2018 “Tornado of the Year” hits the Laramie Valley

Four years ago today, Laramie experienced Mother Nature’s fury in the form of an F-3 tornado. The stovepipe formation was called “The Tornado of the Year” by the Washington Post for its stunning, “picturesque” funnel that stood out dramatically against the plains of the Laramie Valley.

The National Weather Service station in Cheyenne labeled the twister as a level F-3 tornado. For context, that’s a tornado capable of severe damage, ie, flipping trains over, tearing off roofs, lifting cars from the ground, etc. (you can find more information on tornado severity by clicking here.) This particular tornado was remarkable because a second “satellite” tornado appeared near Antelope Ridge, a few miles south of the larger tornado.

A Look Back at the 2018 Tornado of the Year

The tornadoes from June of 2018 were a rare experience for Wyoming. At the time, only nine other documented F-3 tornadoes had struck the Cowboy State since 1950, according to NWS Cheyenne. To have two tornadoes hit the same area simultaneously is a rare occurrence in Wyoming, making this particular appearance doubly remarkable.

The F-3 tornado reportedly stayed on the ground for about 45 minutes. The smaller, F-2 level tornado remained on the ground for about 22 minutes.

The appearance of the F-3 tornado stunned Laramie residents, many of whom captured video and photos of the historic event. Thankfully, damage from the tornadoes was restricted mainly to areas outside of town, and no injuries were reported. The worst damage consisted of torn power poles, bent utility poles, and devastated fields.

Here’s a glimpse of the “2018 Tornado of the Year.”

Photos and Videos Captured of the 2018 Laramie Tornadoes:

For more information on Laramie’s 2018 June tornadoes, check out the original article from Laramie Live in 2018.

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