 customers.

"Hopefully the wind cooperates with efforts tomorrow," according to a Utilities tweet. "Full restoration could still take another day or two."

Crews are working thru night to assess & restore as quickly/safely as possible. Mutual aid crews from Xcel expected in the morning.

-- Co.Springs Utilities (@CSUtilities) January 10, 2017

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Update 7:47 p.m.

The National Weather Service in Pueblo lifted its high wind warning about half an hour early, at 7:30 p.m.

It was lifted because winds fell below the criteria for a warning -- greater than 58 mph gusts and greater than 40 mph sustained winds, said meteorologist Bill Line.

Winds will continue to slow in the Colorado Springs area Monday night, but Tuesday is still expected to be breezy.

The weather service predicted up to 30 mph gusts Tuesday, with 10-15 mph sustained winds early in the day and 15-20 mph in the afternoon.

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Update 7:21 p.m.

Pueblo School District 70 will be open Tuesday, but the mountain schools will be closed.

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Update 6:58 p.m.

The Colorado Springs Police Department went off of accident alert status at 6:20 p.m., which it went on at 9:30 a.m. "due to weather (wind) conditions."

When a crash occurs while the police department is on accident alert status, motorists exchange insurance information and file a report later.

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Update 5:50 p.m.

The Colorado Springs Fire Department had received 450 calls for service by 3 p.m. Monday, about 90 percent of which were related to the wind. That's more than double the department's usual number of calls.

The department posted several videos to of firefighters working.

A video posted by Colorado Springs Fire Dept (@colorado_springs_fire) on Jan 9, 2017 at 4:14pm PST

A video posted by Colorado Springs Fire Dept (@colorado_springs_fire) on Jan 9, 2017 at 4:18pm PST

A video posted by Colorado Springs Fire Dept (@colorado_springs_fire) on Jan 9, 2017 at 4:17pm PST

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Update 3:58 p.m.

Fountain Valley School: Due to CDOT restrictions, afternoon day buses will not run. Parents should pick up their children following afternoon activities.

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Update 3:34 p.m.

The National Weather Service in Pueblo has extended Monday's high wind warning by three hours, until 8 p.m. The warning is in place for a section of south central Colorado down to the state line, including El Paso, Pueblo and Teller counties.

The warning was previously in place until 5 p.m.

Winds will decrease north to south, said Bill Line, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pueblo. In Colorado Springs, most of the strong winds will die down by sunset.

"The winds have already started to subside around the Colorado Springs area," Line said.

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Update 3:20 p.m.

PHOTOS: Reader-submitted pics from today's wind storm https://t.co/oeI3FucLxi #cowx pic.twitter.com/EFXpX25G61

-- The Gazette (@csgazette) January 9, 2017

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Update 3:19 p.m.

First Presbyterian Church in Colorado Springs has canceled all evening services Monday evening.

The church will close at 5 p.m.

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Update 3:17 p.m.

At 12:02 p.m., Colorado Springs Airport recorded a wind gust of 80 mph, breaking the all-time record for the city set on Feb. 3, 1999, according to the National Weather Service in Pueblo.

The weather service also said winds have been gusting at 60 mph or stronger at the airport since 10 a.m. Monday.

The conditions have caused several delays and cancellations at the airport. For more flight information, .

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Update 3:10 p.m.

Fort Carson announced it could take weeks to repair damage there from Monday's wind, including roofing ripped from at least one barracks building.

"Fort Carson sustained significant damage today from high winds," the post said on Facebook. "Winds will continue through the next couple of days, although not as significantly. If you experience any damages to government facilities, please contact Directorate of Public Works at 526-5345. We thank you in advance for you patience in the next few weeks as we recover from this weather situation."

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Update 3:05 p.m.

Fort Carson officials have lifted a shelter-in-place order that required soldiers to stay indoors and away from windows as epic winds whipped the post.

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Update 2:55 p.m.

Mountain Metro Transit bus service is expected to resume about 3:30 p.m. Monday, officials said in a tweet.

The buses will begin to leave the depot at 3 p.m., officials said, before starting their routes about 30 minutes later.

Bus service was suspended for about three hours due to an order by the Colorado Department of Transporting prohibiting high-profile commercial vehicles from hitting the roads.

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Update 2:40 p.m.

The El Paso County courthouse will reopen noon Tuesday, according to Rob McCallum, a spokesman for Colorado Judicial Branch. Jurors are asked to report to the facility at 1 p.m. Tuesday.

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Update 2:35 p.m.

All Mountain Metro Transit bus services in the Colorado Springs area have been suspended Monday afternoon.

Officials said bus services will return Monday "when the wind subsides," adding "temporary suspension is for safety of the community."

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Update 2:20 p.m.

Most school districts in the Pikes Peak region that stayed open today are now asking parents to pick up their students from schools or make arrangements to carpool and have their children brought home.

Districts are grounding school buses from operating, due to the Colorado State Patrol's ban on travel of high-profile vehicles.

Among the districts not offering bus service Monday afternoon are Colorado Springs School District 11, Academy District 20, Falcon School District 49, Lewis-Palmer School District 38, Ellicott School District 22, Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8 (to schools on base), and others.

Parents can contact their schools to determine whether buses are running or not.

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Update 2:15 p.m.

Several flights to and from the Colorado Springs Airport have been canceled or delayed Monday. For more information, .

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Update 2:10 p.m.

Firefighters have responded to a structure fire at 309 23rd St., according to the Colorado Springs Fire Department.

The Fire Department said a wall in the home caught fire.

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Bus shelter ripped from its concrete moorings and overturned. Colorado/Cascade @csgazette pic.twitter.com/2jqmoHprVK

-- Lance Benzel (@lancebenzel) January 9, 2017

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Update 2 p.m.

Colorado Springs Utilities reported 260 outages with 8,000 customers affected.

"Winds still causing issues, but crews are making slow progress," Utilities said in a tweet.

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Heard a crash as a 5' by 3' panel of glass came crashing onto sidewalk at Rutledge's Tejon/Kiowa. @csgazette pic.twitter.com/SUR3w6WT0T

-- Lance Benzel (@lancebenzel) January 9, 2017

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Update 1:56 p.m.

Colorado Springs School District 11 will not have afternoon bus service, due to the Colorado State Patrol's ban on high-profile vehicle travel.

Parents and guardians of bused students will need to arrange for their students to get home.

Students may be picked up starting now through regular dismissal.

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Update 1:55 p.m.

Southbound U.S. 115 at mile marker 42 has reopened after crews cleared power lines in the area. However, the intersection is without power and drivers are asked to treat the intersection like a four-way stop.

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Update 1:49 p.m.

Ellicott School District 22 has closed and will not be providing bus transportation Monday afternoon.

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Update 1:32 p.m.

Travel restrictions on high-profile vehicles are curbing school buses across the Pikes Peak Region. Falcon School District 49 school buses will not run this afternoon. Parents are asked to pick up their children or arrange for a carpool.

All five schools on Fort Carson Army Post have been closed due to high winds and intermittent power outages, and no buses are running, and students cannot walk home, said Fountain-Fort Carson School District 8 spokeswoman Christy McGee. After-school activities on post has been canceled as well.

Other schools in D-8 are as normal.

Colorado Springs Early Colleges also will not operate afternoon bus service.

Harrison School District 2's administration building on Circle Drive lost all electrical power, Internet and cell phone connection Monday morning, said spokesman Ross Green. Windows blew out at Fox Meadow Middle School in the morning and shortly thereafter D-2 decided to close all of its schools, he said.

Getting the word out to parents was tough, he said, but the old-fashioned grapevine helped.

Safety also was a concern at Rampart High School in Academy School District 20, where four windows blew out Monday morning around 7:45 a.m., according to spokeswoman Allison Cortez.

"We believe debris caused the breakages," she said.

Broken glass flew into common areas and halls, and no classrooms were impacted, Cortez said.

Students and staff sheltered in place as maintenance crews worked to clean up the mess and repair the damages.

The district provided lunch to everyone, Cortez added.

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Update 1:29 p.m.

Colorado Avenue between 25th Avenue & Colbrunn Court has reopened after cleanup related to weather issues, according to Colorado Springs police.

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Update 1:24 p.m.

At Peterson Air Force Base, the 302nd Airlift Wing grounded its fleet of C-130 transport planes Monday because of the extreme winds.

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Update 1:22 p.m.

High winds have triggered nearly 20 cancellations, diversions and delays Monday at the Colorado Springs Airport, including:

* Nine departing flights on American, Frontier and United airlines to Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles and Phoenix have been cancelled.

* Six arriving flights on Frontier and United to Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver and Los Angeles have been cancelled.

* Two arriving flights from Chicago and Orlando on United and Frontier were diverted to Pueblo and Denver, respectively.

* One arriving flight to Phoenix and one departing flight to Orlando, both on Frontier, have been delayed.

The storm has not caused any significant damage to airport facilities, according to Nate Lavin, an airport spokesman

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Update 1:20 p.m.

Colorado Springs police posted a photo on social media showing a vehicle that was smashed by a downed tree near the Pioneers Museum in downtown.

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"I don't know that we've ever had a storm with this much trash," said 30-year resident of neighborhood. @csgazette pic.twitter.com/JO8hehlmV4

-- Lance Benzel (@lancebenzel) January 9, 2017

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Update 1:07 p.m.

Southbound Highway 115 at mile marker 42 will reopen soon now that the downed power lines in the area have been de-energized.

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Update 1:05 p.m.

Colorado Avenue is closed between 25th & Colbrunn Court for clean up from weather issues.

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Update 1:03 p.m.

Compassion International is closed due to a power outage.

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Update 12:56 p.m.

"An uprooted tree upended Dean Byrne's WWII era German jeep in his front yard," The Gazette's Jerilee Bennett tweeted.

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Update 12:55 p.m.

I-25 southbound is now open at mile marker 138, Colorado Springs Police tweeted.

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Update 12:47 p.m.

Five incoming flights, from Denver, Los Angeles and Dallas/Fort Worth, have been canceled, and a fight scheduled to arrive from Chicago has been diverted, according to the Colorado Springs Airport website. Eight departing flights, from Denver, Los Angeles, Dallas/Fort Worth and Houston, have been canceled, and a flight departing for Orlando has been delayed.

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Update 12:44 p.m.

Colorado State Patrol Trooper Nate Reid said 21 semis were overturned by wind in El Paso county from 6 a.m. through 12:30 p.m. Monday. Most are along I-25 however, some are along Highway 115, he said. No serious injuries were reported and there were no full blockages of the interstate, since most of the trucks blew off the side of the road.

For the time being, nothing is being done to remove the trucks as it is dangerous for crews to be out in the wind, he said.

"Obviously the wind is going to have to stop."

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Update 12:42 p.m.

The Gazette's Mark Reis tweeted this photo of shoppers navigating tumbleweeds kicked up by high winds outside of Gordmans.

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Update 12:38 p.m.

The Colorado Springs Police Department is shutting down southbound I-25 at mile marker 138 to move a rolled semi, CSPD communications tweeted.

Southbound I-25 is now open north of Colorado Springs at mile marker 153, the Colorado Department of Transportation tweeted.

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Update 12:37 p.m.

"Hurricanes aren't this bad," said Nate Wood, a Florida visitor, The Gazette's Tom Roeder tweeted.

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Update 12:35 p.m.

Highway 115 is closed at South Academy, according to The Gazette's Tom Roeder.

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Update 12:33 p.m.

The Pikes Peak Library District's Fountain and Sand Creek libraries are now closed due to extreme wind conditions.

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Update 12:24 p.m.

From the City of Colorado Springs:

City Response to Downed Trees

* The Forestry Department is responding to a high volume of calls for downed trees throughout the city with downtown and the city's west side most impacted.

* Residents should report downed trees that are blocking roads to 719-385-ROAD

* To report a fallen tree in street median, parks and parkway strips 719-385-5942

* Residents can also report a fallen tree by using the City's GoCoSprings app: https://www.coloradosprings.gov/gocosprings

Colorado Springs Utilities Update

* As of 11:30 a.m. Colorado Springs Utilities is currently responding to more than 200 reported electric outages in its service territory caused by high winds. Approximately 18,000 customers are being affected by these outages.

* The outages are concentrated in the southern portion of Springs Utilities' system, which has the highest percentage of overhead lines.

* Most of the outages are being caused by blowing debris, construction materials and metal siding getting into our lines causing circuits to trip.

* Customers should be on the lookout for fallen power lines or trees that have come into contact with a power line. If a customer witnesses either, they should stay away from the line and/or tree, and call us at 448-4800 or call 911.

* To help reduce call volume and expedite emergency-related calls during this wind storm event, Springs Utilities is asking customers to use its online outage map at csu.org (http://stormcenter3.csu.org.s3.amazonaws.com/default.html) for electric outage information and status updates, and to not call 448-4800 unless a customer is reporting a downed electric line, a tree into an electric line, or some other utilities-related emergency that poses a safety risk.

Mountain Metropolitan Transit

* Mountain Metro Transit services are suspended today due to extreme wind conditions. Drivers will finish their current routes and return to the bus depot and wait out the wind. This is per CDOT's direction of the safety concern regarding high profile commercial vehicles. We will continue to update the media and post the most current information on our Facebook and Twitter pages, #MMTRA, on recorded phone messages and at 385-RIDE (7433).

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Update 12:22 p.m.

Cheyenne Mountain State Park has closed today due to extreme winds, the park tweeted.

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Update 12:18 p.m.

Pikes Peak School of Expeditionary Learning buses will not run this afternoon due to high profile vehicle safety restrictions.

The Security Public Library is closed due to lack of electricity.

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Update 12:16 p.m.

Colorado Springs partially activated its Emergency Operations Center on Monday morning, allowing crews to to better coordinate their response to one of the city's worst wind events in years.

Representatives from the city, Colorado Springs Utilities and Mountain Metro Transit were among the people working to address downed trees and power outages across the city.

Bus service also was suspended at noon Monday after the Colorado Department of Transportation put a halt to all commercial traffic in the area until at least 3 p.m.

The move offered a sign of the wind's force.

The center has often been activated during severe weather events or natural disasters, such as strong winter storms or flash floods running off of the regions burn scars. Opening the center for wind events, however, is far less common.

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Update 12:14 p.m.

There are "several new reports" of semis rolled on I-25 near mile marker 152, Colorado Springs Police tweeted.

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Update 12:12 p.m.

Winds are gusting to 78 mph at the Colorado Springs Airport, according to our news partner KKTV.

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Update 12:08 p.m.

A semi has rolled at Milton Proby and Academy, Colorado Springs Police tweeted. Additionally, there is an injury crash at Pikes Peak and Wahsatch.

Power has been restored at Adams Elementary School, Colorado Springs School District 11 tweeted.

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Update 12:05 p.m.

The Peak Vista Community Health Center at South Circle has closed for the day due to a power outage.

Colorado Springs Early Colleges will not offer p.m. buses.

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Update 11:49 a.m.

The wind's ferocity proved dangerous for many Colorado Springs residents.

"A number of people" were treated at either Penrose Hospital or St. Francis Medical Center for wind-related injuries, said Chris Valentine, a Penrose-St. Francis Health Services spokesman.

He said many of the injured were elderly people blown over by the wind. He said some people suffered "serious" injuries, but he did not give any specific figures.

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Update 11:40 a.m.

All semi, tractor trailers, commercial buses and other high-profile vehicles are prohibited from driving on Interstate 25 between Monument and the New Mexico state line because of wind gusts nearing 80 mph, the Colorado Department of Transportation said.

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Update 11:35 a.m.

Tejon Street is closed from Colorado Avenue to Vermijo Avenue -- in front of the El Paso County courthouse. Earlier, pieces of the roof of the courthouse's south tower were reported to be torn off.

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Update 11:33 a.m.

Schools on Fort Carson Army post are closing. Soldiers are being released to pick up their children. There is no bussing, and students are not being allowed to walk home.

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Update 11:30 a.m.

Fences downed by wind have let loose some dogs in the Colorado Springs area. The Humane Society of the Pikes Peak region encourages homeowners to check their fences before letting their dogs outside.

Update 11:28 a.m.

Fort Carson buildings have experienced damages because of Monday's strong winds, including the post's Exchange and Education Center, officials said. The facility is closed because of a gas leak.

The post's child development centers can't accept anymore children because it has reached capacity, officials said.

"Those who have received personal property damages while on Fort Carson may file a claim through the Staff Judge Advocate office after filing with their personal insurance company and getting a police report from the military police desk," officials said in a statement.

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Update 11:22 a.m.

Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs has treated "a few patients" who suffered injuries related to the wind, said hospital spokeswoman Carolyn Vogrin, adding that she did not have further details about the patients.

She also said the hospital has no phone issues impacting patient care.

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Update 11:17 a.m.

At the Terry R. Harris judicial complex at 270 S. Tejon St., workers on top floors braced themselves as winds buffeted the building.

"I just came on like a hurricane," said Barbara Pamp, a court reporter who works on the fifth floor and watched as swatches of tar paper and panels of what looked like drywall went flying through the air.

Roofing material could be seen littering the property and blowing down the street.

At one point during the storm, the Division 5 courtroom appeared to fill with smoke, and a security guard said an antenna had been blown from the roof.

As the building was being evacuated, some in the courthouse were prevented from leaving until a period when the winds died down.

"It's just the danger of stuff blowing off the roof and hitting people," said 4th Judicial District Administrator Danny Davis.

Davis said he had heard a report of one person hit by flying debris, but he couldn't say if the person was injured and had no further details.

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Update 11:08 a.m.

The extreme wind conditions will suspend Mountain Metropolitan Transit bus services at 12 p.m. Monday, officials said.

"Drivers will finish their current routes and return to the bus depot and wait out the wind," officials said.

It is not known when bus services will return.

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Update 11:07 a.m.

Ross Freeman, a roofer who lives on South Sheridan Avenue between East Cheyenne Road and South Corona Avenue, watched as shingles lifted off his neighbor's roofs on Monday morning.

Shingles are rated to withstand between 70-120 mph winds depending on the quality and how they're nailed down, with the average rated at about 90 mph, he said.

The hail bomb this summer created work for him and now this storm will offer more. "I hate to see it happen but it will put a lot of money in my pocket," Freeman said.

He went to check on a roofing job today but it was too windy to work.

He's worried about two trees planted in 1958 that mark his neighbor's driveway. The way the wind is blowing they could topple into his house but so far have only shed some small branches.

He was born and raised here and said of the wind, "It's got to be 20 years since I've seen it this bad."

Donna Jayubl, who also lives on Sheridan Avenue, said a large branch from the tree towering over her house fell on the roof and then off the side of her house, leaving little visible damage but the storm has her nervous.

She lived through a tornado in Chicago when she was in kindergarten, she said.

"It makes me feel like I'm back east where I grew up," Jayubl said. "I went through a tornado so I hear this wind and I get nervous."

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Update 11 a.m.

Scott McIntyre, owner of Total Roofing in Colorado Springs, said his company began receiving calls about 4 a.m. Monday as early risers were heading off to work. As of about 10:30, he estimated Total Roofing had received about 100 calls and he expected that number to triple by day's end.

As he's driven around the area responding to calls, McIntyre said he's seen shingles blown off roofs, trees that have fallen onto roofs and a metal shed that blew apart and struck a neighbor's roof, among other damage.

"They really haven't stopped," McIntyre said of the phone calls. "We've gotten calls about roofing, about siding, about gutters. This is probably the worst wind storm I've seen as far as damage is concerned to Colorado Springs."

McIntyre said his crews can't necessarily do repairs today because of the ongoing windy conditions; his employees are helping to clean up properties and are making arrangements to come back for detailed inspections after the wind dies down.

"This is typical stuff you'd see in a hurricane," McIntyre said. "And it's pretty widespread. The Broadmoor area got hit pretty hard, Falcon, downtown, Cimarron Hills. It's been pretty amazing."

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Update 10:57 a.m.

Steve Hodanish, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pueblo, called the wind storm that is blasting the Colorado Springs area a "mountain wave."

According to Hodanish, the conditions are just right with a very strong jet stream and "high wind profile in the atmosphere that allows this to occur." He said these types of storms happen just east of the mountains and bring high winds pouring down the slopes to the west.

"It's breaking right over Colorado Springs," Hodanish said of the "wave."

"The magnitude is way up there," he said. "But's still too early to say if it's historic."

The meteorologist said these types of storms are not uncommon and are usually felt in the Colorado Springs area west of Interstate 25. In the case with Monday's "mountain wave" the winds are so strong that the entire city has fallen victim to gusts of more than 60 mph.

Teller County to the west and areas like Pueblo, that are a good distance east of the mountain, have only experienced normal January winds Monday morning, Hodanish said, adding that the turbulent weather began as a "big Pacific system," hit California over the weekend and moved into Colorado.

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Update 10:53 a.m.

When the wind lets, up Fort Carson is gearing up to deal with damage claims.

"People who have received personal property damages on Fort Carson, must go to the military police desk at Building 2700 on Christie Street to file a report, file a report with their personal insurance company and then go to the Staff Judge Advocate Claims office to file a claim at 1633 Mekong Street, building 6222 -- please wait until shelter in place has been lifted and it is safe to due so," the post said on Facebook.

Soldiers on the installation have been ordered to shelter in place.

Meanwhile, the Air Force Academy hasn't seen damaging winds.

"Nothing significant," spokesman Meade Warthen said.

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Update 10:50 a.m.

It's been a "crazy delayed start" to the second semester at The Vanguard School, said executive director Colin Mullaney.

Students at the charter school in Cheyenne Mountain School District 12 near Southgate were supposed to have returned to classes from winter break last Thursday.

But snow and bitter temperatures forced the school and others to have a snow day and close on Jan. 5.

On Monday, the school first delayed its starting time by two hours and then closed entirely again because of an extended power outage in the area.

"We delayed because we saw the damage the wind was causing and the hazard that it was causing drivers, and we wanted to assess what that meant for our student and staff safety and our operations," Mullaney said. "We ultimately closed because the power went out. The safety of our students and staff is paramount, and I'm pleased we made the call we did."

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Update 10:43 a.m.

At Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station and Peterson Air Force Base, airmen were on the job, but the high winds were taking their toll.

"There is some slight building and vehicle damage being reported , just like we are seeing across the city," said Peterson spokesman Steve Brady.

Further out on the plains, Schriever Air Force Base reported no problems from the wind.

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Update 10:40 a.m.

A photo posted on social media by Gazette news partner KKTV shows papers flying over the streets near the El Paso County courthouse in downtown Colorado Springs, where damaged was reported on the building's south tower roof.

The courthouse has been closed Monday.

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Update 10:34 a.m.

In a tweet, Colorado Springs city officials reminded drivers to treat every intersection with a power outage like a four-way stop.

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Update 10:30 a.m.

Within the Gold Hill subdivision, which covers downtown and portions of western and southern Colorado Springs, officers have their hands full dashing from one report of weather-related snag to the next -- largely on the roads.

"We're just trying to get to all the traffic hazards that we can," said district watch commander Lt. Mary Rosenoff.

In southeast Colorado Springs, a similar pattern has kept police busy -- though not to the extent seen downtown and on the near west side.

"We're better than the west side, but we do have traffic lights out and we do have trees down. I just think we don't have quite as many as Gold Hill," said Sgt. Adam Romine.

An upside to the chaos is that there seems to be a gap in crime, Romine said.

"I think people are actually staying in and behaving," he said.

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Update 10:27 a.m.

The stoplights at East Platte Avenue and North Circle Drive and North Circle Drive and Pikes Peak Avenue are reportedly out, according to Colorado Springs police. Drivers are asked to treat the intersections like a four-way stop.

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Update 10:13 a.m.

Some schools in the southern part of Colorado Springs closed as a result of the strong winds.

Power outages forced the closure of Cheyenne Mountain District 12's preschool in the early morning, and Pinon Valley Elementary School, at 6205 Farthing Drive, announced it was closing at 10 a.m. due to the extended power outage. Parents are asked to pick up their children as soon as possible.

Schools had not encountered damage, said Superintendent Walt Cooper.

"It's just the power. We lost it early in the morning, and it's continuing," he said.

The Vanguard School, a charter school in Cheyenne Mountain School District 12 near Southgate, also canceled classes due to power outages.

At Holmes Middle School in Colorado Springs School District 11, the electricity went out before students came into the building, according to staff.

Classrooms were dark, and students in windowless classrooms were moved to classrooms with windows so students could see. The gusts uprooted a tree in front of the school building, and it toppled over.

Pikes Peak Community College shut down its Centennial Campus off South Academy Boulevard Monday morning due to a power outage in the area, said spokeswoman Karen Kovaly.

Most classes are not in session Monday, with the exception of high school students. Classes were canceled for high school students at the college's Centennial Campus.

Employees reported to the north campus, the Rampart Range Campus, for a professional development session, Kovaly said.

All other PPCC students don't resume classes until next Monday.

IntelliTec College canceled daytime classes about mid-morning and said evening classes would remain as scheduled, until further notice.

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Update 10:12 a.m.

Despite numerous calls of road emergencies amid gales of wind, no serious injuries have been reported, a Colorado State Patrol dispatcher said at 9:45 a.m.

"None that we're aware of," he said.

An overturned semi has been cleared from Interstate 25 at mile marker 153, but several others remain, tangling traffic. Elsewhere, a semi rolled on South Academy Boulevard at U.S. 85.

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Update 10:10 a.m.

The El Paso County courthouse in downtown Colorado Springs has been evacuated after damage was reported to the building's south tower roof, county officials said.

Deputies closed roads near South Tejon Street and East Vermijo Avenue and pedestrians are asked to avoid the area as roofing materials from the building are being removed, county officials said.

Court appointments have been canceled Monday, officials said.

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Update 10:04 a.m.

Soldiers at Fort Carson were ordered to shelter indoors Monday morning as wind ravaged the post, breaking windows, damaging buildings and contributing to a few minor injuries.

Post spokeswoman Dani Johnson said teams were out assessing the post, where the post exchange and education center were closed due to natural gas leaks.

"We do have damage we don't have specifics at this time," Johnson said.

Emergency crews on the post had been called to deal with injuries caused by a combination of massive winds and ice leftover from last week's winter storms.

"We do have some minor injuries, but that's more due to falls on ice," Johnson said.

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Update 10 a.m.

The El Paso County Office of Emergency Management sent out a reminder Monday morning to residents to stay away from downed power lines.

"Ongoing hurricane force winds have broken tree branches, toppled signs, turned over vehicles and pulled down power lines countywide," the office said in a news release. "Downed power lines can look relatively harmless, but don't be fooled. They likely carry an electric current strong enough to cause serious injury or possibly death."

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Update 9:55 a.m.

Cheyenne Mountain State Park in Colorado Springs is closed due to strong winds that have downed power lines, shifted dirt and brush and overturned at least one camper, Colorado Parks and Wildlife said.

No injuries have been reported in the area.

Wildlife officials said entry into the park is "unsafe." It is unknown when the park will reopen.

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Update 9:40 a.m.

A section of the roof of Calvary Baptist Church, 1712 S. Corona Ave., blew off Monday morning, according to the Colorado Springs Fire Department. No injuries were reported.

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Update 9:34 a.m.

According to Colorado Springs police, four semi-trucks reportedly rolled over at U.S. 115 and Titus Boulevard near Fort Carson.

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Update 9:31 a.m.

El Paso and Teller counties are under an accident alert/cold reporting status because of high winds in the area, according to Colorado State Patrol. Drivers are asked to report crashes at a later time if they do not involve injuries or the suspicion of drugs or alcohol.

State Patrol said several trucks and buses rolled over on the highways Monday morning, with some of the crashes shutting down lanes.

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Update 9:27 a.m.

The Colorado Department of Transportation has restricted traveling in El Paso County for semi, tractor trailers, commercial buses and other high-profile vehicles because of extremely high winds with gusting at more than 100 mph in the area.

The advisory will be in affect until 5 p.m. Monday.

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Update 9:15 a.m.

The El Paso County courthouse is being closed due to high winds. Security is going floor-to-floor and evacuating the building after winds ripped roofing material off of the building.

Attorney Jeremy Loew said he drove by the courthouse this morning in time to see a panel of roofing material the size of a car get whipped to the ground near the front entrance.

"People were literally taking cover behind cars," Loew said.

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Update 9:01 a.m.

More businesses and schools are closing because of what officials call "dangerously high winds." The latest includes the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and Fox Meadow Middle School in the Harrison School District 2.

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Update 8:58 a.m.

Another power line has been reported on the 700 block of East Cimarron Street, according to Colorado Springs police.

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Update 8:57 a.m.

Fort Carson is under a shelter in place because of "high winds and adverse weather conditions," officials said in a Facebook post.

"Blowing debris and other hazards are making it extremely dangerous," the post reads. "Do not go outside unless it is an emergency. Avoid areas with numerous windows. Stay away from power lines, trees and signage as well as high profile areas. Do not drive if you have a high profile vehicle. If you or someone near you is injured immediately call 911."

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Update 8:55 a.m.

Colorado Springs police said a roof collapse and structure fire has been reported on the 1700 block of South Corona Avenue. Drivers are asked to avoid the area as firefighters respond to the scene.

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Update 8:51 a.m.

Strong winds blew the roof of a warehouse at South El Paso and East Cucharras streets just east of downtown Colorado Springs, according to a Twitter post by Gazette news partner KKTV.

It is not known if the damage caused any injuries.

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Update 8:46 a.m.

Colorado Springs police continue to report several wind-related problems across the city.

A power line has been reported down at Loomis and Crestridge avenues on the city's south side, and drivers and pedestrians are asked to avoid the area. The downed power line has caused sparking, police said.

On South 26th Street and West Colorado Avenue in Old Colorado Springs, police reported a downed power line that caused a tree to catch fire. Meanwhile, the signal at Briargate and Union boulevards is reported out. Police ask drivers to treat the intersection as a four-way stop.

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Update: 8:39 a.m.

Pictures on social media show that semi-truck drivers are being cautious by parking under overpasses because of the high, strong winds.

In a tweet, Colorado Springs police said they are experienced "multiple wind-related issues." Anyone with emergency issues is asked to call 911, while non-emergency calls can be directed to 719-444-7000.

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Update: 8:35 a.m.

Several semi-truck rollovers have been reported across city streets and highways, according to the Colorado Springs Traffic Management Center.

At 8:25 a.m., the center said in a tweet that "another semi rollover" occurred on U.S. 115 just south of South Academy Boulevard. About an hour earlier, the center reported that a semi-truck rolled over on southbound Interstate 25 near mile marker 136 between Circle Drive and South Academy Boulevard.

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Update 8:30 a.m.

The outages and wind have prompted school closures and delays. The following closures have been reported:

Pikes Peak Community College Centennial Campus: Closed due to outage, employees should report to the Rampart Range Campus.

Cheyenne Mountain District 12 Preschool: Closed due to outage

Pikes Peak BOCES and School of Excellence: Closed due to outage

The Vanguard School: Closed due to outage

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Update: 8:28 a.m.

Outages are reported across the city but are concentrated toward south Colorado Springs and the Security/Widefield area.

Stratmoor Hills (near Interstate 25 and S. Academy Boulevard) has 2,207 utilities customers without power at 8:20 a.m.

Stratton Meadows (near Interstate 25 and S. Nevada Avenue) had 4,087 customers without power at 8:20 a.m.

Colorado Springs Utilities spokesman Eric Isaacson the power outages were caused by strong winds, adding that customers who see power lines to contact the service company at 448-4800.

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Update: 8:10 a.m.

A wind gust of 101 mph was reported at Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Base, according to Gazette news partner KKTV. The force of the wind is comparable to that seen in Category 2 Hurricanes.

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Update: 8:05 a.m.

A Fort Carson solider described seeing roofing blowing "all over the place on base," and a 7-Eleven shop on B Street with side paneling being ripped off by the wind.

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Update: 8:01 a.m.

The Vanguard School is now closed due to a power outage.

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Update: 7:37

A semi truck that was blown over by high winds has the left lane of southbound I-25 blocked off near South Circle Boulevard, according to Colorado Springs police. Two other vehicles were involved in the crash, but injuries were unknown Monday morning.

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Update: 7:23

Denver International Airport is warning travelers that high winds "are likely" to delay some flights Monday.

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Update: 7:20

Pikes Peak Community College Centennial Campus is closed due to a power outage. Employees should report to Rampart Range Campus.

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Update: 7:15 a.m.

Briargate Parkway is down to one lane of traffic at Lexington Drive while Colorado Springs Utilities fixes a power line downed in the high winds.

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Update: 7:10 a.m.

A broken utilities pole downed in the wind has police blocking off the 3700 block of Hancock Expressway south of Milton E. Proby Parkway.

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Update: 7:05 a.m.

The Pikes Peak Board of Cooperative Educational Services and School of Excellence is closed Monday due to a power outage.

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Hold on to your hats.

Colorado Springs and the rest of the Pikes Peak region are forecast to see some strong winds on Monday, according to the National Weather Service in Pueblo.

The weather service issued a high wind watch for the Interstate 25 corridor until Monday night, adding that the 30-40 mph winds with gusting at 65 mph could cause power outages, tree damage and travel difficulties. Teller County and the Rampart Range will be under a high wind warning until 5 a.m. Tuesday, with wind gusts up to 80 mph.

It didn't take long Monday for the winds to prove the weather service's warning correct.

Power outages were being reported across the city Monday morning, affecting anywhere from two to 3,200 customers, a Colorado Springs Utilities outage map showed.

The largest number of customers in the dark Monday morning live just east of Stratmoor Valley at Hancock Expressway and Milton E. Proby Parkway and down to Pl-Ute Park near Widefield High School. Around 3,258 customers were without power in that area. Just south of there, 15 customers were reportedly out, too.

Another 65 customers were affected in downtown Colorado Springs in the area of Ivywild. At Lake Avenue and 6th Street, 41 customers were without power. Just north of there, 11 more customers were out between West Cheyenne Boulevard and Three Eagles Stree. Thirteen customers were affected near Morning Star Drive.

Up north, 40 customers were without power between I-25 and North Academy Boulevard around Collins Road and Fuller Road.

In other parts of the city, less than a handful of customers were without power at a given time: two customers were out in the Broadmoor Hills area, and one customer was reportedly without power in Stratmoor.

Colorado Springs Utilities spokesman Eric Isaacson said he didn't have specifics on what caused each outage Monday morning, but attributed it to high winds.

Winds didn't bring cold temperatures, though.

The high Monday is expected to be near 60 degrees with winds gusting at 45 mph, the weather service predicted. Temperatures are expected to cool down just a little for the reminder of the week, with highs of 52 degrees on Tuesday and 54 degrees on Wednesday.

"Thursday will cool off even more with highs making it into the 40s and 50s with winds finally calming down," KKTV meteorologist Jessica Lebel said in a weather report, referring to the Pikes Peak region. "The next storm system looks to enter Colorado Friday through next weekend. It is still too far out to know its impacts on southern Colorado."

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The Gazette's Kaitlin Durbin, Lance Benzel, Debbie Kelley, Rich Laden, Matt Steiner, Maria Sanchez, Jakob Rodgers, Wayne Heilman and Tom Roeder contributed to this report.

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