Weld County Sheriff Spots a Dust Devil, Dirt Tornado in Greeley

Around 7:30 p.m. on the northern side of Greeley on Wednesday, May 20, a Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams spotted something you never really want to see—at least, not anywhere close to your home.

On Wednesday evening, the Weld County Sheriff's Office spotted a dust devil in northwest Colorado and shared the sighting to Facebook. A dust devil, which is a swirling updraft often seen during fair weather, rarely come anywhere near to the intensity of a tornado, but the sight of a one can still be just as striking as its larger cousin.

Multiple residents also noted the severe weather, one of whom posted a picture to Reddit.

Following the post, one Reddit user was quick to point out that we are now in tornado season, so that sights such as these might be less uncommon for those of us living on the eastern side of the state.

According to the Storm Prediction Center, Colorado is ranked 10th for the state with the most tornado activity, averaging 47 storms a year and over 400 tornadoes in the past 10 years. The tornado season typically starts in April and continues to August.

The Center for Disease Control recommends having a shelter or access to one and having an emergency kit that includes water and non-perishable foods, along with some medication.

Sources: Wikipedia, Reddit, Storm Prediction Center, Center for Disease Control, Facebook