A Pacific storm is bringing areas of low elevation rain, moderate to heavy mountain snow, and high winds to the Northwest. Strong Santa Ana winds and very dry conditions are producing elevated to critical fire weather conditions in southern California. Isolated strong to severe thunderstorms are possible through early Wednesday morning across parts of northeast Texas into western Tennessee. Read More >
Overview
A large tornado ripped across the Bear Lodge Mountains of northeastern Wyoming the evening of July 13, toppling trees and destroying buildings on a ranch. Much of the roof was torn off the house on the ranch. A large wooden barn and two metal garages were totally demolished. Roofing and siding were torn from a mobile home. A survey by the National Weather Service estimated the winds reached 120 to 130 mph based on the extent of damage. The tornado was given a rating of EF2 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale ranking of zero through five. An aerial survey conducted by the State of Wyoming indicated the tornado touched down west of Cook Lake and traveled in an east-southeast direction for 9.5 miles before dissipating just west of Wyoming Highway 111 and north of Interstate 90. The tornado itself was about a half mile wide, but strong winds feeding into the funnel downed trees in a mile wide swath across much of the forested areas, which blocked many Forest Service roads. The storm also produced giant hail around Hulett, with some stones measuring four to five inches in diameter. |
Tornado over Bear Lodge Mountains Photo by Phil Mason |
Tornadoes:
Tornado - 6 Miles Southwest of Aladdin, WY
Track Map |
The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:
EF0 Weak 65-85 mph |
EF1 Moderate 86-110 mph |
EF2 Significant 111-135 mph |
EF3 Severe 136-165 mph |
EF4 Extreme 166-200 mph |
EF5 Catastrophic 200+ mph |
Photos
Remnants of a metal shop building | Building and tree damage | Tree and building damage | Large oak tree felled by tornado |
Large hail in Hulett, WY |
Radar
July 13, 2009 614 PM MDT Base Reflectivity Image | July 13, 2009 614 PM MDT Storm Relative Velocity Image |
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