Tornado confirmed near Blackfoot

The National Weather Service in Pocatello, confirmed an EF-0 tornado touched down near Blackfoot Sunday afternoon.

Severe thunderstorms were reported on Sunday afternoon in Eastern Idaho, triggering thunderstorm warnings. According to the National Weather Service damage survey, a Tornado occurred approximately 2 miles south of Riverside.

The Weather Service says, “The Tornadic signature first appeared at approximately 157 PM, near the intersection of S 700 W and Willie Rd. The Tornado then tracked north before briefly becoming a Waterspout as it crossed the Snake River. Eyewitness accounts confirmed that the tornado became a Waterspout as it crossed the River. After crossing the Snake River, the Tornado continued northward before diminishing just south of W 100 S (Thomas Road) and between S 275 W and S 670 W just south of Riverside. The Tornado diminished at approximately 212 PM.”

The Tornado`s path was approximately 1.8 miles long and was on the ground around 15 minutes. The Tornado formed along a gust front and tracked nearly 5 miles southeast of the main thunderstorm circulation.

Damage consisted of a mix of several young and mature cottonwood trees that were either snapped or uprooted on both private and BLM land. One downed live tree measured a foot in diameter with fairly shallow roots. A resident reported minor damage to a Greenhouse. That same resident measured a wind gust to 55 mph, which based on radar and map data, occurred around 400 feet northwest of the Tornado circulation.

Based on the Radar and damage assessment, this Tornado is rated a high end EF-0 with winds between 80 and 85 miles per hour.