Northern Arizona’s October 21 Tornado Outbreak Expanded by Weather Service Confirmation
Severe weather in northern Arizona included tornadoes confirmed by the National Weather Service. AZ Family reported that the National Weather Service confirmed a third tornado touched down during the October 21 severe weather event, completing a trio of high-wind occurrences that carved destructive paths across the region.
The newly verified system, designated the Wing Mountain tornado, stands out as the earliest to form among the day’s confirmed twisters, touching down roughly 3.5 miles north of Bellemont at 5:41 a.m. According to the National Weather Service Flagstaff office, the system traveled northeast through the forest before dissipating just west of Highway 180. The path spanned 2.3 miles, leaving behind snapped and uprooted ponderosa pines with peak winds estimated at 110 mph.
Comparing the Three October Twisters
That early morning event near Bellemont marked the opening salvo of an autumn severe weather day in Arizona. Officials subsequently confirmed two additional tornadoes from the same sequence, creating a geographically distinct corridor of storm damage across the region.
| Tornado Name / Location | Time | Rating | Peak Winds | Path Length | Max Width |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wing Mountain (Bellemont) | 5:41 a.m. | Unrated | 110 mph | 2.3 miles | Not specified |
| Spruce Mountain (Prescott) | 7:32 a.m. | EF1 | 105 mph | 8 miles | 300 yards |
| Heber-Overgaard | 6:59 p.m. | EF1 | 110 mph | 9.25 miles | 350 yards |
While the Wing Mountain tornado left no reported injuries, the subsequent systems caused varied impacts along their paths. The Spruce Mountain tornado tracked near Prescott for 14 minutes, maintaining a wide footprint across eight miles of terrain. Hours later, the evening system in Heber-Overgaard struck with identical 110 mph peak winds, remaining on the ground for 11 minutes and resulting in the sole reported injury of the outbreak.
