Watch: Tornado touches down in Arizona mountains Sunday
The video captures children screaming in fear as their inflatable Christmas decorations in the yard are flattened by the winds. The NWS confirmed the twister was an E.F. 1.
Rare tornado in Arizona mountains
Donovan Cross was outside with his daughters when an EF-1 tornado spun up and damaged several homes in Star Valley, Arizona. He said he didn't know tornadoes happened on mountains as he caught it all on camera.
STAR VALLEY, Ariz. – Terrifying moments caught on video Sunday as a tornado touched down in the mountain communities of Star Valley, Arizona. This is the area's strongest November tornado since 1996.
Residents were shocked to see the twisting funnel at 5,150-feet elevation.
Caught on camera: Apparent tornado in Arizona mountains
We don't hear about mountain tornadoes that often, but this may be one. Several people in Star Valley, Arizona caught what appeared to be a tornado tearing through their community on Sunday.
"I've never seen a tornado in the mountains before," said a dad who caught the scene on his phone.
Strong winds flatten the family's inflatable Christmas decorations in the front yard.
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Listen to kids scream as apparent tornado roars across street
Two girls and their dad were caught off guard Sunday when an apparent tornado touched down across the street.
"Get inside girls," the dad yelled to his screaming girls.
"I was so scared," said another woman. "What is happening?"
The E.F.-1 tornado caught most off-guard largely because of the myth that tornadoes can't form on mountains.
"While conditions would not be optimal for tornado development on top of mountains… tornadoes have been documented to cross the Appalachian Mountains and cross a 10 thousand foot tall mountain in Yellowstone National Park," wrote the NWS Milwaukee office.
Strongest November Arizona this weekend since 1996
The NWS confirmed an EF-1 tornado ripped up trees and damaged homes on Sunday in the mountain town of Star Valley, Arizona.
The NWS Flagstaff office had a survey team in Star Valley on Sunday and determined damage was consistent with an E.F.-1 tornado with winds between 59-105 mph. The twister cut a path about 100 yards wide for 1.4 miles.
Weather radar indicated that it was a tornado, according to the Storm Prediction Center. The NWS storm reports say 20 structures suffered roof and window damage. When NOAA posted the storm reports, local authorities said there were no injuries, but an official told another local media source that the winds killed a dog.
Residents on the video also report several downed trees.
The storm system that sparked the violent weather in Arizona will strengthen and create some Thanksgiving travel troubles coast to coast this week.