Meteorologists at the National Weather Service office in Pueblo, Colorado, said they were alerted to a previously unwarned tornado by a social media user who shared a satellite image showing what appeared to be a swath of deforestation through the terrain.
The uncommon high-elevation tornado touched down earlier this month on Sawtooth Mountain, a remote peak with an elevation of more than 11,000 feet.
A combination of imagery from the European Union’s Copernicus Sentinel satellite and Doppler radar data was enough for officials to classify the event as a tornado.
Because of its rural location and roughly two miles from the nearest roadway, a NWS survey team will not visit the damage site, and the twister will retain an “unknown” rating on the tornado scale.
Sawtooth Mountain tornado
(NOAA)
PHOTOS: RARE UTAH TORNADO SPOTTED SWIRLING THROUGH DESERT TERRAIN
Forecasters said they believe the storm marks only the third confirmed tornado in Watch County since 1995, which underscores the challenges of detecting tornadoes in mountain regions.
At higher elevations, radar beams are often looking far above the surface, making it difficult to determine whether a vortex is actually touching down or just confined to the storm’s clouds.
Meteorologists noted that this was the first tornado in the region, confirmed through a social media tip with the use of satellite imagery of the terrain.
The twister occurred around the same day that funnels and tornadoes were spotted across the Southwest, including Utah, which was a result of increased atmospheric energy.
Enhanced Fujita Scale
(FOX Weather)
DAMAGE FROM UNCOMMON MOUNTAIN TORNADO FOUND NEAR COLORADO’S PIKES PEAK AT 9,500 FEET
Though unusual, tornadoes in Colorado’s mountainous region are not unheard of.
Meteorologists described them as uncommon, noting that several have been documented sightings in recent years.
In 2023, a tornado touched down on Pikes Peak, destroying hundreds of trees, with the event only being known about due to a hiker who took photos at some 9,500 feet.
While most tornadoes occur on the plains where conditions are more favorable, isolated high-altitude twisters can still develop when moisture and wind shear align.
The highest-elevation tornado ever reported in the United States struck California’s Sequoia National Park in 2004 at roughly 12,156 feet. Colorado’s highest occurred in 2012, when a tornado formed near Mount Evans at about 11,900 feet.
Highest elevation US tornadoes
(FOX Weather)
