tornado hits billings montana Options

[john schlichenma...]

just to let you know billings montana does not use there cert team they think it will make amblance chaser's i bet they wish they used them now
before you start bashing me about being cold harted i was raised in montana and some of the disions they make cence till after the fact



BILLINGS (AP) - A tornado that ripped the roof off a sports arena in Billings Sunday evening also tore apart a casino, bar and laundromat in the city's downtown area.
The tornado also picked up the roof from an auto glass shop, then dumped it into a nearby creek. Nothing but the walls of the shop could be seen standing.

The tornado struck Sunday at about 5 p.m. as a big storm system with golf ball-sized hail passed through the area, Trooper Toman Baukema of the Montana Highway Patrol said.

After running through downtown's Main Street, the twister moved toward the 10,000-seat Rimrock Auto Arena in a nearby industrial area, where it snapped nearby trees and telephone poles. Big pieces of metal could be seen hanging from power lines, and tangles of insulation and metal debris were strewn for hundreds of yards in the surrounding area.

Baukema said he saw the tornado hover over the arena for about 15 minutes.

"It would touch down and suck back up and touch down and touch down again," he said.

There were several employees inside the arena when it struck, but there were no reports of injuries, Baukema said.

Surrounding buildings at the MetraPark expo center, which includes a horse race track and several pavilions, appeared to have suffered little damage. The arena is the event center's main venue and often hosts rodeos, monster truck shows, concerts and high school graduations.

Crews were working to shut off a gas leak at a commercial strip mall, about a mile away from the arena, Baukema said.

The storm also caused flooding in streets and basements near the arena from heavy rain, Yellowstone County emergency coordinator Duane Winslow said.

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Associated Press Writer Keith Ridler in Boise, Idaho, contributed to this report.




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Several funnel clouds were seen in and near Billings late this afternoon, including one that apparently hit Rimrock Auto Arena at MetraPark.

Witnesses said significant damage was done to the arena.

Billings resident David Meduna was dropping off cardboard at Pacific Steel at the east end of Fourth Avenue North when a golf-ball sized hail began pummeling .

He then saw what he described as an "F-2" tornado form over MetraPark, "tearing up the ground."

Although a building obscured his view of individual buildings at the fairgrounds he saw chunks of boards and siding flying in the air.

The funnel cloud appeared to be about 12 feet across at the top and narrowed into a small cone.

About 4:30 p.m., another motorist traveling from Ballantine to Billings along Interstate 94 reported seeing three funnel clouds - one near Huntley, one at Metra Park and one near Lockwood.

Heavy rain fell in downtown Billings and Heights with severe lightning.

There also have been reports of gas main leaks, windows knocked out of businesses and cars floating in flooded areas.

North 30th and 29th streets are flooded with cars getting stuck.

Water has risen in the Billings Clinic parking lot up to the tops of car wheels.

Just before 5:30 p.m. another funnel cloud was sighted near Shepherd.


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A tornado has touched down in the Heights doing significant damage to the MetraPark arena and other buildings in the area.

More details will be made available.

A tornado warning has been issued for Billings and Southeast Montana.

Read Monday's Montana Standard in print and online for more details and photos.