Oregon Public Broadcasting

The National Weather Service has changed its mind about a storm that hit Burns in southeast Oregon  Tuesday.

It was almost a tornado. But not quite.

A thunderstorm sent 70 mile an hour winds sweeping across the area.

The gusts lifted a motor home, and knocked down 52 power poles.  Some people reported that the storm seemed to be rotating. 

Paul Flatt is a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Boise. He thinks the storm did create a few funnel clouds. But none touched the ground.

Paul Flatt: “None of the damage is consistent with a rotation, all the damage is consistent with a straight line wind. “

Nobody was injured in the storm.