DUCHESNE COUNTY, Utah, June 21, 2022 (Gephardt Daily) — A tornado developed Sunday morning in a remote area of southwestern Duchesne County, causing significant damage to trees in the area, according to the National Weather Service.
The EF2 tornado started at 9:13 a.m. near the summit of U.S. 191 and Argyle Canyon Road about 12 miles northeast of Castle Gate in Carbon County, according to a damage survey released Tuesday by the NWS in Salt Lake City.
Winds reached an estimated 125 mph before the tornado ended four minutes later, the report states. The tornado’s path covered nearly 2.1 miles and was 880 yards at its widest point, NWS officials said.
No injuries were reported and no structures were damaged, the report states.
The National Weather Service notes “sporadic damage” near the summit at roughly 9,200 feet. The tornado then moved over a ridge line and into a valley adjacent to U.S. 191 along Indian Canyon, according to the news release.
“The tornado then descended down the length of the valley from about 9,200 feet to a creek adjacent to US-191 at an elevation of about 8,500 feet. Over this period, both the strength and and width of the tornado increased substantially with a continuous damage path through a mixed aspen and conifer forest,” the release states.
“The maximum damage was found in this area and was significant. Almost all trees over a large hillside facing the road were violently blown down, snapped, or topped into a clearly convergent axis. Several tree tops were deposited along the creek and road with no clear indication as to where they originated.”
The tornado then crossed U.S. 191 and ascended the hillside from about 8,500 feet to another ridge on the northwest side of the road to an elevation of roughly 9,100 feet, according to the report.
Considerable damage was noted north of U.S. 191, where numerous trees were snapped or uprooted, the report states.
An EF2 tornado is considered “strong” but ranks as the third-weakest classification on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, according to the National Weather Service. Winds during EF2 tornadoes range between 111 mph and 135 mph, the report states.
