The National Weather Service confirmed Thursday that it was a tornado that touched down near Moses Lake, knocking apart a barn, as an unusually strong May storm blew across Washington.

The Weather Service office in Spokane says a twister about 300 feet wide was on the ground for more than a half-mile about 6:15 p.m. Wednes-day five miles northeast of Moses Lake.

Rick Call was feeding his horses when he saw the wide, dark cloud touch down near his home and begin tossing around heavy items, including his riding lawn mower, said the the Grant County Department of Emergency Management.

It lifted the horse barn about 20 feet off the ground and dropped it in pieces about 30 feet from its original location. Four horses were outside the barn and no livestock was injured.

Winds of 30 mph to 60 mph were reported across the state.

Cold weather followed the storm.