Rare high-elevation tornado confirmed near Salt Lake City

Video of the twister shared on social media shows the vortex's tight rotation and debris being lofted high into the air.

September 20, 2026

Updated: September 20, 2026, 12:38 pm EDTPublished: September 20, 2026, 11:34 am EDT

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A rare high-elevation tornado has been confirmed in Utah, according to the National Weather Service.

The tornado touched down on Friday afternoon in the mountains near Fruit Heights, a small city about 20 miles north of Salt Lake City, at an elevation around 7,500 feet. Video of the twister shared on social media shows the vortex's tight rotation and debris being lifted high into the air.

No damage or injuries were reported.

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(MORE: Smokenado towers over Utah wildfire)

Tornadoes are typically uncommon in mountainous regions because one of the most important ingredients for severe storms and tornadoes are warm, moist, unstable air. The air in higher-elevations are typically much cooler, drier and more stable than lower-elevation terrain.

Mountains can also act as a barrier to rich moisture and disrupt wind flow patterns.

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Though when the ingredients do line up, tornadic development is possible.

Another tornado was documented in Utah on Friday, this one in eastern Utah, a flatter part of the state around 5,000 feet elevation.

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