On this page
- Original report and authors
- Salt Lake City tornado
- Event accounts
- Historical safety guidance
- References
- Related photographs and reading
Original report and authors
National Weather Service link on Utah Tornadoes and Waterspouts (dead link)
A Scientific Report
William J. Alder, Meteorologist (retired), NWS
Clayton Brough, Climatologist, KTVX
Dan Brown, HMT/Webmaster, NWS
David James, Geographer, BYU
Dan Pope, Meteorologist, KTVX
Steve Summy, DAPM, NWS
Source updated June 4, 2005.
Salt Lake City tornado — August 11, 1999
Salt Lake City Tornado, August 11, 1999 |
Orange fireball is a power sub-station exploding. (August 11, 1999, Salt Lake City) |

Looking to the east on North Temple Street...just
west of Redwood Road
On August 11, 1999, an F2 tornado touched down in
the metropolitan area of Salt Lake City. The tornado lasted ten
minutes and killed one person, injured more than 80 people, and
caused more than $170 million in damages. It was the most destructive
tornado in Utah's history, and awakened the entire state's population
to the fact that the Beehive State does experience tornadoes.
Generally speaking, atmospheric conditions are rarely favorable for the development of tornadoes in Utah due to its dry climate and mountainous terrain. On fact, Utah ranks as having one of the lowest incidences of tornadoes in the nation, averaging only about two tornadoes per year, with only one F2 or stronger tornado once every seven years. From January 1950 to June 1, 2000, 97 tornadoes and 22 waterspouts have been reported in the state.
In the central U.S., tornadoes are commonly one-fourth of a mile wide and often cause considerable destruction and death. However, Utah tornadoes are usually smaller in size--often no more than 60 feet wide (at the base)--with a path length usually less than a mile and a life span of only a few seconds to a few minutes. They normally follow a path from a southwesterly to a northeasterly direction and usually precede the passage of a cold front.
About 73% of all Utah tornadoes have occurred in May, June, July and August, when severe thunderstorms occasionally frequent Utah. Also, 69% of all Utah tornadoes have occurred between the hours of Noon and 5:00 PM (MST), while 55% of all waterspouts have happened in the morning hours.
There have probably been more tornadoes and waterspouts in Utah
than the following statistics and accounts indicate. In fact,
in recent years an increasing number of these storms have been
reported--probably due to Utah's increasing population and greater
public awareness about twisters. However, sometimes people have
mistaken whirlwinds (or dustdevils), microburst winds and other
natural phenomena as tornadoes. Thus, every report of possible
tornadic activity that appears in this publication has been carefully
reviewed and analyzed to assure the greatest degree of accuracy
possible.

Tornado Statistics for Utah: January 1950 to Present
Size of Tornadoes: Funnel diameter is usually 10 to 20
yards wide.
Largest reported funnel diameters: 440 yards wide on December
2, 1970; 800 feet wide on Septermber 8, 2002; 200 yards wide on
May 30, 1986 and August 30, 1992; 100 to 200 yards wide on August
11, 1999; and 100 yards wide on May 6, 1981 and July 25, 1991.
Duration of Tornadoes: Usually only a few seconds to a
few minutes.
Greatest amount of time on the ground: 15 minutes on July 9, 1962,
July 25, 1991,
August 30, 1992, July 24, 1998 and September 8, 2002.
Color of Tornadoes: Usual color- gray or brown.
Other colors: black on July 9, 1962; red on July 24, 1981; and
white on December 2,
1970 and March 29, 1982. Tornado Statistics for Utah: January
1950 to the Present
Number of Tornadoes by Year:
Number of Tornadoes by Month
1950
0
1970
5
1990
4
1951
0
1971
1
1991
5
1952
0
1972
0
1992
4
1953
2
1973
0
1993
6
1954
1
1974
0
1994
0
1955
3
1975
0
1995
2
1956
0
1976
0
1996
3
1957
1
1977
0
1997
1
1958
0
1978
1
1998
8
1959
0
1979
0
1999
5
1960
0
1980
0
2000
7
1961
1
1981
2
2001
4
1962
1
1982
3
2002
4
1963
1
1983
0
2003
4
1964
1
1984
6
2004
2
1965
5
1985
0
2005
1
1966
2
1986
3
1967
2
1987
3
1968
4
1988
1
1969
3
1989
6
Total 118
January
1
July
13
February
1
August
23
March
4
September
21
April
7
October
0
May
29
November
2
June
15
December
2
Total
118
Number of Tornadoes
by Hour (MST)
Number of Tornadoes
by County
1:00 AM
1
1:00 PM
12
2:00 AM
0
2:00 PM
17
3:00 AM
0
3:00 PM
19
4:00 AM
0
4:00 PM
13
5:00 AM
1
5:00 PM
9
6:00 AM
0
6:00 PM
5
7:00 AM
0
7:00 PM
3
8:00 AM
2
8:00 PM
3
9:00 AM
2
9:00 PM
0
10:00 AM
5
10:00 PM
0
11:00 AM
12
11:00 PM
0
12 Noon
14
12 Midnight
0
Total
118
Beaver
4
Piute
1
Box Elder
9
Rich
3
Cache
4
Salt Lake
15
Carbon
1
San Juan
0
Daggett
1
Sanpete
9
Davis
10
Sevier
4
Duchesne
3
Summit
0
Emery
7
Tooele
5
Garfield
1
Uintah
5
Grand
5
Utah
9
Iron
5
Wasatch
0
Juab
1
Washington
2
Kane
0
Wayne
7
Millard
3
Weber
6
Morgan
1
Total
121*
* Three of the above numbered tornadoes were counted twice because they
traveled across
county borders: June 5, 1953; May 4, 1961; and May 30, 1986.
| Number of Injuries: | Number of Deaths: |
| 2 people on July 8, 1989 1 male on August 14, 1968 1 female on April 19, 1970 1 male on April 23, 1990 2 people on June 2, 1993 1 female on May 29, 1996 5 people (or more) on August 20, 1998 80 people (or more) on August 11, 1999 1 female on September 3, 1999 | 1 male on August 11, 1999 (Note: 1 young female was killed on July 6, 1884.) |
| Stated Monetary Damage by Tornadoes | ||
|---|---|---|
| $1,200 | June 1, 1955 | |
| $5,000 | June 16, 1955 | |
| $20,000 | June 3, 1963 | |
| $2,000 | August 28, 1964 | |
| $10,000 | April 17, 1966 | |
| $15,000 | November 2, 1967 | |
| $50,000 | August 14, 1968 | |
| $5,000 | May 29, 1987 | |
| $3,000 | May 29, 1988 | |
| $25,000 | September 17, 1989 | |
| $500 | March 23, 1990 | |
| $1,500 | September 23, 1992 | |
| $8,000 | April 4, 1993 | |
| $50,000 | May 3, 1993 | |
| $15,000 | June 2, 1993 | |
| $500,000 | May 29, 1996 | |
| $170,000,000+ | August 11, 1999 | |
| $100,000+ | September 3, 1999 | |
| $100,000 | May 25, 2000 | |
| $2,000,000 | September 8, 2002 | |
| $100,000 | March 23, 2004 | |
| $172,911,200+ | Total |
| Utah's Strongest Tornadoes F-scale ratings (from the Fujita Intensity Scale) have been assigned to these strong Utah tornadoes based on damages caused by these twisters and their probable wind speeds: |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| F2 | January 22, 1943 | Young Ward | |
| F2 | June 3, 1963 | Bountiful | |
| F2 | November 2, 1967 | Emery | |
| F2 | August 14, 1968 | West Weber | |
| F2 | May 29, 1987 | Lewiston | |
| F3 | August 11, 1993 | Uinta Mountains | |
| F2 | August 11, 1999 | Salt Lake City | |
| F2 | September 8, 2002 | Manti |
Tornado Intensity ScaleBecause tornado winds cannot be measured directly, atmospheric scientists use the Fujita Intensity Scale, or F-scale, to rate tornado intensity. The F-scale is determined by assessing the worst damage produced by a storm. The scale (taken from the book The Atmosphere: An Introduction to Meteorology, by Frederick K. Lutgens, 1998, pp. 253-255) is as follows:
| F-scale Winds Expected Damages | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| F0 | Less than 72 mph | Light Damage: Damage to chimneys and billboards, broken branches; shallow-rooted trees pushed over | |
| F1 | 72-112 mph | Moderate Damage: The lower limit is near the beginning of hurricane wind speed. Surfaces peeled off roofs; mobile homes pushed off foundations or overturned; moving autos pushed off the road. | |
| F2 | 113-157 mph | Considerable Damage: Roofs torn off frame houses; mobile homes demolished; boxcars pushed over; large trees snapped or uprooted; light-object missiles generated. | |
| F3 | 158-206 mph | Severe Damage: Roofs and some walls torn off well- constructed houses; trains overturned; most trees in forest uprooted; heavy cars lifted off ground and thrown. | |
| F4 | 207-260 mph | Devastating Damage: Well-constructed houses leveled; structures with weak foundations blown some distance; cars thrown and large missiles generated. | |
| F5 | Above 260 mph | Incredible Damage: Strong frame houses lifted off foundations and carried considerable distance to disintegrate; automobile-sized missiles fly through the air a farther than 100 meters; trees debarked; incredible phenomena occur. |
Waterspout Statistics for Utah: January 1950 to Present Location of Waterspouts Number of Waterspouts by Month Waterspouts over Great Salt Lake 12 Waterspouts over Utah Lake 4 Waterspouts over Bear Lake 6 January 0 July 2 February 0 August 4 March 0 September 9 April 0 October 2 May 3 November 1 June 1 December 0 Total 22 Total 22
Number of Waterspouts
by Year
Number of Waterspouts
by Hours (MST)
1982
2
1985
2
1986
3
1987
3
1989
2
1992
2
1996
4
1998
4
Total 22
5:00 AM
1
12 Noon
1
6:00 AM
1
1:00 PM
2
7:00 AM
3
2:00 PM
2
8:00 AM
4
3:00 PM
0
9:00 AM
1
4:00 PM
1
10:00 AM
2
5:00 PM
4
11:00 AM
0
6:00 PM
0
Total 22
Tornadoes and Waterspouts Before 1950
Waterspout, American Fork River, Utah County
August 19, 1869, time unknown, 40 27'N, 111 43'W
Utah's first officially reported tornadic activity occurred on
August 19, 1869. It was
described as a "funnel-shaped waterspout" and apparently formed
over the American Fork River
in American Fork Canyon, Utah County. Seven bridges were washed
out and damages to roads
were estimated at $1,500.
Tornado, about 23 miles east of Wanship, up the Weber River
in Summit CountyJuly 6, 1884; 1645 MST, 40 42' N', 111 03' W.
This was the first recorded tornado in Utah that caused any deaths
or injuries. According to Deseret News newspaper reports of July
7-10, 1884, on July 6, 1884, a seven year-old girl, named Kitty
Wells, was killed by a tornado while camping with her family in
an area about 23 miles east of Wanship, up the Weber River in
Summit County. The tornado also injured at least two other people.
This is the first recorded tornado in Utah that causing any deaths
or injuries. Here are some accounts of the tornado that were taken
from articles that appeared in the Deseret News shortly after
the event took place:
"The party which left [Salt Lake City] Saturday morning was composed of [16 people].... They reached Peoa, nine miles from Wanship, the same night, and stayed there till morning. Their journey up the canyon next day was exceedingly difficult, owing to storms of hail and rain, with thunder and lightning, experienced at intervals during the day. About the middle of the afternoon the party halted at a saw mill where they rested...but finally...being but a quarter of a mile from the camping place, desired to push on and put up their tents for the night. They reached their destination--a beautiful grove of timber, about twenty-three miles from Wanship--at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, and the work of 'camping out' immediately commenced. One tent having been raised, the ladies and children all gathered in it for shelter, while the men were out putting up the others, making fires, tending teams, the cook getting supper ready, etc. In the center of the ladies' tent was large bale of bedding, not yet undone, and they were all sitting around it conversing, with the exception of Kitty Wells [a seven year old girl], who was standing on top of the bale. This was at fifteen minutes to six o'clock. Miss Kimball says that all at once she heard a whirling sound, swiftly approaching, and exclaimed to the others: 'something's coming,' but was laughed at by them, even after she had repeated her fears. Suddenly a terrific clap of thunder was heard, preceded by a blinding flash of lightning, the whirling or buzzing sound increased in intensity and before the frightened group could recover their speech, the fury of the tornado burst upon them. The whirlwind had made directly for the grove of pines in which the tent had been pitched, and tore through the woods with the force of a battery of artillery. Thirty trees were uprooted in an instant, twisted to splinters and dashed shivering to the ground. Three large pines fell with a crash right across the tent, the ridge pole gave way and one of the iron ends descending struck Miss Wells upon the right temple. Miss Kimball was hit, by one of the trees, across the back and right hip, and crushed with the rest of her companions under neath the falling ruin. The nurse girl, Miss Clark, received a slight injury in the foot. Mr. Frank Jennings, who with the other men had started for the tent on hearing the first sounds of the coming tornado, was felled to the earth by a tree as he was in the act of entering the tent, while the [male] cook narrowly escaped from a tree or branch, which flew past him with the speed of lightning, just grazing his skull.... The storm passed in a few seconds, making a roadway right through the forest and leaving devastation in its track. Miss Kittie was...bleeding from a ghastly wound in the head. She lived fifteen minutes afterwards and expired in her parents' arms. Miss Kimball and Miss Clark were the only others that were injured. The bale of bedding, which broke the fall of the trees and tent poles, undoubtedly saved several lives." (Deseret News, July 8, 1884)
"The tornado was about ten rods wide and struck the camp last evening. It tore up about thirty trees, three of which fell upon the tent, killing Miss Wells and injuring Miss Kimball and Mrs. Clark. Miss Kimball was severely hurt in the back and side, while Mrs. Clark's injuries were very slight." (Deseret News, July 7, 1884)
"Mr. Frank Jennings describes the appearance of the tornado which wrought the disaster at head of Weber Canyon, last Sunday, as follows: It was a great black cloud, funnel-shaped, eight or ten rods wide at the top, and narrowing down to about the width of a wagon road. It did not touch the ground, but now and then swooped down and rose again as it sped on its way. It's speed was almost as swift as thought, about it the air was in commotion and it whirled as it went, making a noise like the roaring of the waves of the sea. It twisted off branches of trees and shot them through the air with great velocity, broke in twain great trunks, three feet in diameter, and where it descended to the earth tore up threes by the roots. The grove in which the party's tent was pitched was one of the spots upon which it descended, and having crushed the tent and it inmates to the earth, lifted almost immediately, passed over and was lost to sight and hearing. 'It was a terrible sight,' says Mr. Jennings, 'one I had never seen before and never wish to see again.'" (Deseret News, July 9, 1884)
Waterspout, Great Salt Lake, Salt Lake County
August 16, 1889, time unknown, 40 44'N, 112 12'W
A waterspout was observed over the south part of the Great Salt
Lake near Garfield
Beach, Salt Lake County. It lasted 30 minutes. The pavilion next
to the railroad was covered by
an inch of water and an excursion boat was almost swamped.
Tornado, near Lewiston, Cache County
March 4, 1907, time unknown, 41 58'N, 111 53'W
A tornado touched down near Lewiston, Cache County. No further
information is available about this tornado.
Tornado, Millard County
August 4, 1916, time unknown, 39 20'N, 113 30'W
A tornado was reported in Millard County during August. No damage
was reported. (The actual date of this tornado is estimate from
cloudburst flood data: Woolley, 1946.)
Tornado, near Woods Cross, Davis County
May 27, 1941, 1145 MST, 40 50'N, 111 55'W
A funnel cloud initially formed over the Great Salt Lake in Davis
County and appeared as
an intensely black cloud from which the typical twisting funnel
descended, flicking the ground in four places along a zigzag path
a few rods wide and approximately ten miles long. The tornado
destroyed a barn and a pigpen located two and one-fourth miles
southwest of Woods Cross. The tornado then struck near the South
Bountiful Ward meeting house of the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints. It shattered windows and broke and uprooted
trees and utility poles. The roof and walls of an old brick residence
were torn away. The roof of the meeting house and nearby double
garage were also demolished. The tornado also did slight damage
to some residences and trees about a mile to the east of the meeting
house. Total monetary damages were estimated at $4,000 to $5000.
On May 28, 1941, the Salt Lake Telegram newspaper
reported the following information about the tornado: "Most of
the damage, estimated at $5,000, was in the Bounitful area and
was confined chiefly to farm buildings, telephone, telegraph and
power lines. Parts of buildings were hurled almost 500 feet. Many
windows were broken, and communication facilities between Salt
Lake City and Ogden were partly disrupted 5 to 10 minutes. Power
was cut off from about 100 homes around the Bountiful for almost
an hour." The Salt Lake Telegram article was entitled "Botany
Professor Gets Photos of Strange Utah Tornado," and contained
the accompanying photographs of the tornado taken by Walter P.
Cottam, a Professor of Botany at the University of Utah, who "was
in Mueller Park, collecting plants for his botany classes, when
he sighted the tornado, which had formed over [the] Great Salt
Lake." Fortunately, Professor Cottam had a camera and "drove to
the brow of the hill as the storm developed" and took what may
be the first published photographs of a Utah twister. The Salt
Lake Telegram article and pictures were obtained by Craig
Wirth of News 4 Utah (KTVX) on May 14, 2000, from Mary
Dringman, an 84-year-old resident of Salt Lake City, who had discovered
the article and pictures in her mother's scrapbook.
Tornado, Young Ward (near College Ward), Cache County Intensity:
F2January 22, 1943, between 1400 and 1500 MST, 41 41'N,
111 54'W
According to a Herald Journal newspaper report of January 29,
1943, "a week ago today...[or January 22, 1943, a] "cyclone struck"
Young Ward "between 2 and 3 p.m. Friday in the midst of a severe
snow storm, accompanied by heavy thunder and lightning. Above
it all, the residents of Young Ward say, was heard the rumbling
noise of the wind." The "buildings damaged lie within an area
of a mile wide and two miles long."
Damages to chicken coops included: "part of one chicken coop [that] was blown...in a northeasterly direction for more than 200 yards," another "coop struck the roof of the home and then sailed over the house at a height of approximately 27 feet," and "a smaller coop, 22 feet by 31 feet, was carried into the air high over the three tops of the 45 feet high Black Willow trees standing closely together in a small grove, and boards from it were carried into a field more than a block away. Sheets of corrugated iron that had covered the coops were blown high into the air and carried more than three-quarters of a mile where they were scattered over the fields." Damages to other buildings included: "One third of the roof of a new barn, 40 feet square, was torn off and blown more than 200 yards away into the neighboring fields." A "large dairy barn...which previously had stood upright now resembles the leaning Tower of Pisa." A "garage for housing the school bus...is resting in Pelican Pond, about 100 yards from where it used to be." "Several tricks were played by the cyclone," including one woman who had "placed into a large cedar chest some baby clothes she had just ironed. The wind broke both windows, opened the lid to the cedar chest and carried the baby clothes through the window and out into the air." A short distance away, a man and two boys "were working in [a] chicken coop when the cyclone struck. The entire coop was lifted from its foundation and carried into the air, leaving [the man] and the boys standing on the floor. They didn't even get a scratch during the excitement."
Only one person was reportedly injured by the tornado: a seven-year-old girl, named Delores Olsen, who "was cut by flying glass in the face and on the head." Damage estimates reached "upwards of $8,000" and "many chickens were lost during the catastrophe. Some were killed in the coops and others were carried away by the wind." Tornadoes and Waterspouts from 1950 to the Present
Tornado, Farmington Canyon, Davis County and Morgan County
June 5, 1953, 0900 MST, 41 00'N, 11 53'W
A tornado moved up Farmington Canyon in Davis County. It reportedly
traveled eight miles and crossed the county line into Morgan County.
It caused no damage and did not touch down in a populated area.
Tornado, Kannarraville, Iron County
July 14, 1953, 1700 MST, 37 30'N, 113 15'W
A small twister hit the town of Kannarraville, Iron County. It
broke limbs off trees and tore off the metal roof of a garage.
It lasted ten minutes. (The day and hour of this tornado is estimated
from cloudburst data and other severe weather activity in southwestern
Utah.)
Tornado, Laketown, Rich County
May 25, 1954, 1200 MST, 41 49'N, 111 19'W
A possible tornado (although no funnel-shaped cloud was seen)
occurred in Laketown, Rich County. Reports indicate that weather
conditions became dark and that the wind began to blow violently
from the southwest. There was dust, hay, straw, and tree twigs
blowing in the air. There was a roar for two or three seconds
and then the wind decreased. Damage was noted in an area four
blocks long by two blocks wide. A chicken coop was moved eight
feet and new barn was flattened.
Also, a small outbuilding was tipped over and another barn was
lifted high enough to clear an eight foot shed, turned half way
around, and then allowed to fall to the ground where it was smashed.
A few strips of metal roofing were blown off a structure.
Tornado, Maeser, Uintah County
June 1, 1955, 1225 MST, 40 28'N, 109 34'W
A tornado moved northwestward across Maeser in Uintah County.
Damage was done to residences, farm buildings, and other various
structures. Tree tops were sheared off and garden plants were
destroyed. Roads were strewn with debris and communication lines
were severed. About $1,200 in damage was reported as a result
of the storm.
Tornado, Fayette, Sanpete County
June 16, 1955, 1300 MST, 39 14'N, 111 50'W
A tornado moved northeastward for over two and a half miles through
the eastern section of Fayette, Sanpete County. Large trees were
uprooted and large branches were twisted and torn from trees.
Thirty-foot long poles that were a foot in diameter were blown
100 yards. Metal roofing was carried across the valley and wrapped
around trees and posts. Monetary damage was estimated at $5,000.
Tornado, Fayette, Sanpete County
June 16, 1955, 1300 MST, 39 14'N, 111 50'W
A second tornado in as many minutes moved eastward just to the
north of Fayette, Sanpete County in an undeveloped area. No damage
was done.
Tornado, Salina, Sevier County
August 7, 1957, 1730 MST, 38 57'N, 111 52'W
A small tornado hit the western part of Salina, Sevier County.
It tore the roofs from a turkey processing plant and a service
station. It moved north to the town of Redmond and uprooted trees,
downed power and telephone lines, and buckled television antennas.
Tornado, near Green River, Emery County and Grand County
May 4, 1961, 1400 MST, 38 59'N, 110 10'W
A tornado touched down near the town of Green River, Emery County
and moved eastward across the Green River into Grand County before
leaving the ground and ascending back into the clouds. The tornado
traveled nearly nine and half miles.
Tornado, Grouse Creek Valley, Box Elder County
July 9, 1962, 1430 MST, 41 30'N, 113 57'W
A long, black tornado traveled across the Grouse Creek Valley,
Box Elder County. It moved in a northerly direction and remained
in contact with the ground for about 15 minutes. It extended up
to about 2,000 feet above the ground. It tore up the ground under
it but it did not cross an inhabited area.
Tornado, Bountiful, Davis County Intensity: F2June 3, 1963, 1505 MST, 40 53'N, 111 53'W
A damaging tornado hit Bountiful, Davis County and moved in an
east-northeast direction. The roof of the Bountiful Elementary
School was ripped off doing $20,000 damage. Debris was scattered
over a half-mile area along the tornado path. The storm tore the
roof from the west side of a house across the street from the
school. This roof then landed on an automobile in a nearby yard.
Half a block away, a roof was removed from a shed and dumped into
a small orchard 200 yards away. A Boxelder tree was stripped of
all its limbs. A cottonwood tree with a truck three feet across
was broken off a few feet above the ground and carried over a
house. Two blocks away, the tornado touched down again and destroyed
a two-car cinder black garage. The tornado skipped a half-mile
up hill and destroyed one home under construction and damaged
several others. In the same vicinity, several sheets of three-fourths
inch plywood were removed from a stack and blown 300 feet through
the air. One piece of wood was driven six inches into a telephone
pole.
Tornado, Gunnison, Sanpete County
August 28, 1964, 1800 MST, 39 09'N, 111 50'W
A small tornado moved across Gunnison, Sanpete County from the
west. It moved in an east- southeast direction. The path of the
tornado was 10 yards wide and three-fourths of a mile long. A
chicken coop had its rear wall blown out. Three large plate glass
windows in a service station were shattered, in the process damaging
two automobiles. The roof of a garage was also torn off. Monetary
damages were calculated to be over $2,000.
Tornado, Magna, Salt Lake County
February 9, 1965, 0110 MST, 40 43'N, 112 06'W
A tornado that developed ahead of a cold front in Magna, Salt
Lake County, destroyed a three-car garage and 30 feet of a six-foot
high steel reinforced cement block fence. The frame of the garage
was lifted over vehicles that were parked inside, somewhat surprisingly
leaving them undamaged. Debris were scattered along a west to
east path 500 feet in length. A heavy piece of timber that was
16 feet long was carried 150 feet away and an old automobile battery
was blown 50 feet.
Tornado, Woodruff, Rich County
June 23, 1965, 1544 MST, 41 30'N, 111 09'W
A small tornado occurred in Woodruff, Rich County. It was observed
by the official National Weather Service climatological observer.
The tornado's path was measured at one-third of a mile long and
was 16 yards wide. It seriously damaged a 14 by 50 foot trailer
at the home of the weather observer. Generally, the path of the
tornado was over open fields.
Tornado, Tooele County
June 25, 1965, 1410 MST, 40 45'N, 112 30'W
An airplane pilot and some Utah state highway department employees
observed a tornado about 35 miles west of Salt Lake City in Tooele
County. It was on the ground about five to ten minutes but did
not economic damage in that isolated location.
Tornado, Provo Canyon, Utah County
July 9, 1965, 1530 MST, 40 22'N, 111 34'W
Two small funnel clouds combined together and dropped from the
clouds to form a tornado in the Vivian Park Resort area of Provo
Canyon, Utah County. Two-foot diameter trees were toppled and
a large tent was damaged. The tornado knocked over the wife of
the manager of a trailer court but she was not injured. The tornado
had a path one-third of a mile in length and was 20 yards wide.
Tornado, Tooele County
August 9, 1965, 2010 MST, 40 45'N, 113 45'W
A tornado touched down about 75 miles west of Salt Lake City in
a remote, uninhabited part
of Tooele County.
Tornado, Springville, Utah County
April 17, 1966, 1450 MST, 40 09'N, 111 35'W
One of two funnel clouds dipped from the clouds in Springville,
Utah County, to become a
tornado. As it moved northeastward it toppled a tree and lifted
a roof from a house. Monetary
damages were estimated at about $10,000.
Tornado, southwest of Ferron, Emery County
May 9, 1966, 1330 MST, 39 03'N, 111 11'W
A tornado touched down five to six miles southwest of Ferron,
Emery County. No damage
was reported.
Tornado, northwest of Bryce Canyon, Iron County
June 16, 1967, 1400 MST, 38 00'N, 112 30'W
An airplane pilot observed a tornado about 25 to 30 miles northwest
of Bryce Canyon, Iron
County. It occurred in open country and caused no reported damage.
Tornado, Emery, Emery County Intensity: F2November 2, 1967, 0830 MST, 38 55'N, 111 15'W
A cone-shaped tornado, 20 yards wide, completely destroyed the
Last Chance Motel in Emery, Emery County. Furniture and bedding
were strewn for hundreds of yards. There were no injuries but
more than $15,000 in damage was tallied.
Tornado, northwest of Dugway Proving Grounds, Tooele County
May 22, 1968, 1115 MST, 40 27'N, 113 03'W
One of several funnel clouds touching the ground to become a tornado
about 20 miles northwest of Dugway Proving Grounds, Tooele County.
The funnel clouds were first sighted over Cedar Mountain. The
tornado lasted for about nine minutes. There was no damage.
Tornado, West Weber, Weber County Intensity: F2August 14, 1968, 1045 MST, 41 15'N, 112 05'W
A tornado formed ahead of a storm front in West Weber, Weber County.
It initially touched down in a wheat field and then moved in a
northerly direction. It tore the roof from a milking parlor and
lifted a man and boy off the ground and set them back down again.
One of the man's legs was injured. The tornado ripped the roof
from a barn and spread seven or eight tons of baled hay across
the area. A storage shed was also destroyed. A new home that was
occupied by a woman and four children was leveled but the occupants
were not hurt. The roof of the home was deposited 120 feet away.
Elsewhere, a truck and camper were lifted by the tornado and carried
30 to 40 feet and destroyed. A short distance away, the tornado
damaged a barn, haystack and another home. Total damage was placed
near $50,000. The tornado's path was 35 yards wide and had a length
of one and one-half miles.
Tornado, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County
August 14, 1968, 1155 MST, 40 46'N, 111 53'W
A tornado moved through downtown Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County.
The circulation was
initially observed over the Salt Palace. The tornado then moved
east-northeast across ZCMI and the
University Club. Windows in the upper floors of ZCMI were shattered.
The tornado was observed
by personnel at the Wasatch Bureau Regional Office.
Tornado, near Collingston, Box Elder County
August 14, 1968, 1335 MST, 41 50'N, 112 05'W
A tornado moved across an open field near Collingston, Box Elder
County. The storm
retreated back into the clouds, crossed some nearby mountains
and then touched down again in the
wheat field in Cache Valley. No appreciable damage was done. The
tornado was seen by a workman
returning home from Cutler Dam. The tornado traveled over four
miles and the path was 15 yards
wide.
3 Tornadoes, Southwest of Hanksville, Wayne County
May 31, 1969, 1152 MST, 38 20'N, 110 54'W
An airplane pilot spotted three tornadoes about 10 miles southwest
of Hanksville, Wayne
County. The three twisters stirred up dust and then dissipated.
They touched down in an uninhabited
area so no economic damage was done.
Tornado, Anabella, Sevier County
April 19, 1970, 1320 MST, 38 42'N, 112 04'W
A tornado touched down in Anabella, Sevier County and damaged
two trailers. The tornado "cut a path 40 feet wide and more than
a mile long. A house trailer, measuring about 12 by 52 feet was
lifted from its wood foundation and turned around about 90 degrees.
Windows were broken in another nearby trailer." (Salt Lake Tribune,
April 20, 1970). The tornado also "picked up and carried" a woman
"about 30 feet as she was walking between her trailer home and
a neighbor's place. `I don't know how far off the ground I was—a
foot, I guess—but I know I wasn't touching the ground....
It was quite an experience,' [said the woman]. She said she had
a headache after striking the ground." (Deseret News April 20,
1970.) According to a local newspaper, "the gust of wind picked...up
[the woman] and tossed her end over katilt for about twenty feet
like a tumble weed. Her invective embellished comment was: 'Well
I've heard of the Flying Nun but I never thought I'd be one.'"
(Richfield Reaper, April 1970.)
Tornado, Box Elder County
June 5, 1970, 1520 MST, 41 19'N, 113 00'W
A remote area of Box Elder County was visited by a tornado. An
airline pilot spotted it about
50 miles west of Hill Air Force Base. No damage was reported.
Tornado, between Centerville and Farmington, Davis County
June 10, 1970, 1305 MST, 40 56'N, 111 524'W
A trio of three small funnel clouds spawned a tornado that touched
down on the "lower [east] bench area" west of Bountiful Peak between
Centerville and Farmington in Davis County. It tore up dirt and
trees as it moved from the east bench up the mountain side. The
tornado was photographed by a few people and one eyewitness said
"it was at least 3,000 feet long, stretching out of a cloud in
a very skinny rope like shape."
Tornado, Thompson, Grand County
June 10, 1970, 1430 MST, 38 57'N, 109 43'W
An eastbound tornado moved through Thompson, Grand County. It
leveled two small frame
structures and demolished a 12 by 50 foot mobile home. It also
tore limbs from trees. The twister
traveled about three-fourths of a mile.
Tornado, below Timpanogos Divide, Utah County
December 2, 1970, 1503 MST, 40 24'N, 111 35'W
A high-mountain white tornado (that picked up and carried snow)
was spotted a little below Timpanogos Divide, Utah County. It
traveled in a southwesterly direction about a mile. The tornado
was about one-fourth of a mile wide. It carried snow to above
1,000 feet and toppled trees that were a foot in diameter. There
was a loud roaring sound as the tornado dipped down across the
divide. One man some distance from the core was knocked down but
was not injured. The twister occurred at about the 8,000 foot
elevation and was observed by Tom Walker, former superintendent
of Timpanogos Cave National Monument.
Tornado, western shore of Utah Lake, Utah County
| September 2, 1971, 1900 MST, 40 10'N, 111 58'W A tornado touched down along the western shore of Utah Lake, Utah County. No damage occurred from this short-lived tornado. |
||
|---|---|---|
| Tornado, Ferron, Emery CountyMay, 1978, 1100 MST, 39 5'N, 111 9'W During the latter part of Spring, 1978, a tornado touched down in Ferron, Utah. The tornado was on the ground for several minutes and traveled southeast to northwest for about three miles. It lifted the front porch off the house of Gene and Virginia Talbot and carried the porch ''over the hills behind [their] house... [for a distance of about] two blocks'' where it was dropped to the ground ''in two big pieces.'' The Talbot's photographed the tornado as it came towards their house. | 10 |
Tornado, near Newton, Cache County
| May 6, 1981, 1145 MST, 41 52'N, 112 00'W A tornado touched down near Newton, Cache County, about 15 miles northwest of Logan. It moved northeast at about 30 miles per hour through an irrigation ditch and across a hayfield. It lifted water out of a ditch to a height of seven feet and also toppled some fence posts. The length of the tornado's path was about one-half mile by 100 yards wide. |
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|---|---|---|
Tornado, north of Hanksville Airport, Wayne County
July 24, 1981, 1412 MST, 38 28'N, 110 42'W A well-photographed red tornado (carrying red soil and dirt) touched down about three miles north of the Hanksville Airport in Wayne County. It occurred over a desolate area and was seen and photographed by Barbara Ekker, the official Hanksville weather observer. | 1 |
Tornado, northeast of Milford, Beaver County
March 29, 1982, 1214 MST, 38 30'N, 112 53'W
A white tornado was observed 16 miles northeast of Milford, Beaver
County, by the official
weather observer at Milford. It was on the ground about three minutes.
It churned up the snow
covered ground and did no damage in that remote area. It moved in
a northeasterly direction.
Tornado, 20 miles north of Milford, Millard County
May 3, 1982, 1234 MST, 38 46'N, 113 02'W
For the second time in less than two months, a tornado was reported
north of Milford. This
one occurred about 20 miles north of the city in Millard County
and caused no damage.
Waterspout, Utah Lake, Utah County
July 28, 1982, 0700 MST, 40 21'N, 111 53'W
A waterspout was spotted over the northwest part of Utah Lake. It
did not last long and
caused no damage.
Waterspout & Tornado, Utah Lake, Provo, Utah County
September 13, 1982, 1720 MST, 40 13'N, 111 43'W
A waterspout over Utah Lake went ashore at the Provo Airport and
damaged a security gate
and small plane. The plane was tied down but the wind snapped the
back wheel tie-down and flipped
the plane on its back. The path of the storm was about one-half
mile long.
Tornado, south of Provo, Utah County
August 13, 1984, 1930 MST, 40 10'N, 111 40'W
A tornado briefly touched down about five miles south of Provo near
the eastern shore of
Utah Lake. A wind gust of 89 miles-per-hour was recorded shortly
thereafter on the Brigham Young
University campus in Provo. No damage was reported although dust
and debris was stirred up.
Tornado, south of Manti, Sanpete County
August 15, 1984, 1400 MST, 39 11'N, 111 38'W
A bulldozer driver spotted a tornado about five miles south of Manti,
Sanpete County. It
stayed on the ground for five minutes. The tornado kicked up dust
and rocks and broke off fence
posts.
Tornado, between Tremonton and Snowville, Box Elder County
August 16, 1984, 1629 MST, 41 49'N, 112 28'W
No damage occurred from a tornado that touched down near the Utah-Idaho
border, between
Tremonton and Snowville in Box Elder County.
Tornado, Box Elder County
August 16, 1984, 1629 MST, 41 39'N, 112 28'W
The second tornado in four minutes occurred in Box Elder County
about 10 miles south of
the first one. No damage was reported.
Tornado, Parker Mountains, Piute County
August 19, 1984, 1500 MST, 38 25'N, 111 55'W
A tornado was spotted near Otter Creek in the Parker Mountains area
of Piute County. It was
on the ground for 30 seconds and caused no economic damage.
Tornado, south of Roosevelt, Duchesne County
September 11, 1984, 1445 MST, 40 09'N, 110 04'W
A tornado was reported about 10 miles south of Roosevelt, near Myton,
Duchesne County.
A car was carried 30 feet by the twister. Two outhouses were knocked
over and a pig pen was
destroyed. Irrigation pipes were also scattered around the area.
Waterspout, Great Salt Lake, Tooele County
June 26, 1985, 0530 MST, 40 42'N, 112 10'W
A waterspout formed over the south end of the Great Salt Lake in
Tooele County and could be seen 20 miles to the east. It was seen
by more than a dozen experienced weather observers and was well
photographed and videotaped before it dissipated over water. This
waterspout was analyzed in a 30-page article entitled "A Great Salt
Lake Waterspout," Monthly Weather Review, Volume 119, Number 12,
December 1991, American Meteorological Society, Boston, MA. According
to this article, "A waterspout funnel and spray ring were observed
under the cumulus [cloud] line over the Great Salt Lake for about
5 min[utes] shortly after sunrise on 26 June 1985. Videotaped features
strongly suggested that the funnel rotation was anticyclonic. ...
The funnel was about 40 m [131.2 feet] across. Cloud base was approximately
800 m [2,624.6 feet] about lake level and the cloud tower above
the funnel topped at about 5.5-6.5 km [3.4-4.0 miles] above lake
level."
Waterspout, Great Salt Lake, Box Elder County
October 22, 1985, 1615 MST, 41 33'N, 112 52'W
A pilot reported a waterspout over the Great Salt Lake in Box Elder
County. It was estimated
to be 700 feet high and drew water up from the lake. The waterspout
formed following the passage
of a cold front.
Waterspout, Utah Lake, Utah County
May 22, 1986, 0617 MST, 40 19'N, 111 50'W
A waterspout developed over Utah Lake, Utah County. A Utah County
Deputy Sheriff saw
it touch the lake briefly. It formed beneath a thunderstorm. No
damage was noted.
Tornado, Beryl Junction, Iron County and Washington County
May 30, 1986, 1730 MST, 37 40'N, 113 39'W
A tornado was reported by an official weather observer near Beryl
Junction, Iron County. It
traveled 3.5 miles and was 200 yards wide. The associated thunderstorm
winds split several trees that
downed power lines which in turn caused a grass fire. The tornado
crossed into the northern portion
of Washington County.
Tornado, Canyonlands National Park, Wayne County
August 31, 1986, 1430 MST, 38 22'N, 110 05'W
A tornado was observed over the Island-in-the-Sky area of Canyonlands
National Park,
Wayne County. It was on the ground 10 minutes in an undeveloped
area and was seen by tourists and
personnel at the park.
Tornado, Kearns, Salt Lake County
September 9, 1986, 1114 MST, 40 42'N, 112 03'W
A tornado was spotted in a field in the Kearns area of the Salt
Lake Valley. It lasted for a
minute and did no damage.
Waterspout, Great Salt Lake, Tooele County
September 10, 1986, 1000 MST, 40 50'N, 112 19'W
A railroad brakeman observed a waterspout over the south end of
the Great Salt Lake, Tooele
County. It occurred between Antelope and Stansbury Islands and lasted
15 minutes. Water was
carried about a third of the way up the funnel. No damage was reported.
Waterspout, Great Salt Lake, Weber County
September 30, 1986, 1220 MST, 41 10'N, 112 25'W
A short-lived waterspout touched the water of the Great Salt Lake
in Weber County several
times before dissipating. A Utah Highway Patrolman who was located
on the Antelope Causeway
spotted the waterspout about 10 to 15 miles northwest of the north
end of Antelope Island.
| Waterspout, Utah Lake, Utah County May 2, 1987, 0905 MST, 40 10'N, 111 50'W A well-developed waterspout formed over the south end of Utah Lake., It churned up the water for several minutes and was well-photographed by the public. It lasted for about 15-20 minutes. | 13 |
Tornado, south of Lewiston, Cache County Intensity: F2May 29, 1987, 1145 MST, 41 58'N, 111 53'W
A tornado skipped along a 1,500 foot path about one and one-half
miles south of Lewiston,
Cache County. It left a path of moderate damage. The tornado was
about 40 yards wide. The roof
of a hay barn was removed and two calf pens were turned over. Two
fruit trees and one pine tree
were uprooted. Two other pine trees were twisted out of the ground
and dropped on a fence.
Monetary damage was estimated at $5,000. The tornado was well-photographed.
Waterspout, Great Salt Lake, Weber County
August 15, 1987, 0710 MST, 41 12'N, 112 20'W
A pilot observed a waterspout over the Great Salt Lake west of Ogden.
Waterspout, Great Salt Lake, Davis County
August 15, 1987, 0740 MST, 41 20'N, 112 04'W
Tower personnel at Hill Air Force Base observed a waterspout over
the Great Salt Lake.
Tornado, Plymouth, Box Elder County
August 25, 1987, 1135 MST, 41 53'N, 112 09'W A cold-air-funnel type tornado touched down briefly just west of Plymouth, then receded back into the clouds. | 2 |
Tornado, east of Benson, Cache County
August 25, 1987, 1205 MST, 41 48'N, 111 52'W
A cold-air-funnel type tornado touched down briefly between Benson
and the Logan Airport,
then receded back into the clouds.
Tornado, Lapoint, Uintah County
May 29, 1988, 1745 MST, 40 24'N, 109 48'W
A tornado, with a 30 to 60 foot wide funnel, hit a home three-fourths
of a mile south of the
center of the town of Lapoint. It damaged the chimney and roof of
the home, and also knocked down
a utility pole. Total damage was estimated at $3,000.
Tornado, Sandy, Salt Lake County
January 10, 1989, 0910 MST, 40 35'N, 111 53'W
A tornado produced a fair amount of damage to a south Sandy neighborhood
during the morning hours of January 10, 1989. The tornado path began
at about 11683 South and 1400 East to near 11400 South and 1380
East. The tornado's path was ¼ mile long and about 25 yards wide.
Significant damage occurred to three roofs with minor damage to
three others. The tornado tore a gaping hole in one roof. A camper
that was bolted down at all four corners was lifted and thrown upside
down into the street. Several fences were sheared off and the fence
material was strewn about the neighborhood. Asphalt shingles were
driven ½ inch deep into both sides of one piece of the fence. A
witness observed the tornado skipping down the street with debris
blowing in a circular motion. Another witness said the tornado sounded
like a train and caused his whole house to vibrate.
Tornado, Magna, Salt Lake County
March 2, 1989, 1815 MST, 40 42'N, 112 06'W
A tornado touched down near 3699 South and 7500 West. The storm
produced a moderate amount of damage to the neighborhood, including
tearing a swamp cooler from a roof, blowing away a small shed, throwing
a trampoline into a tree, and breaking several windows.
Tornado, Hill Air Force Base, Davis County
May 11, 1989, 1645 MST, 41 07'N, 111 58'W
A small tornado briefly touched down south of a runway at Hill Air
Force Base.
Tornado, Delta, Millard County
June 7, 1989, 1555 MST, 39 11'N, 112 35'W
A tornado was observed 10 to 15 miles south of Delta. The funnel
was on the ground for approximately two to four minutes then receded
back up into the clouds. The tornado occurred over a field and caused
no damage to property.
Tornado, Midvale, Salt Lake County
July 8, 1989, 1615 MST, 40 36'N, 111 54'W
Strong microburst winds and a tornado hit the Midvale area just
west of 1-15 at about 7200 South. Two minor injuries were reported
from the winds: one from a motorcyclist who was tossed from his
cycle onto the roadway, and another person that was hit by flying
glass. The roof of a fertilizer company was blown off and/or damaged,
boards from a lumber company embedded themselves in adjacent buildings,
a boat and trailer from a car were blown onto the median, several
windows were blown out of cars, a couple of semi-truck trailers
were toppled, and numerous power outages occurred. Winds gusted
to 53 mph in Holladay.
Waterspout, Willard Bay, G.S.L., Box Elder County
August 24, 1989, 1030 MST, 41 52'N, 112 00'W
A Utah Highway Patrol Trooper spotted a waterspout over Willard
Bay, on the east side of the Great Salt Lake. The waterspout lasted
for approximately seven minutes, but never moved on shore or caused
any damage.
Tornado, Cornish, Cache County
September 17, 1989, 1530 MST, 41 59'N, 111 57'W
A small tornado briefly touched down in the town of Cornish at the
end of the Cache Valley. It destroyed a barn and caused an estimated
$25,000 in damages.
Waterspout, Great Salt Lake, Davis County
November 26, 1989, 1300 MST, 40 53'N, 112 04'W
Several people saw a waterspout about 10 miles west of Bountiful
over the Great Salt Lake.
The direction of the waterspout's movement could not be determined.
Tornado, Naples, Uintah County
March 23, 1990, 1230 MST, 40 25'N, 109 30'W
Several residents of Naples watched a funnel cloud touch down briefly.
The tornado "ripped the roof off a storage shed...and slammed it
through the bedroom wall of a mobile home." The "twister ripped
the tin roof off [a] neighbor's shed and put a 2-foot by 4-foot
piece of metal through the bedroom wall" of the mobile home, causing
about $500 damage. (Deseret News, March 24, 1990.)
Tornado, northwest of Ogden, Weber County
April 23, 1990, 1645 MST, 41 17'N, 112 03'W
Three eyewitnesses reported a tornado at Farr West in the western
part of Weber County (about five miles northwest of Ogden). The
tornado was five to 15 yards wide, traveled only about one-tenth
of a mile, and lasted less than a minute. Damage included: 20-25
shingles blown off an elementary school, a street light was damaged,
a man was blown off a bike, a trampoline went airborne as high as
a house, a swamp cooler was noted rolling down the road, and a picnic
table was displaced from one yard to the one next door.
Tornado, south of Roosevelt, Duchesne County
July 8, 1990, 1450 MST, 40 16'N, 110 00'W
A tornado was reported to have momentarily touched down on a golf
course about two miles south of Roosevelt. There was no damage.
Tornado, north of Magna, Salt Lake County
August 16, 1990, 1410 MST, 40 44'N, 112 06'W
A tornado was sighted along Interstate 80 in Magna by a motorist.
It briefly touched down then dissipated. There were no injuries
of damage.
Tornado, Erda, Tooele County
July 25, 1991, 1800 MST, 40 35'N, 112 15'W
A line of thunderstorms spawned a tornado in the Erda area just
north of Tooele. The tornado moved from the southeast to the northwest
for a distance of about 10 miles. It lasted for about 15 minutes,
and its greatest width was about 100 yards wide. It uprooted a 60
foot tall dead tree, and split a 200 foot Cottonwood tree on a farm
lot. The Cottonwood tree fell, and narrowly missed a house on the
farm. Freshly cut alfalfa was displaced in half of a nearby field
while hay on the other half of the field remained in neat, untouched
rows. A field sprinkling system received minor damage. The tornado
also tore a door off a mobile home that was on the farm lot, and
damaged several trees.
Tornado, northwest of Green River, Emery County
July 26, 1991, 1610 MST, 39 01'N, 110 13'W
Strong thunderstorms produced a tornado that briefly touched down
about three miles northwest of Green River. The tornado was observed
by an Emery County Deputy Sheriff who said the time the tornado
was on the ground was hard to determine because of considerable
blowing dust in the area.
Tornado, west of Green River, Emery County
July 26, 1991, 1615 MST, 38 59'N, 110 18'W
Strong thunderstorms produced a tornado that briefly touched down
about six miles west of Green River. The tornado was observed by
an Emery County Deputy Sheriff who said the time the tornado was
on the ground was hard to determine because of considerable blowing
dust in the area.
Tornado, east of Beaver, Beaver County
September 7, 1991, 1530 MST, 38 17'N, 112 32'W
A 30-foot wide tornado was spotted by two people. The funnel cloud
lasted five to ten
minutes but only touched down briefly. Since this tornado occurred
in open country, it caused no
damage.
Tornado, Brigham City, Box Elder County
September 10, 1991, 1200 MST, 41 31'N, 112 01'W
A 30-foot wide tornado touched down in several spots in the southeast
portion of Brigham City about 1200 MST. It was located in the vicinity
of 100 East and 400 North. The tornado touched down in several spots
in a four by four block area. It uprooted or damaged about 20 trees,
destroyed a shed, and peeled siding off a house.
Tornado, west of Beaver, Beaver County
May 21, 1992, 1115 West, 38 17'N, 112 51'W A 45-foot wide tornado was spotted about 10 miles west of Beaver by a person driving south on I-15. After the person spotted the tornado, it lifted back into the clouds within a minute. Therefore, the total amount of time the tornado was on the ground is unknown. The tornado occurred in open country, and caused no damage. | 3 |
Waterspout, Great Salt Lake, Salt Lake County
July 11, 1992, 1715 MST, 40 42'N, 112 16'W
A waterspout formed in a rain shaft over the south end of the Great
Salt Lake during the early
evening of July 11th. It was observed by National Weather Service
personnel, and lasted about 10
minutes. It dissipated before it moved over land.
Tornado, near Kennecott Mines, Salt Lake County
August 30, 1992, 1316 MST, 40 30'N, 112 06'W
On the afternoon of August 30, a tornado was spotted by a number
of people in the southwestern part of the Salt Lake Valley. It developed
about 2:16 PM, near the Kennecott Mines on the Oquirrh Mountains,
and lasted about 15 minutes as it moved eastward into West Kearns.
The path length was less than one mile and it was 200 yards wide.
As it passed over some power lines they arched. No damage or injuries
were reported.
Waterspout, Great Salt Lake, Salt Lake County
August 30, 1992, 1428 MST, 40 42'N, 112 18'W
A pilot observed a waterspout over the south end of the Great Salt
Lake around 3:28 PM, exactly 15 miles west of Salt Lake City. This
waterspout touched down only temporarily and then dissipated.
Tornado, near St. George, Washington County
August 31, 1992, 1310 MST, 37 00'N, 113 28'W
Thunderstorms that had developed over the southwest portion of Utah
produced a tornado ten miles southeast of St. George. A pilot spotted
this tornado, which was about 20 yards wide and only remained on
the ground for a brief period of time.
Tornado, Syracuse, Davis County
September 23, 1992, 1730 MST, 41 05'N, 112 04'W
A tornado was sighted at 6:30 PM by several people in Syracuse.
It was about 25 yards wide and lasted for 10 minutes—traveling
nearly two miles over ground. It tore an 8' x 4' section from a
roof, ripped the shingles off other roofs, uprooted two trees, and
flying debris damaged some car windows. This tornado caused about
$1,500 in damages.
Tornado, Caineville, Wayne County
April 4, 1993, 1530 MST, 38 20'N, 111 01'W
Thunderstorms in southeast Utah produced a tornado at Caineville.
Caineville is 25 miles west of Hanksville in Wayne County. The tornado
was seen by several people. The tornado touched down 100 yards west
of a restaurant. As the tornado moved toward the restaurant it tore
off tree limbs and scattered 48 to 60 pieces of plywood and 300
2x4's that had been lying around. After it passed by the restaurant,
the tornado briefly lifted. When it came back down, the tornado
lifted a six ton motor home one and a half to two feet off the ground
and then slammed in down on its side. The tornado also picked up
a boat and threw it into a fence. With a lot of debris and dirt
still in circulation, the tornado went into an open field and lifted
back into the sky. This tornado caused> about $8,000 in damages.
Tornado, Erda, Tooele County
May 3, 1993, 1940 MST, 40 37'N, 112 18'W
A tornado was reported at 8:40 PM in Erda, which is about five miles
north of Tooele. The tornado destroyed the movie screen at the Motor
Vu Drive-In Theater and turned over a trailer. A witness to the
tornado was a woman who saw the screen "twisted in a whirling motion"
as it was destroyed. Other objects in the area were untouched, lending
credence to the idea of a tornado. This tornado caused about $50,000
in damages.
Tornado, near Leota, Uintah County
May 5, 1993, 1840 MST, 40 11'N, 109 39'W
A cold core funnel cloud produced a tornado near the town of Leota.
It was spotted at 7:40 PM by a pilot flying south of Vernal. Because
the tornado only lasted a few minutes and was in a sparsely populated
region of the state, it caused no damage.
Tornado, North Salt Lake, Davis County
June 2, 1993, 1620 MST, 40 50'N, 111 55'W
A tornado was spawned by a thunderstorm cell at about 5:20 PM at
the Center Street Park in North Salt Lake. The tornado was first
seen as a funnel cloud to the southwest of the park. Everyone took
cover before the tornado struck the ball field which displayed a
hit and miss pattern of debris damage to the northeast of the ball
field. It was on the ground less than five minutes. Two people received
puncture wounds from flying debris and many individuals were covered
with mud and dirt. Large tree limbs were broken and a couple of
two-foot diameter trees were uprooted. Shingles were blown off some
roofs and the fence surrounding the tennis court was damaged. The
tornado also shattered three windows and bent the passenger door
of the mini-van parked on the south end of the park. This tornado
caused about $15,000 in damages.
Tornado, Chepeta Lake, Duchesne County Intensity: F3August 11, 1993, 1750 MST, 40 50'N, 109 59'W
A high-elevation tornado touched down three times near Chepeta Lake
(elevation 10,500 feet) about 25 miles north of Roosevelt in the
Ashley National Forest of the Uinta Mountains, at about 6:50 PM
on August 11, 1993. During the evening of August 11th, a line of
thunderstorms moved across the Uinta Mountains. Below the thunderstorms,
a tornado touched down three times. It's path width was up to a
half mile wide.
The first touchdown occurred 12 miles southwest of an area known as White Rock Drainage. Only minor unorganized damage to 20 acres of forest was reported at this location. The second touchdown was the most significant. At the west fork of the White Rock Drainage the tornado began to knock down and uproot trees over a 600 acre area. The tornado moved northeast along the drainage, throwing trees on the south side of the drainage to the north. Similarly, trees on the north side of the drainage were tossed to the south. This organized multi-directional> nature of the damage is a classic signature and confirms the presence of a tornado.
The tornado lifted once more before touching down for the third and final time near Chepeta Lake Drainage. Here the twister damaged over 400 acres of forest. A troop of 125 scouts were camped near the area of the third touchdown. No one was injured, but four vehicles were damaged by the tornado. One truck was destroyed when two large uprooted trees fell on the vehicle—totally collapsing the roof.
The highest elevation where damage was found was at 10,800 feet—which makes this tornado the highest mountain tornado ever reported in Utah. (High-elevation tornadoes are rare in Utah. On December 2, 1970, a tornado occurred at the 8,000 foot level below Timpanogos Divide.)
Tornado, Emigration Canyon, Salt Lake County
November 5, 1993, 1545 MST, 40 40'N, 111 46'W
A cold northwest flow over the Great Salt Lake produced snow squalls
which spawned a
weak tornado. The tornado was reported by several people, who described
it as white at the top and
brown at the bottom—indicating it was picking up dirt. The
tornado lasted about three minutes.
Tornado, Centerville, Davis County
July 29, 1995, 2015 MST, 40 55'N, 111 52'W
Severe pre-frontal thunderstorms developed along the Wasatch Front
a produced a "gustnado" in the Centerville area. Witnesses indicated
they heard a sound like a freight train and saw both trees and dirt
moving in circular motions. The overall damage path was about one-half
mile long and less than 176 yards wide. (The NWS officially listed
it as 0.2 miles long and 100 yards wide.) The gustnado moved from
south to north, with it apparently skipping into the air, not causing
damage along the entire path length. One witness was briefly lifted
into the air as the gustnado passed over. One house incurred $10,000
in damage. They reported severe tree damage, had two skylights lifted
from part of the roof, and had an electric junction box removed
from the side of the house. Their next door neighbor reported that
two inch diameter willow branches were removed from the tree, transported
100 feet and over a single story building, and were wrapped tightly
around the base of another tree. At the third house, a flag pole
that had previously withstood 90 mph winds was snapped. The gustnado
bent a six foot chain fence to a 45 degree angle towards the east.
Tornado, Pleasant View, Weber County
December 5, 1995, 2025 MST, 41 19'N, 112 00'W
On the evening of December 5, a tornado touched down in Pleasant
View, causing damage within a housing area about one-half mile long
and 50 to 100 feet wide. The storm that produced the tornado moved
west to east. Witnesses reported heavy rain, then small pea-size
hail, and finally strong winds. One home sustained damage to roof
shingles, a large portion of wooden fencing, and two sheds. Roofing
shingles littered lawns at 3925 North. Many of the shingles were
blown 300 to 600 feet away from their structures. The heaviest damage
was at a home located on the corner of 900 West and 3925 North.
At this home, three large 60-foot pine trees clumped near each other
in the front yard were found leaning around 5 toward the east-southeast.
The owner, who had lived there for 31 years, was in the attached
garage at the time of the storm. He said he was going to take the
garbage out to the street but waited in the garage until the rain
and pea-sized hail had ended. As he started down the driveway, he
heard a tremendous roar like a train and looked down the street
to the west where he saw debris coming towards him. He quickly went
back into his garage and closed the door. The tornado also damaged
two homes under construction about 1/8 of a mile further east from
the initial touchdown.
Tornado, near McCornick, Millard County
May 28, 1996, 845 MST, 39 13'N, 112 25'W
At 9:45 AM, a small short-lived tornado was observed southeast of
Delta and northwest
of Holden near McCornick. It was in an open field with no associated
damage.
Tornado, Syracuse, Davis County
May 29, 1996, 1620 MST, 41 06'N, 112 03'W
At 5:20 PM, a small short-lived tornado touched down in a Syracuse
subdivision just
north of Antelope Drive. The intersection of 1000 West and 1575
South was hardest hit with
numerous mature trees blown down. Only minor damage occurred to
homes in this area.
Eyewitnesses at this location saw the funnel.
Tornado, North Ogden, Weber County
May 29, 1996, 1630 MST, 41 18'N, 111 58'W
At 5:30 PM, an F1 tornado set down on the west side of Washington
Boulevard at 2100 North in North Ogden. (An F1 tornado has winds
of 73-112 mph.) The tornado path was very narrow--averaging about
100 feet-- and the twister traveled east along the north side of
2100 North for approximately 1-1/4 miles. The tornado path ended
roughly ½ mile from the abrupt rise of the mountains. Two homes
sustained major damage from trees falling on them. Automobiles in
the parking lot at the Health Spa on Washington Boulevard were pushed
sideways by the force of the wind and at least one vehicle sustained
major damage from flying debris at that location. One home near
the end of the tornado path lost 12-14 fully mature pine trees and
numerous other mature trees were lost at a commercial trout fishing
pond at the end of the tornado path. Amazingly, only one person--a
woman--sustained slight injuries to her face from flying glass.
Estimates of damage along the path of the tornado totaled about
$500,000.
| 15 | 14 |
4 Waterspouts, Bear Lake, Rich County
September 17, 1996, 830 MST, 41 52'N, 111 19'W
At about 9:30 AM, six funnels were spotted in the Bear Lake area.
Four of these funnels touched the water and thereby became waterspouts.
The waterspouts lifted some of the lake water a short distance into
the air, but caused no damage. The waterspouts were seen and/or
photographed by several people.
| Tornado, near Allen's Ranch, Utah County April 5, 1997, 1530 MST, 40 03'N, 112 05'W At about 4:30 PM, a small tornado (rated FO) briefly touched down in an open field near Allen's Ranch in the Cedar Valley area of western Utah County. The tornado was the product of a cold core funnel cloud that touch the ground, and appeared to have a width of about fifty feet. It was captured on video tape by Scott Draper of Salt Lake City. No damage or injuries occurred. | 6 |
Tornado, West Valley City, Salt Lake County
May 8, 1998, 1515 MST, 40 43'N, 112 01'W
At about 4:15 PM, a weak tornado (rated FO) was reported in West
Valley City. The tornado touched down in a trailer park, resulting
in minor damage. The winds damaged the awnings of two trailers,
three trailers lost the skirting that went around the bottom of
their structures, and another lost some shingles. The approximate
damage area was 100 to 200 feet wide and 100 to 200 feet long. The
tornado was on the ground for approximately 30 seconds. One observer
said that after hearing a large noise he opened his door and could
see debris--pieces of awning--swirling into the air. Fortunately,
no one was injured by the flying debris.
Tornado, Roy, Weber County
May 21, 1998, 1430 MST, 41 10'N, 112 01'W
At about 3:30 PM, a tornado was reported in Roy. It damaged several
roofs and fences, blew two trampolines 100 feet away from their
original positions, picked up a yard shed and smashed it against
a house, and ripped up a 40-year-old pine tree. No injuries were
reported.
Tornado, West Point, Davis County
May 21, 1998, 1430 MST, 41 07'N, 112 05'W
At about 3:30 PM, a tornado was observed in West Point. Witnesses
observed a garbage can being sucked up into the rotational vortex
of the tornado and then saw it drop into a nearby field. A section
of a roof was ripped off--including shingles, tar paper and wood--and
a basketball hoop and stand was damaged. No injuries were reported.
Waterspout, Bear Lake, Rich County
May 26, 1998, 1430 MST, 41 57'N, 111 24'W
At about 3:30 PM, a waterspout was observed over Bear Lake just
offshore from Garden City. At about the same time the waterspout
touched down, winds gusted to 80 mph at Bear Lake State Park Headquarters
and a boat on a trailer was tipped over in the parking lot. In the
marina, mooring lines snapped and sailboats floated free.
Tornado, Layton, Davis County
June 4, 1998, 400 MST, 41 50'N, 111 57'W
About 5 AM on June 4, 1998, a tornado (F0) in Layton took the roof
off a 60' x 150' hay
barn that had hurricane straps (open on all sides) depositing a
mangled mess in the field nearby.
It also made a 50 foot strip in an adjacent hay field and deposited
the hey on nearby power lines
50 feet in the air. Damage estimates were approximately $25,000.
Tornado, Newcastle, Iron County
| July 23, 1998, 1015 MST, 37 39'N, 113 32'W On July 23, 1998, a tornado was observed by several people just southeast of Newcastle in Iron County. The tornado occurred between 11:15-11:25 AM, briefly touching down for a few minutes just off of State Route 56. |
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Tornado, near Kennecott, Salt Lake County
July 24, 1998, 1215 MST, 40 27'N, 112 07W At 1:15pm on July 24, 1998, a tornado touched down over the old Kennecott dumping grounds south of Copperton in southwest Salt Lake County. It lasted for about ten to fifteen minutes and was photographed by Kathy Snarr of Bingham Canyon. | 9 |
Tornado, Weber Memorial Campground, Weber County
August 20, 1998, 1730 MST, 41 17'N, 111 35'W
Around 6:30 PM on August 20, 1998, an FO-F1 tornado touched down
briefly at the Weber Memorial Campground in the Causey area of Weber
County (about 25 miles east of Ogden). Several eyewitnesses reported
a sudden strong wind followed by a funnel that touched down and
left a path of destruction about 50 yards wide and 300 yards long.
The tornado touched down two or three times within the 300 yard
path. The tornado uprooted some trees and scattered property over
the area. Two structures were also damaged by falling trees. One
tree was felled and crushed the cab of a pickup narrowly missing
the sleeper in the bed where two women and their children had gone
for shelter. One of the women and her son were taken to the McKay-Dee
Hospital [and] were treated for injuries and then released. Several
other campers [three or more people] also suffered minor injuries
from flying debris.
Tornado, Emigration Canyon, Salt Lake County
September 12, 1998, 1420 MST, 40 45'N, 111 47'W
About 3:20 PM on September 12, 1998, a tornado briefly touched down
on the hillside
area near Emigration Oaks in Emigration Canyon with flying debris
seen in the area.
| 2 Waterspouts, Great Salt Lake, Davis County September 12, 1998, 1600 MST, 41 00'N. 112 15'W Between 5:00 - 5:30 PM on September 12, 1998, two waterspouts were spotted by many Wasatch Front residents along the eastern shores of the Great Salt Lake near Syracuse/Clinton over Howard's Slough. Each lasted about 5-10 minutes. These waterspouts were video-taped by several people and were shown on local television news/weather broadcasts. | 11 |
Waterspout, Bear Lake, Rich County
October 4, 1998, 1200 MST, 41 58'N, 111 23'W
At about 1:00 PM on October 4, 1998, a weather spotter reported
a waterspout on the
Utah side of Bear Lake. The waterspout lasted for about 3 minutes
before dissipating.
Tornado, near Dutch John, Daggett County
May 5, 1999, 1500 MST, 40 54'N, 109 13'W
A tornado touched down over rangeland about 8 miles northwest
of the Browns Park National Wildlife Refuge headquarters. Debris
was thrown about 300 feet into the air.
Tornado, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County Intensity: F2August 11, 1999, 1141 MST, 40 46'N, 111 56'W Utah's Most Destructive Tornado!
Synoptic Analysis: On the morning of August 11,
1999, an upper level trough of colder air moved into northern
Utah from Nevada. In advance, warm breezy southerly winds blew
over the Salt Lake Valley. By Noon, there was evidence that either
an old frontal boundary existed or a convergence zone had developed
across the Salt Lake Valley due to breezes from the Great Salt
Lake meeting up with the southerly winds that prevailed through
the majority of the valley. The Salt Lake morning sounding indicated
some vertical shearing of the winds (differences in wind speeds)
along with the jet-stream over northern Utah. As this happened,
thunderstorms began to form over the Oquirrhs in the Herriman
area and over the south end of the Great Salt Lake/north end of
the Oquirrhs in the Magna area. By 12:35 PM, there was a thunderstorm
over the north portion of the Salt Lake Valley–with clouds
tops extending up to 41,000 feet high–that rapidly intensified
and generated a rare F2 tornado.
Event Analysis: On August 11, 1999, an F2 tornado (having
winds of 113 to 157 mph) did considerable damage as it tracked
northeastward across the metropolitan area of Salt Lake City.
One person was killed and over 80 people were injured--with 15-20
serious injuries reported. The tornado produced F0 wind damage
at 12:41 PM from about 400-500 South/Navajo (1340 West) to about
300 South/Goshen (1040 West). The tornado reached F2 strength
by 12:45 PM.
From 300 South/1040 West the tornado tracked northeast producing widespread damage at the Delta Center–including the destruction of one of the large outdoor tents set up for the Outdoor Retailers Convention. The collapse of the large tent facility killed one man: Allen Crandy. The tornado also damaged the Wyndham Hotel, which had to be closed for several days until the damage could be repaired.
From the Wyndham Hotel, the tornado continued its northeast track,
knocking down scaffolding and shearing off a crane at the site
of the LDS Church's new Assembly Hall that was under construction.
Next, it went up Capitol Hill and along the southeast side of
the Capitol, through Memory Grove, and up along the northwest
portion of the Avenues–just barely missing the LDS Hospital.
It then lifted off the ground at about Edge Hill/Terrace Hill
(20th Avenue and P Street). Along its path through the Avenues,
houses experienced from minor to major damage, with hundreds of
trees either uprooted or damaged. Throughout much of the tornadoes
destructive path, vehicles were tossed around and many were damaged
or totaled by falling trees.
For a detailed map showing the path of this destructive tornado,
see the end of this report.
This F2 tornado was on the ground from 12:45 PM to 12:55 PM (10 minutes). It traveled a distance of about 3-3/4 miles, and had a width of about 100 to 200 yards. From F0 to F2 intensity, the tornado traveled 4-1/4 miles, lasted 14 minutes, and traversed an elevation difference of 1,095 feet (from 4,225 feet to 5,320 feet).
Here are some other facts and figures about this destructive tornado:
| 1 death. 80 injuries. 300 buildings or houses were damaged, with 34 homes left uninhabitable. 500 trees were destroyed, and another 300 trees were significantly damaged. A portion of Memory Grove was completely destroyed. A major power outage occurred in the downtown area of Salt Lake City, Capitol area and portions of the Avenues. Total damage estimates: about $170 million dollars. |
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|---|---|---|
Salt Lake City Tornado, August 11, 1999 |
Orange fireball is a power sub-station exploding. (August 11, 1999, Salt Lake City) |
Tornado, Naples, Uintah County
September 3, 1999, 1430 MST, 40 25'N, 109 32'W
At about 3:30 PM on September 3, 1999, an F1 tornado touched down
in Naples in Uintah County. The tornado was on the ground of several
minutes. It's destructive path averaged between 50 to 100 feet
wide and was nearly four miles long. It uprooted trees, downed
utility lines and damaged several buildings. One woman was slightly
injured by flying debris. Preliminary damage estimates total more
than $100,000.
2 Tornadoes, 20 miles south of Park Valley, Box Elder County
September 19, 1999, 1415 MST, 41 37'N, 113 17'W
At about 3:15 PM on September 19, 1999, two F0 tornadoes touched
down at the same time in an uninhabited area 20 miles south of
Park Valley in Box Elder County. The two twisters were on the
ground for nearly three minutes, and were caused by a line of
severe thunderstorms that also produced small hail and brief but
heavy rain. The tornadoes were video-taped by Neville Reeves of
Clearfield, Utah. This was the first time in Utah's history that
two or more tornadoes were photographed or video-taped on the
ground at the same time in the same area. (However, on May 31,
1969, three tornadoes touched down at the same time in an uninhabited
area about 10 miles southwest of Hanksville in southeastern Utah.)
Tornado, near Moab, Grand County
April 18, 2000, 955 MST, 38 37'N, 109 33'W
This tornado travelled across a drill rig site which was near
the Slick Rock Campground. Fifteen people were at the drill rig
site and took cover when they saw the tornado approaching. The
tornado picked up rocks and other loose items, breaking out windows
on a drill rig enclosure and a nearby truck. The tornado continued
down a hill and uprooted several trees before dissipating.
Tornado, near Gunnison, Sanpete County
May 24, 2000, 1600 MST, 39 9'N, 111 45'W
At about 5:00 PM, a weak tornado (F0) was observed by a motorist
traveling on Highway 89 about 5 miles east of Gunnison. It crossed
the highway moving east northeast where it pelted the eyewitnesses
car with mud/rocks and caused power lines to arc. The tornado
was on the ground for 2-3 minutes.
Tornado, Holladay, Salt Lake County
May 25, 2000 1720 MST, 40 39'N, 111 50'W
Around 6:20 PM, a small tornado (F0) was observed in the Holladay
area with a funnel cloud and possible touchdown earlier in West
Jordan and Murray. The tornado ripped apart a sheet metal roof
of the receiving dock at the Albertson's store in Holladay/Cottonwood.
Just to the north, at the Goodyear Tire Store, several cars had
their windows blown out and the store sustained some minor damage
(roof and signs). Total damage was estimated at about $100,000.
Tornado, 10 miles NW of Panguitch, Iron County September 8, 2000, 1200 MST, 37 58'N, 112 28'W
At about 1:00 pm a tornado was spotted just outside of Panguitch
on Highway 20 which connects US 89 to I-15. It was reported on
the ground for at least five minutes in open country. No damage
was reported.
Tornado, 18 miles NW of Moab, Grand County September 8, 2000, 1625 MST, 38 48'N, 109 43'W
A weak tornado was reported by two individuals traveling north
on US Highway 191. The thunderstorm which produced this tornado
had a green appearance.
Tornado, 10 miles SW of Price, Carbon County
July 25, 2001, 1330 MST, 39 36'N, 110 48'W
A weak tornado was observed about 10 miles southwest of the Price
Airport. No damage occurred with what was deemed to be an F0 tornado.
Tornado, between Fairview and Birdseye, Sanpete County
August 8, 2001, 1445 MST, 39 46'N, 111 29'W
A weak tornado was spotted on the ground for about 10 minutes
just west of Highway 89 between Fairview and Birdseye.
Tornado, Sugarhouse, Salt Lake County
August 21, 2001, 1600 MST, 40 73'N, 111 81'W
A weak (F0) tornado briefly touched down in the Sugarhouse area
of Salt Lake City. No damage or injuries were reported.
Tornado, 6 miles SW of Milford, Beaver County
| September 4, 2001, 1315 MST, 38 23'N, 113 00'W A weak tornado was reported by the Beaver County Sheriff about 6 miles southwest of Milford. The tornado remained on the ground about 15 minutes before dissipating in the foothills northeast of Milford. Tornado, 5 miles NNE of Centerfield, Sanpete County September 8, 2002, 1244 MST, 39 25'N, 111 64'W An F0 tornado was spotted on the ground 5 miles NNE of Centerfield over open country. |
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| Tornado, South/East portions of Manti, Sanpete County Intensity: F2September 8, 2002, 1250 MST, 39 26'N, 111 63'W An F2 tornado began one mile south-southwest of Manti and moved northeast through Southeast Manti. The first mile of the tornado path was across open land, however the tornado produced some remarkable damage at the start. A 10X12 foot pioneer building was lifted, rotated 90 degrees, and moved 8 feet before being dropped back to the ground. At the south end of Manti, the tornado struck the Anderson Lumber business and did substantial damage. A 40 foot semi-trailer, loaded with insulation, was lifted and thrown onto it's side approximately 35 to 40 feet away. A large amount of debris, along with a 10X10 foot wooden shed, was thrown across Highway 89 and over the hill some 200 to 300 feet away. The wide swath of the tornado did considerable damage as it moved through the residential area in Southeast Manti. As the tornado exited the residential area, where some of the heaviest damage occurred, a 26 foot camp trailer was lifted and thrown to the west-northwest some 150 to 200 feet and disintegrated. The tornado continued across open farmland another half a mile or so before dissipating near the mountains. It has been determined that this was a high-end F2 tornado, with winds as high as 157 mph. The distance traveled was 2.75 miles, and the width was 800 feet. Time on the ground was approximately 15 minutes. Estimated damage is around $2,000,000. | Manti Tornado |
Tornado, Near Ephraim, Sanpete County
| September 12, 2002 1055 MST, 39 36'N, 111 59'W A small tornado (F0) was observed just west of Ephraim in Sanpete County. The tornado moved slowly to the northeast over open country before dissipating. This tornado remained on the ground for only a few seconds, but the funnel cloud was visible for about 10 minutes. |
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Tornado, 20 miles SE of Hanksville, Wayne County
September 12, 2002 1330 MST, 38 20'N, 110 45'W A small tornado (F0) was observed 20 miles southeast of Hanksville in Wayne County. It was on the ground over open country for a short time, and debris from the ground was observed rising before the funnel dissipated. | 16 |
Tornado, 6 miles W of Green River, Emery County
April 5, 2003 1226 MST, 38 98'N, 110 20'W
A small tornado (F0) touched down 6 miles west of Green River
in Emery County. It moved off to the northeast, doing little damage.
Tornado, near Richfield, Sevier County
May 24, 2003 1245 MST, 38 84'N, 112 02'W
A small tornado (F0) touched down between Richfield and Aurora
in Sevier County. The tornado damaged a roof on a business.
Tornado, Payson, Utah County
June 9, 2003 1519 MST, 40 03'N, 111 73'W
A small tornado (F0) touched down in Payson in Utah County. The
tornado damaged about 100 feet of vinyl fence and lifted a small
aluminum boat off of its trailer. The path of the tornado was
about 100 yards.
Tornado, 10 miles South of Levan, Juab County
August 22, 2003 1320 MST, 39 44'N, 111 87'W
A small tornado (F0) touched down near State Route 28 between
Levan and Yuba Lake in Juab County. A UHP Trooper reported that
the width was 100 feet, and that it stayed on the ground for one
minute, picking up rocks and shrubs before dissipating.
Tornado, Richfield, Sevier County
March 23, 2004 1520 MST, 38 45'N, 112 05'W
A small tornado (FO) touched down in Richfield at 3:20 PM and
lifted off the ground at 3:28 PM. A survey of the site by officials
of the National Weather Service determined that the tornado was
about 40-50 feet wide, traveled about .177 of a mile and remained
on the ground for about nine minutes. The tornado downed tree
limbs and power lines and caused damage to some cars and buildings.
Estimated damage: $75,000. For a photo of this tornado, click here (archived snapshot, 2007-08-20).
The following information on this tornado has been published by
the National Weather Service:
"An F0
tornado touched down along Main Street near the center of Richfield
and moved ENE approximately two and one half blocks. The 911 dispatch
in Richfield received their first call concerning the tornado
at 323 PM MST. The caller reported several vehicles damaged in
the Albertson's grocery store parking lot.
"The
funnel cloud appeared to have begun descending about one block
west of Main Street near 300 South and 100 West streets. Small
branches, laundry, and small toys were scattered around the yard
of a resident living at that location. The tornado touched down
onto 300 South Street at approximately 50 West. This is along
the southern wall of the Albertson's grocery store. A vehicle
parked on 300 South had the rear window blown out. Two vehicles
parked near this vehicle but in the grocery store parking lot
sustained damage as the rear end of the westmost vehicle was pushed
into the other vehicle. It appears as though the damage to these
three vehicles were a result of the tornado winds being funneled
along the side of the grocery store. No damage was noted to the
grocery store, signs, or any other vehicles in the parking lot.
"The
tornado moved NE across Main Street and between the Fire Department
and the Central Utah Counseling Center. An employee of the counseling
center said she arrived at work at exactly 326 PM MST and the
tornado had just moved away from this location. The tornado tore
aluminum siding loose from the north side of the counseling center.
Debris in the form of a four foot by eight foot piece of steel
one quarter inch thick was picked up from the Fire Department
parking lot and thrown 40 to 60 feet to the ENE where it landed
on, and damaged, three pickup trucks in the parking lot behind
the Presbyterian Church. A man and his two sons were working in
this area when they saw the tornado approaching. A double door
steel garbage dumpster was also lifted from the Fire Dept. parking
lot and thrown 20 to 30 feet ENE over a six foot chain link type
fence which did not appear damaged. The three workers never saw
the sheet of steel but ran for cover when they saw the dumpster
rise 30 feet into the air. The sheet of steel came to rest 10
feet short of where the workers had vacated. A large piece of
corrugated steel roofing was torn from the Fire Dept. Roof and
deposited in the church's back yard. The church faces 200 South.
"The
tornado continued ENE through a small grove of trees which showed
no damage. A double-wide mobile home just east of the trees had
the swamp cooler torn off the roof but showed no other damage.
At this point, the tornado crossed a small open area and across
100 East Street.
"It was
at 100 East and 200 South, where the tornado hit an old barn style
garage broadside and lifted the roof off in one large piece. The
roof traveled ENE approximately 40 feet hitting and severing power
lines before hitting the neighbors front lawn another 20 feet
further. The roof left an imprint in the neighbors lawn and was
lifted and blown another 60 feet down and across 200 south before
coming to rest in another neighbors front lawn. The roof hit a
medium size Navajo Willow tree immediately after hitting the power
lines breaking two thirds of the tree. This was the only tree
I noted any damage. When the roof hit and severed the power lines,
the resulting recoil of the power line caused three power poles
to lean or nearly uproot.
"No further
damage was noted beyond this point. Several witnesses indicated
the tornado traveled down 200 South Street and lifted at the intersection
with 200 East Street. A debris and dust cloud was witnessed rotating
above the treetop level for another 1/8 to 1/4 mile before dissipating."
Tornado, near Woodruff, Rich County
May 21, 2004, 1000 MST, 41 52'N, 111 16'W
A small tornado (F0) touched down near the town of Woodruff over
open land. The tornado moved very little, and remained on the
ground for approximately 10 minutes. No damage was reported. For
a photo of this tornado, click here (archived snapshot, 2007-08-20).
Tornado, 2 miles SE of Lehi, Utah County
May 30, 2005, 1000 MST, 40 38'N, 111 83'W
A small tornado (F0) touched down along the northeast shore of
Utah Lake. No damage was reported. For a
photo of this tornado, click here (archived snapshot, 2007-08-20).
Safety guidance in the original report
These are the source’s historical instructions. For current guidance, see National Weather Service tornado safety.
Prepare a home tornado plan
Pick a place where family members could gather
if a tornado is headed your way. It could be your
basement or, if there is no basement, a center hallway, bathroom,
or closet on the lowest floor.
Keep this place uncluttered.
If you are in a high-rise building, you may not have enough time
to go to the lowest floor. Pick a place in a hallways in the center
of the building free of windows.
Conduct periodic tornado drills, so everyone remembers what to
do when a tornado is approaching.
Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit containing:
First aid kit and essential medications.
Battery-powered radio, flashlight, and extra batteries.
Canned food and a can opener.
Bottled water.
Sturdy shoes and work gloves.
Written instructions on how to turn off your home's utilities.
.
Stay tuned for storm warnings
Listen to your local radio and television stations for updated
storm information.
Tornado Watches and Warnings are issued by county. Know what a
Tornado Watch and Warning
means:
A Tornado Watch means a tornado is possible in your area.
A Tornado Warning means a tornado has been sighted and may be
headed for your area. Go
to safety immediately.
When a tornado watch is issued
Listen to local radio and television stations for further
updates.
Be alert to changing weather conditions.
Blowing debris or the sound of an approaching tornado may alert
you. Many people say a tornado
sounds like a freight train.
When a tornado warning is issued
If you are inside, go to the safe place you picked to protect
yourself from glass and other flying objects. (Remember: it could
be your basement or, if there is no basement, a center hallway,
bathroom, or closet on the lowest floor.) The tornado may be approaching
your area. If you are outside, hurry to the basement of a nearby
sturdy building or lie flat in a ditch or low-lying
area.
If you are in a car or mobile home, get out immediately and head
for safety (as above).
After the tornado passes
Watch out for fallen power lines and stay out of the damaged
area.
Listen to the radio or television for information and instructions.
Use a flashlight to carefully inspect your home for damage.
References
*Alder, William J., "Monthly Climatological Summaries of Utah: January 1980–to the Present." National Weather Service Forecast Office, Salt Lake City, Utah.
Brough, R. Clayton, Dale L. Jones, and Dale J. Stevens, Utah's
Comprehensive Weather
Almanac. Publishers Press, Salt Lake City, Utah. 1987. 517 pages.
Butler, Elmer and Ray E. Marsell, "Cloudburst Floods in Utah:
1939–1969."
Cooperative-Investigations, Report Number 11, U.S. Geological
Survey, 1972.
Eubank, Mark E. and R. Clayton Brough, Utah Weather. WeatherBank
Inc., Salt Lake
City, Utah. 1979. 284 pages.
Griffin, Rodney D., "Whirlwinds or Dust Devils," Utah's Weather
and Climate.
Publishers Press, Salt Lake City, Utah. 1996. Pages 23-24.
James, David R., "A Climatological and Geographical Study of Tornadoes
and
Waterspouts in Utah." Masters Thesis, Department of Geography,
Brigham Young University,
Provo, Utah. August 1987.
Monthly "Storm Report" from January 1980 through June 1993. National
Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service, U.S. Department
of Commerce.
Pope, Dan and Clayton Brough, Utah's Weather and Climate. Publishers
Press, Salt
Lake City, Utah. 1996. 245 pages.
Simpson, Joanne, G. Roff, B.R. Morton, K. Labas, G. Dietachmayer,
M. McCumber, and
R. Penc, "A Great Salt Lake Waterspout," Monthly Weather Review,
Volume 119, December
1991, pp. 2741–2770. American Meteorological Society, Boston,
MA.
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printout published
by the National Severe Storms Forecast Center, Kansas City, MO.
Woolley, Ralf R., "Cloudburst Floods in Utah: 1850–1938."
Water Supply Paper 994,
U.S. Department of the Interior. 1946.*
Salt Lake City Tornado, August 11, 1999
Orange fireball is a power sub-station exploding. (August 11, 1999, Salt Lake City)
