The Scary Tornados In Utah From The Past Decade

Tornadoes in Utah: Rare but Not Impossible

Utah isn't exactly known for our tornadoes. In fact, Utah averages only about two tornadoes a year, making it one of the least tornado prone states in the entire nation. Our dry climate, mountainous terrain, and unique weather pattern usually make it pretty difficult for the powerful thunderstorms to produce tornados. However, "rare" doesn't mean "impossible", and Utah has seen it's share of dangerous twisters over the past years!

A Historic Twister: The 1999 Salt Lake City Tornado

For many Utah's, the word "tornado" immediately brings back memories of August 11, 1999, when an F2 tornado tore right through downtown Salt Lake City. The storm carved a path from the west side of the city, through the Delta Center, Capitol Hill, and the Avenues killing one man across the street from the arena and injuring more than 80 people. That tornado caused over $170 million in damage! While storms of that magnitude are totally uncommon in Utah, the right combination of cold upper air, warm surface temps, wind shear and powerful thunderstorms can occasionally produce tornados.

Here are some of the worst tornados that Utah has experienced over the past decade: