Carter Williams is a reporter for KSL.com. He covers Salt Lake City, statewide transportation issues, outdoors, the environment and weather. He is a graduate of Southern Utah University.
MONTEZUMA CREEK, San Juan County — One of the two tornadoes that touched down in southeast Utah earlier this month reached wind speeds of 120 mph, as it damaged or destroyed buildings in the area, according to a preliminary report released Monday.
The severe weather activity picked up near the small community of Montezuma Creek shortly after noon on Sept. 13, according to the National Weather Service's Grand Junction, Colorado, office, which oversees weather forecasting and data for eastern Utah. A tornado first touched down at 12:30 p.m., a few miles northeast of Montezuma Creek, lasting only about 15 minutes and not causing enough damage for experts to determine its strength.The second twister was "more well-developed," and touched down not far from the first tornado just before 1 p.m., reaching peak speeds that registered EF-2 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, the report adds. It lasted about 47 minutes as it moved about 1 mile, finally breaking up at 1:45 p.m."The second tornado was well documented by local officials and video footage to have remained nearly stationary throughout its duration before finally dissipating," the report states.The tornadoes destroyed three homes in the McCracken Mesa and Cahone Mesa areas just outside of Montezuma Creek, Navajo Police Department officials said after the tornado ended. No injuries were reported, but some animals were reported missing and additional damage was reported after the event.Tornadoes are rare but not unheard of in Utah. The state averages about two every year, per the National Centers for Environmental Information. However, the agency reports that only three previous twisters had been reported in San Juan County between 1950 and 2024 — and two of those were reported last year. None of the previous three tornadoes rated higher than EF-0. The county was also home to a much rarer "firenado" earlier this year. That occurred when the Deer Creek Fire near La Sal induced tornado-like activity on the ground. The 12-minute event produced winds that peaked at 122 mph with a 0.1-mile path, reaching an EF-2 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.No injuries were reported throughout its duration, but federal meteorologists reported that it created a "mix of fire and wind damage" for dwellings and outbuildings in the area. It also damaged a Bureau of Land Management fire engine.
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