by
Clayton Brough, Climatologist,
Dan Brown, HMT/Webmaster,
David James, Geographer,
Dan Pope, Meteorologist,
Steve Summy, OPL,
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.
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 tornado's destructive path, vehicles were tossed around and many were damaged or totaled by falling trees.
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).
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
| | | | January | 1 | July | 15 | | February | 1 | August | 25 | | March | 4 | September | 21 | | April | 7 | October | 0 | | May | 31 | November | 2 | | June | 18 | December | 2 | | | | Total
127 |
|
| | | 1:00 AM | 1 | 1:00 PM | 13 | | 2:00 AM | 0 | 2:00 PM | 18 | | 3:00 AM | 0 | 3:00 PM | 20 | | 4:00 AM | 0 | 4:00 PM | 13 | | 5:00 AM | 1 | 5:00 PM | 10 | | 6:00 AM | 0 | 6:00 PM | 6 | | 7:00 AM | 0 | 7:00 PM | 4 | | 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 | 13 | 11:00 PM | 0 | | 12 Noon | 15 | 12 Midnight | 0 | | | | Total
127 |
| | Beaver | 5 | Piute | 1 | | Box Elder | 11 | Rich | 3 | | Cache | 4 | Salt Lake | 15 | | Carbon | 1 | San Juan | 0 | | Daggett | 1 | Sanpete | 10 | | Davis | 11 | Sevier | 4 | | Duchesne | 4 | Summit | 0 | | Emery | 8 | Tooele | 5 | | Garfield | 1 | Uintah | 6 | | Grand | 5 | Utah | 9 | | Iron | 5 | Wasatch | 0 | | Juab | 1 | Washington | 2 | | Kane | 0 | Wayne | 7 | | Millard | 4 | Weber | 6 | | Morgan | 1 | | Total
130* |
|
| | 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.) |
| $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 |
$173,011,200+ |
Total |
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 probably 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 |
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 |
| | | 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 |
|
and Before 1950
American Fork River, Utah County
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.
, about 23 miles east of Wanship, up the Weber River in Summit County
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. Its 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)
Great Salt Lake, Salt Lake County
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.
near Lewiston, Cache County
A tornado touched down near Lewiston, Cache County. No further information is available about this tornado.
Millard County
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.)
near Woods Cross, Davis County
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.
Young Ward (near College Ward), Cache County Intensity:
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."
from 1950 to the Present
Farmington Canyon, Davis County and Morgan County
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.
Kannarraville, Iron County
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.)
Laketown, Rich County
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.
Maeser, Uintah County
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.
Fayette, Sanpete County
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.
Fayette, Sanpete County
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.
Salina, Sevier County
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.
near Green River, Emery County and Grand County
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.
Grouse Creek Valley, Box Elder County
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.
Bountiful, Davis CountyIntensity:
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.
Gunnison, Sanpete County
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.
Magna, Salt Lake County
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.
Woodruff, Rich County
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.
Tooele County
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.
Provo Canyon, Utah County
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.
Tooele County
A tornado touched down about 75 miles west of Salt Lake City in a remote, uninhabited part
of Tooele County.
Springville, Utah County
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.
southwest of Ferron, Emery County
A tornado touched down five to six miles southwest of Ferron, Emery County. No damage
was reported.
northwest of Bryce Canyon, Iron County
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.
Emery, Emery CountyIntensity:
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.
northwest of Dugway Proving Grounds, Tooele County
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.
West Weber, Weber CountyIntensity:
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.
Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County
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.
near Collingston, Box Elder County
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.
Southwest of Hanksville, Wayne County
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.
Anabella, Sevier County
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.)
Box Elder County
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.
between Centerville and Farmington, Davis County
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."
Thompson, Grand County
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.
below Timpanogos Divide, Utah County
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.
western shore of Utah Lake, Utah County
A tornado touched down along the western shore of Utah Lake, Utah County. No damage
occurred from this short-lived tornado. Ferron, Emery County
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. |  |
near Newton, Cache County
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.
north of Hanksville Airport, Wayne County
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. |  |
northeast of Milford, Beaver County
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.
20 miles north of Milford, Millard County
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.
Utah Lake, Utah County
A waterspout was spotted over the northwest part of Utah Lake. It did not last long and
caused no damage.
& Utah Lake, Provo, Utah County
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.
south of Provo, Utah County
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.
south of Manti, Sanpete County
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.
between Tremonton and Snowville, Box Elder County
No damage occurred from a tornado that touched down near the Utah-Idaho border, between
Tremonton and Snowville in Box Elder County.
Box Elder County
The second tornado in four minutes occurred in Box Elder County about 10 miles south of
the first one. No damage was reported.
Parker Mountains, Piute County
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.
south of Roosevelt, Duchesne County
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.
Great Salt Lake, Tooele County
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."
Great Salt Lake, Box Elder County
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.
Utah Lake, Utah County
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.
Beryl Junction, Iron County and Washington County
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.
Canyonlands National Park, Wayne County
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.
Kearns, Salt Lake County
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.
Great Salt Lake, Tooele County
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.
Great Salt Lake, Weber County
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.
Utah Lake, Utah County
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south of Lewiston, Cache CountyIntensity:
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.
Great Salt Lake, Weber County
A pilot observed a waterspout over the Great Salt Lake west of Ogden.
Great Salt Lake, Davis County
Tower personnel at Hill Air Force Base observed a waterspout over the Great Salt Lake.
Plymouth, Box Elder County
A cold-air-funnel type tornado touched down briefly just west of Plymouth, then receded back into the clouds. |  |
east of Benson, Cache County
A cold-air-funnel type tornado touched down briefly between Benson and the Logan Airport,
then receded back into the clouds.
Lapoint, Uintah County
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.
Sandy, Salt Lake County
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 � 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 � 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.
Magna, Salt Lake County
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.
Hill Air Force Base, Davis County
A small tornado briefly touched down south of a runway at Hill Air Force Base.
Delta, Millard County
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.
Midvale, Salt Lake County
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.
Willard Bay, G.S.L., Box Elder County
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.
Cornish, Cache County
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.
Great Salt Lake, Davis County
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.
Naples, Uintah County
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.)
northwest of Ogden, Weber County
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.
south of Roosevelt, Duchesne County
A tornado was reported to have momentarily touched down on a golf course about two miles south of Roosevelt. There was no damage.
north of Magna, Salt Lake County
A tornado was sighted along Interstate 80 in Magna by a motorist. It briefly touched down then dissipated. There were no injuries of damage.
Erda, Tooele County
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.
northwest of Green River, Emery County
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.
west of Green River, Emery County
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.
east of Beaver, Beaver County
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.
Brigham City, Box Elder County
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.
west of Beaver, Beaver County
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. |  |
Great Salt Lake, Salt Lake County
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.
near Kennecott Mines, Salt Lake County
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.
Great Salt Lake, Salt Lake County
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.
near St. George, Washington County
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.
Syracuse, Davis County
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.
Caineville, Wayne County
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.
Erda, Tooele County
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.
near Leota, Uintah County
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.
North Salt Lake, Davis County
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.
Chepeta Lake, Duchesne CountyIntensity:
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. Its 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.)
Emigration Canyon, Salt Lake County
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.
Centerville, Davis County
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.
Pleasant View, Weber County
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.
near McCornick, Millard County
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.
Syracuse, Davis County
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.
North Ogden, Weber County
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 � 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.
Bear Lake, Rich County
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.
near Allen's Ranch, Utah County
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West Valley City, Salt Lake County
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.
Roy, Weber County
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.
West Point, Davis County
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.
Bear Lake, Rich County
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.
Layton, Davis County
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.
Newcastle, Iron County
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.
near Kennecott, Salt Lake County
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. | |
Weber Memorial Campground, Weber County
Around 6:30 PM on August 20, 1998, an F0-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.
Emigration Canyon, Salt Lake County
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.
Great Salt Lake, Davis County
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Bear Lake, Rich County
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.
near Dutch John, Daggett County
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.
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 tornado's destructive path, vehicles were tossed around and many were damaged or totaled by falling trees.
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.
Naples, Uintah County
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. Its 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.
20 miles south of Park Valley, Box Elder County
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.) near Moab, Grand County
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. near Gunnison, Sanpete County
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. Holladay, Salt Lake County
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. 10 miles NW of Panguitch, Iron County
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. 18 miles NW of Moab, Grand County
A weak tornado was reported by two individuals traveling north on US Highway 191. The thunderstorm which produced this tornado had a green appearance.
10 miles SW of Price, Carbon County
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.
between Fairview and Birdseye, Sanpete County
A weak tornado was spotted on the ground for about 10 minutes just west of Highway 89 between Fairview and Birdseye.
Sugarhouse, Salt Lake County
A weak (F0) tornado briefly touched down in the Sugarhouse area of Salt Lake City. No damage or injuries were reported.
6 miles SW of Milford, Beaver County
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. 5 miles NNE of Centerfield, Sanpete County
An F0 tornado was spotted on the ground 5 miles NNE of Centerfield over open country.
South/East portions of Manti, Sanpete CountyIntensity:
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 Its 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. |  |
Near Ephraim, Sanpete County
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.
20 miles SE of Hanksville, Wayne County
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 |  |
6 miles W of Green River, Emery County
A small tornado (F0) touched down 6 miles west of Green River in Emery County. It moved off to the northeast, doing little damage.
near Richfield, Sevier County
A small tornado (F0) touched down between Richfield and Aurora in Sevier County. The tornado damaged a roof on a business.
Payson, Utah County
10 miles S of Levan, Juab County
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.
Richfield, Sevier County
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.
near Woodruff, Rich County
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.
2 miles SE of Lehi, Utah County
A small tornado (F0) touched down along the Northeast shore of Utah Lake. No damage was reported.
8 miles W of Duchesne, Duchesne County
A small tornado touched down just west of Duchesne, near Highway 40 around mile marker 83. No damage was reported.
2 miles NE of Mount Pleasant, Sanpete County
Several people witnessed a small tornado briefly touch down at Skyline Mountain Resort in Sanpete County. The tornado blew the roof off of a shed, and tipped over a motor home. There were no injuries.
6 miles SW of West Point, Davis County
A small tornado touched down over the Great Salt Lake between Antelope Island and West Point. The tornado dissipated before reaching the shoreline, and no damage was reported.
A few miles SW of Green River, Emery County
Several people witnessed a small (F0) tornado briefly touch down over open country just south of Interstate 70. It was described as rope-like and short lived.
5 miles S of Kanosh, Millard County
A small (F0) tornado touched down over open country near Interstate 15 just south of Kanosh. No damage was reported.
Clickhere for a larger picture Near Plymouth, Box Elder County
A tornado (F0) touched down over a grass field near Interstate 15 just west of Plymouth. Observers stated that it crossed the highway. No damage was reported.
Willard, Box Elder County
A small (EF0) tornado touched down in the town of Willard. An NWS survey team determined the tornado tracked approximately 1 mile. Several trees were uprooted or snapped, some siding was torn off homes, and an empty snowmobile trailer was tossed. There were no injuries.
5 miles west of Milford, Beaver County
A tornado (EF0) touched down briefly over open country. No damage was reported.
Vernal, Uintah County
A tornado (EF0) touched down briefly in the north portions of Vernal. Significant tree damage was reported.
23 miles WSW of Canyonlands National Park, Wayne County
A tornado estimated as EF0 touched down over open country near Twin Corral Flat. The tornado snapped or uprooted 25-30 juniper trees.
Prepare a Home Tornado Plan:
Stay Tuned for Storm WarningsWhen a Tornado Watch is Issued...When a Tornado Warning is Issued...After the Tornado Passes...
Updated October 10th, 2010
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