The National Weather Service confirmed that two tornadoes struck Arizona on Wednesday, Oct. 21. Both were rated EF1, and one damaged homes in the town of Heber-Overgaard.
The first tornado touched down around 7:30 a.m. near Prescott. Winds reached about 105 mph (about 170 km/h). The funnel moved for 14 minutes along an 8-mile path through the Bradshaw Mountains and the Spruce Mountain area. It snapped and uprooted trees. No one was injured.
The second struck around 7 p.m. in Heber-Overgaard in Navajo County. Winds there reached up to 110 mph (about 177 km/h), and the tornado traveled more than 9 miles. It damaged many homes and buildings, downed power lines and damaged propane tanks. Within half an hour, emergency services received more than a dozen reports, including some about people who may have been trapped. A man riding a bicycle was injured. He was taken to a hospital, and his life is not in danger.
Tornadoes are rare in Arizona. This week, however, authorities issued at least 15 tornado warnings. They were the result of moist air from the Pacific colliding with a front from the northwest. Meteorologists note that autumn storms in Arizona can be as violent as those during monsoon season.
Source: azfamily.com, FOX 10 Phoenix, NWS Flagstaff
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