Rare high-elevation tornado sets Utah record after tearing through Wasatch Mountains

PARK CITY, Utah — A tornado that tore through the mountains above Davis and Morgan counties during a September storm has been classified as an EF2 and set a Utah record for tornado width, according to a National Weather Service damage survey.

The Francis Peak tornado touched down Sept. 18 near Bair Canyon, east of Fruit Heights, at an elevation of about 6,000 feet. It then traveled nearly six miles through the Wasatch Mountains, eventually reaching about 9,500 feet in elevation before descending toward Morgan County.

The tornado remained on the ground for approximately 16 minutes, with estimated peak winds of 120 mph. Its maximum width reached 1,900 yards — about 1.1 miles — making it the widest tornado documented in Utah, the NWS reported.

Numerous pine and aspen trees in the tornado’s path were damaged. As it crossed Francis Peak and moved toward Middle Smith Lake, surveyors found areas of more severe damage, including pine trees snapped at their bases or sheared off near the tops.

Some of the damaged pine trees were estimated to be 100 to 200 years old, according to the NWS.

After descending the eastern side of Francis Peak, the tornado reached the Dalton Creek area, where it caused widespread damage to pine and aspen groves before weakening and eventually dissipating.

In total, the tornado climbed about 3,500 feet and then descended another 3,200 feet.

Because the tornado remained largely in remote, mountainous terrain, no fatalities or injuries were reported.

The survey’s findings remain preliminary pending final review and publication in the NWS Storm Data.