BOULDER, Colo. — Powerful wind gusts toppled trees and snapped power poles in Boulder Friday as thousands of residents wait for the lights to turn back on.
Experts are calling the weather event a "particularly dangerous situation" with high fire risk in the foothills.
The hurricane-force winds created zero visibility for drivers along North Foothills Highway as dust kicked up across the area.
Strong and dangerous winds battered the foothills earlier today.
— Denver7 News (@DenverChannel) December 19, 2025
This video from the Boulder County Sheriff's Office shows just why deputies were asking people in the county to stay home. #COwx pic.twitter.com/dv1IhfuhJW
Boulder resident Chris Lepine experienced a close call Friday afternoon when strong gusts picked his car and a nearby pickup truck off the ground, shattering his Subaru's mirrors.
"Our family came here in 1965 and I've never seen anything like it," Lepine said.
Within seconds of being lifted, a massive tree fell just feet in front of their vehicles.
"We were just going down to get stamps at the post office," Lepine said. "I'm just real fortunate. And you know, we're fortunate, we're okay."
Colorado Department of Transportation crews worked to clear the fallen tree from the roadway, chaining it to a truck to haul it out of the intersection.
The severe weather is also impacting local Boulder businesses during the crucial final days before Christmas.
Restaurant owner Peter Waters posted a sign on his door at T/aco Friday, alerting customers that he'd be closed.
The City of Boulder announced free parking on metered streets and garages from Saturday through Wednesday to help businesses affected by the widespread power outages.
While Waters hopes the free parking will boost affected businesses, he believes Boulder needs long-term solutions to address fire risk.
"If you want to start talking solutions, I think Xcel needs to evaluate their above ground lines," Waters said. "I don't think we need to bury every line in Boulder, but there's some very susceptible areas on the outskirts of town..."
