Red Flag Warnings have been reissued today for southern New England due to more critical fire weather from gusty winds and dry fuels. An Atmospheric River will bring a marginal risk for heavy to excessive low elevation rain and mountain snow to the Pacific Northwest and northern California today into at least Thursday night. Read More >
Overview
During the afternoon of June 1, 2018, a storm dropped four tornadoes around Gillette, WY.
Based on video evidence, a brief tornado touched down about 11 miles west of Gillette. It was located between Montgomery Road and Echeta Road, south of the Oriva Hills subdivision. It was on the ground for about four minutes, from around 1:34 pm MDT until 1:38 pm MDT. Since there was no visible damage, this tornado was rated as EF-0.
As the first tornado dissipated, a second tornado developed just north of the first one. The second tornado touched down about 10 miles west northwest of Gillette around 1:41 pm MDT. It traveled in an east northeast direction and dissipated around 1:52 pm MDT. It was on the ground for around 11 minutes over the Oriva Hills subdivision. The tornado destroyed and damaged numerous homes and outbuildings, rolled vehicles, and snapped electrical transmission poles and trees. The majority of damage associated with the tornado was consistent with an EF-1 and EF-2 tornado, but the most severe damage was consistent with an EF-3 tornado. Therefore, this tornado has been rated EF-3, with winds estimated around 136 mph.
The third tornado was a short-lived landspout. It developed 3 miles north northeast of Gillette, in the Warrior Hills Subdivision. It was on the ground for one half mile, from around 1:55 pm MDT until 1:56 pm MDT. It damaged a large shed, flipped a camper onto a vehicle, destroyed another camper, and damaged several wooden fences. This tornado has been rated as EF-1, with winds estimated around 90 mph.
The fourth tornado touched down over the west pit of the Eagle Butte Mine at 1:59 pm MDT, about 7 miles north of Gillette. This tornado traveled in an east northeast direction for around 8 minutes before dissipating just east of the Dry Fork Power Plant around 2:07 pm MDT. This tornado snapped and bent over seven power poles, damaged the control room building at the mine, and damaged several vehicles at the Eagle Butte Mine and Dry Fork Power Plant. A dumpster was also thrown a few hundred yards. This damage has been rated EF-1, with winds estimated around 100 mph.
Tornadoes:
Tornado 1 - Gillette, WY
Track Map |
Tornado 2 - Gillette, WY
Track Map |
Tornado 3 - Gillette, WY
Track Map |
Tornado 4 - Gillette, WY
Track Map |
The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:
EF0 Weak 65-85 mph |
EF1 Moderate 86-110 mph |
EF2 Significant 111-135 mph |
EF3 Severe 136-165 mph |
EF4 Extreme 166-200 mph |
EF5 Catastrophic 200+ mph |
Tornado 1: EF-0 Tornado between Montgomery Road and Echeta Road
Looking south southwest from Oriva Hills Subdivision (photo courtesy of Cary Morris) |
Tornado 2: Oriva Hills Subdivision EF-3 Tornado
Tornado Moving Through Oriva Hills (photo courtesy of Suzanne Hansen) |
Tornado Moving Through Oriva Hills (photo courtesy of Cody Brosa) |
Tornado Moving Through Oriva Hills (photo courtesy of Cody Brosa) |
Tornado Moving Through Oriva Hills (photo courtesy of Cody Brosa) |
Site of EF-3 Damage (NWS Storm Survey) |
Site of EF-3 Damage (NWS Storm Survey) |
Modular Home on Concrete Foundation (NWS Storm Survey) |
Modular Home on Concrete Foundation (NWS Storm Survey) |
Modular Home on Concrete Foundation (NWS Storm Survey) |
First Damaged Home (NWS Storm Survey) |
Tied Down Modular Home (NWS Storm Survey) |
Dump Truck Thrown Over Ridge 150 yards (NWS Storm Survey) |
Tied Down Modular Home (NWS Storm Survey) |
Snapped Electrical Poles (NWS Storm Survey) |
Reflectivity (storm intensity) (NWS WSR-88D Doppler Radar) |
Velocity (wind) (NWS WSR-88D Doppler Radar) |
🌪ï¸NEW VIDEO🌪ï¸
— Live Storm Chasers (@LiveStormChaser) June 1, 2018
Damaging tornado this afternoon across parts of Gillette, WY
Viewer Bailey D shared us these videos!
Date: 06-01-2018
Location: Gillette, WY#WYwx pic.twitter.com/hQxeTYhRKc
Tornado 3: Landspout North of Gillette
Damage on Warrior Road (NWS Storm Survey) |
Damage on Warrior Road (NWS Storm Survey) |
Tornado 4: EF-1 Tornado over Eagle Butte Mine and Dry Fork Power Plant
Photo of Tornado over Eagle Butte Mine Taken from Warrior Road (photo courtesy of Chad Worden) |
Photo of Tornado over Eagle Butte Mine (photo courtesy of Campbell County Emergency Management) |
Reflectivity (storm intensity) (NWS WSR-88D Doppler Radar) |
Velocity (wind) (NWS WSR-88D Doppler Radar) |
Storm Reports
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RAPID CITY SD 404 PM MDT SUN JUN 03 2018 ..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON... ..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE.... ..REMARKS.. 0130 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 12 W DOWNTOWN GILLETTE 44.29N 105.74W 06/01/2018 CAMPBELL WY FIRE DEPT/RESCUE 0130 PM HAIL 15 WNW DOWNTOWN GILLETT 44.36N 105.80W 06/01/2018 E1.00 INCH CAMPBELL WY PUBLIC 0134 PM TORNADO 11 W DOWNTOWN GILLETTE 44.30N 105.73W 06/01/2018 CAMPBELL WY PUBLIC TORNADO WAS FROM 134 PM TO 138 PM. LOCATION AND TIME ESTIMATED FROM VIDEO. 0140 PM HAIL 14 WNW DOWNTOWN GILLETT 44.37N 105.76W 06/01/2018 E1.50 INCH CAMPBELL WY PUBLIC 0141 PM TORNADO 10 WNW DOWNTOWN GILLETT 44.35N 105.69W 06/01/2018 CAMPBELL WY NWS STORM SURVEY *** 2 INJ *** ...CORRECTED EVENT TIME... SEVERAL HOMES DAMAGED OR DESTROYED, ROLLED VEHICLES, ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION LINES AND TREES SNAPPED. TORNADO WAS FROM 141 PM TO 152 PM. 0155 PM TORNADO 3 NNE DOWNTOWN GILLETTE 44.33N 105.48W 06/01/2018 CAMPBELL WY NWS STORM SURVEY DAMAGED A LARGE SHED, FLIPPED A CAMPER ONTO A VEHICLE, DESTROYED ANOTHER CAMPER, AND DAMAGED SEVERAL WOODEN FENCES. SHORT LIVED LANDSPOUT FROM 155 PM TO 156 PM. 0159 PM TORNADO 8 NNW DOWNTOWN GILLETTE 44.40N 105.54W 06/01/2018 CAMPBELL WY NWS STORM SURVEY 7 POWER POLES SNAPPED, DAMAGE TO CONTROL ROOM AT THE EAGLE BUTTE MINE, DAMAGE TO VEHICLES. TORNADO WAS FROM 159 PM TO 207 PM. 0207 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 10 N DOWNTOWN GILLETTE 44.44N 105.48W 06/01/2018 CAMPBELL WY LAW ENFORCEMENT 0225 PM HAIL 1 SSE DEVILS TOWER 44.58N 104.71W 06/01/2018 E1.50 INCH CROOK WY TRAINED SPOTTER 0225 PM HAIL 5 SW CARLILE 44.43N 104.87W 06/01/2018 E1.00 INCH CROOK WY TRAINED SPOTTER 0230 PM HAIL HULETT 44.68N 104.60W 06/01/2018 E1.00 INCH CROOK WY TRAINED SPOTTER 15-20 MINUTES OF HAIL... ALSO ESTIMATED 50 MPH WIND GUSTS 0230 PM FUNNEL CLOUD 4 E DEVILS TOWER 44.60N 104.63W 06/01/2018 CROOK WY FIRE DEPT/RESCUE 0235 PM TSTM WND GST 2 SE HULETT 44.66N 104.57W 06/01/2018 M58 MPH CROOK WY AWOS 0315 PM HAIL COLONY 44.87N 104.16W 06/01/2018 E1.00 INCH CROOK WY TRAINED SPOTTER 0330 PM HAIL 5 SW KEYAPAHA 43.05N 100.20W 06/01/2018 E1.00 INCH TODD SD PUBLIC 0346 PM HAIL 2 SW KEYAPAHA 43.08N 100.16W 06/01/2018 E1.00 INCH TRIPP SD PUBLIC 0349 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 1 N BUFFALO 45.60N 103.55W 06/01/2018 M61 MPH HARDING SD ASOS 0356 PM TSTM WND GST NEWELL 44.72N 103.43W 06/01/2018 M61 MPH BUTTE SD MESONET 0400 PM HAIL 7 NW NEWELL 44.79N 103.52W 06/01/2018 E1.75 INCH BUTTE SD PUBLIC 0400 PM HAIL 2 N NEWELL 44.74N 103.42W 06/01/2018 E1.25 INCH BUTTE SD TRAINED SPOTTER QUARTER TO HALF DOLLAR SIZED HAIL FROM 400 PM TO 408 PM. 0406 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 4 E DOWNTOWN SPEARFISH 44.48N 103.79W 06/01/2018 M58 MPH LAWRENCE SD AWOS 0410 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 7 NNE RALPH 45.86N 102.98W 06/01/2018 M63 MPH HARDING SD DEPT OF HIGHWAYS 0430 PM TSTM WND GST 1 ENE MUD BUTTE 45.01N 102.86W 06/01/2018 M75 MPH MEADE SD DEPT OF HIGHWAYS 0440 PM TSTM WND GST 1 ENE MUD BUTTE 45.01N 102.86W 06/01/2018 M59 MPH MEADE SD DEPT OF HIGHWAYS 0445 PM HAIL 2 ESE WINNER 43.36N 99.83W 06/01/2018 E1.00 INCH TRIPP SD TRAINED SPOTTER 0445 PM HEAVY RAIN 2 ESE WINNER 43.36N 99.83W 06/01/2018 M1.13 INCH TRIPP SD TRAINED SPOTTER 0510 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 3 NW WASTA 44.10N 102.50W 06/01/2018 M63 MPH PENNINGTON SD DEPT OF HIGHWAYS 0510 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 1 WSW RED ELM 45.05N 101.80W 06/01/2018 M63 MPH ZIEBACH SD DEPT OF HIGHWAYS 0510 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 1 NNE FAITH 45.04N 102.02W 06/01/2018 M70 MPH MEADE SD ASOS 0542 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 3 E PHILIP 44.05N 101.60W 06/01/2018 M62 MPH HAAKON SD ASOS 0620 PM NON-TSTM WND GST 8 S WALL 43.88N 102.24W 06/01/2018 M60 MPH PENNINGTON SD MESONET && The storm reports listed below are in descending order and may not necessarily be the final storm reports. Hail reports listed by size (inches) SIZE LOCATION ST COUNTY TIME ------ ----------------------- -- -------------- ------- 1.75 7 NW NEWELL SD BUTTE 0400 PM 1.50 1 SSE DEVILS TOWER WY CROOK 0225 PM 1.50 14 WNW DOWNTOWN GILLETT WY CAMPBELL 0140 PM 1.25 2 N NEWELL SD BUTTE 0400 PM QUARTER TO HALF DOLLAR SIZED HAIL FROM 400 PM TO 408 PM. 1.00 2 ESE WINNER SD TRIPP 0445 PM 1.00 2 SW KEYAPAHA SD TRIPP 0346 PM 1.00 5 SW KEYAPAHA SD TODD 0330 PM 1.00 COLONY WY CROOK 0315 PM 1.00 HULETT WY CROOK 0230 PM 15-20 MINUTES OF HAIL... ALSO ESTIMATED 50 MPH WIND GUSTS 1.00 5 SW CARLILE WY CROOK 0225 PM 1.00 15 WNW DOWNTOWN GILLETT WY CAMPBELL 0130 PM Tstm wind reports listed by speed (mph) SPEED LOCATION ST COUNTY TIME ------ ----------------------- -- -------------- ------- 75.00 1 ENE MUD BUTTE SD MEADE 0430 PM 61.00 NEWELL SD BUTTE 0356 PM 59.00 1 ENE MUD BUTTE SD MEADE 0440 PM 58.00 2 SE HULETT WY CROOK 0235 PM Rain amounts (inches) AMOUNT LOCATION ST COUNTY TIME ------ ----------------------- -- -------------- ------- 1.13 2 ESE WINNER SD TRIPP 0445 PM Wind gust reports listed by speed (mph) SPEED LOCATION ST COUNTY TIME ------ ----------------------- -- -------------- ------- 70.00 1 NNE FAITH SD MEADE 0510 PM 63.00 1 WSW RED ELM SD ZIEBACH 0510 PM 63.00 3 NW WASTA SD PENNINGTON 0510 PM 63.00 7 NNE RALPH SD HARDING 0410 PM 62.00 3 E PHILIP SD HAAKON 0542 PM 61.00 1 N BUFFALO SD HARDING 0349 PM 60.00 8 S WALL SD PENNINGTON 0620 PM 58.00 4 E DOWNTOWN SPEARFISH SD LAWRENCE 0406 PM
Media use of NWS Web News Stories is encouraged! Please acknowledge the NWS as the source of any news information accessed from this site. |