Terrifying tornado seen tearing through desert in Utah forcing residents to flee
A rare and terrifying tornado was seen ripping through Utah’s desert terrain on Saturday afternoon, destroying homes and prompting residents to flee.
The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Colorado issued a tornado warning at 12:46 p.m. MDT after confirming the twister was headed northeast.
‘A tornado is on the ground. Take cover now!’ the NWS warned.
The weather service urged locals to ‘move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building.’
‘Avoid windows. If you are outdoors, in a mobile home, or in a vehicle, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris,’ the warning stated.
The tornado eventually touched down near Montezuma Creek – roughly 345 miles from Salt Lake City – where law enforcement reported seeing the dark, funnel-shaped cloud reach the ground.
The tornado warning remained in effect until 1:15 p.m. as the NWS claimed significant damage was to be expected.
A rare and terrifying tornado was seen ripping through Utah ‘s desert terrain on Saturday afternoon, destroying homes and prompting residents to flee
The tornado eventually touched down near Montezuma Creek – roughly 345 miles from Salt Lake City – where law enforcement reported seeing the dark, funnel-shaped cloud reach the ground
‘Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is likely,’ the NWS stated.
Several homes were leveled as a result of the unexpected windstorm.
‘As of 4:31 p.m., it has been confirmed that several homes near Montezuma Creek were completely damaged after a tornado went through the community this afternoon,’ the Navajo Police Department reported.
No injuries were reported, however, officials urged the public to stay off roads and away from affected areas while emergency assessments and recovery efforts were ongoing.
Photos shared by Navajo Police showed the tornado tracking across the open desert terrain – a phenomenon that the state typically sees about three times per year.
Utah’s dry climate and rugged topography make it unfavorable for tornado development, according to Fox Weather.
The Beehive State’s tornadoes are ‘usually smaller in size, measuring 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,’ according to NWS forecasters.
The weather service urged locals to ‘move to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building’
‘Flying debris will be dangerous to those caught without shelter. Mobile homes will be damaged or destroyed. Damage to roofs, windows, and vehicles will occur. Tree damage is likely,’ the NWS stated
Several homes were leveled as a result of the unexpected windstorm
Following the unexpected weather event, the state highway patrol and San Juan County Sheriff’s Office were deployed to assist.
The Utah Navajo Health System also established an Incident Command Post, and local schools opened facilities to provide shelter for displaced residents.
Alongside the tornado threat, the storm brought heavy rainfall to the Four Corners region – the only place in the country where four states, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona, meet at a single point.
In neighboring Colorado, the NWS issued multiple flash flood warnings and a flash flood emergency after radar indicated up to three inches of rain fell close to the Utah-Colorado border.
Flash flooding was reported in Mesa County where local authorities conducted water rescues along State Highway 141, according to officials.
No injuries or missing persons were reported, but the full extent of the flooding remained unclear as of Saturday evening.