Official: Tornado didn’t materialize

Roosevelt County spent several hours early Friday evening under a tornado warning and eventually a tornado watch, according to National Weather Service. While the storm with hail and strong winds jangled residents nerves, no major damage was reported.

According to Capt. Lonnie Berry, spokesperson for the Portales Police Department, branches were down in several locations around the city and there were reports of slight damage to two mobile roofs, but fear of a tornado on the ground never materialized.

“A lot of people reported a swirling of the clouds but to confirm a tornado, we have to have a spotter see a funnel on the ground,” Berry said.

Roosevelt County Sheriff Darren Hooker said his office had not received any reports of major damage from the storm either.

He said some debris was reported on the Floyd and Bethel highways, but it was all small enough for the deputy on patrol to remove by himself.

To the north, Curry County was under a severe thunderstorm warning in the early evening, according to Clovis and Curry County Emergency Management Director Ken De Los Santos.