GOSHEN COUNTY – Streets, yards and sidewalks throughout Goshen County were littered with fallen trees, broken limbs, leaves and weeds following Monday’s June 2 storm system.

Cottonwood Golf Course reported at least 15 trees destroyed, with massive cottonwoods uprooted and tossed aside. Volunteer clean-up crews arrived Wednesday morning to assist course manager David Dent. He had 20-30 volunteers with chainsaws, rakes, gloves and heavy machinery clearing the course. Volunteers ranged from teenagers to 80-year-old supporters. Local golfer, Eric Tuttle explained he would neglect his own yard but wouldn’t let the golf course suffer from Monday evening’s catastrophic weather.

Crews worked at Valley View Cemetery in Torrington cleaning up fallen trees, one of which broke parts of the surrounding fence. City employees worked throughout the day clearing debris.

Despite numerous tornado reports, the National Weather Service (NWS) Cheyenne Office determined straight-line winds caused most damage in Goshen County.

“I can confirm, it was not a tornado,” Mike Natoli, NWS meteorologist, explained. “This was regular old straight-line winds, which doesn’t mean it’s not a concern that will be very destructive but we did not have any tornado reports.”

Natoli explained the Torrington Municipal Airport weather station went down during Monday evening’s storm around 5 p.m.

“We do not have a measured maximum wind gust, but we do have some estimates that we do believe the winds were likely at least 70 miles an hour,” Natoli explained. “It could have been as high as 80 or 90, but we do not have confirmation of that.”

The storm began over Platte County and followed the Platte River into Torrington.

“It was kind of like a complex of storms with embedded cores within that were a little locally stronger,” Natoli elaborated. “Right as it was coming into Torrington, we saw what we call a bow echo – which typically indicates strong winds.”

Natoli noted damages were widespread due to luck of location under the storm’s bowing section.

“We received several reports of downed trees, barns with roofs ripped off and irrigation pivots flipped, which you need quite a bit of wind to do,” Natoli said. “Looking back at the radar, where the storm started to develop into a bow echo happened pretty much right over Lingle.”

Rainfall totals varied throughout the county with Lingle reporting 1.8 inches in 24 hours, while other areas received between half an inch and two inches.

Clean-up efforts continue across Goshen County as communities work together to clear debris and repair damage. Volunteers, city crews and residents have mobilized throughout the area with chainsaws, heavy equipment and cleanup supplies to restore normal conditions.