29:
1534:
791:
1074:
170:, crossing the Continental Divide. Damage occurred at elevations ranging from 8,500 to 10,000 feet (2,600 to 3,000 m), making it the highest-altitude violent tornado recorded in the United States. At the time, it was the highest-elevation tornado known, since surpassed by several others, including a 2004 tornado above 12,000 feet (3,700 m) in
195:
the ridge. The tornado appeared to intensify quickly, as the damage it produced increased from F0 intensity to F4 intensity in less than 3.1 miles (5 km), estimated at three minutes of travel time. The lone area of F4 damage was found north of Gravel Ridge, based on a small area affected by the worst tree damage: large
245:
Valley before climbing up to a high plateau at nearly 9,800 feet (3,000 m) in elevation, weakening significantly. It produced more tree damage on steep slopes until it crossed the
Continental Divide, damaging trees at an elevation of 10,070 feet (3,070 m). More severe tree damage occurred
194:
The tornado track began in a valley 1.9 miles (3 km) to the northeast of Mount
Randolph, Fujita estimated the tornado first developed at 1:28 p.m. MDT. The damage path became wider and more consistent as it approached Gravel Ridge, producing a large area of tree damage to the northeast of
272:
No casualties resulted from the tornado, though as many as twelve people were trapped in the backcountry by the storm. Trail maintenance crews and other federal workers labored for weeks to clear approximately 15 miles of trail blocked by the downed trees, and the total cost of the damage was
263:
The tornado's total damage path was 24.4 miles (39.2 km) long, with an average width of 1.6 miles (2.5 km) and a maximum width of 2.4 miles (3.9 km). Fujita estimated the tornado's duration on the ground at approximately 26 minutes, with a forward velocity of 56 miles per hour
289:, Fujita arranged for multiple aerial surveys by Cessna aircraft of the tornado's track, resulting in more than 1,400 photographs that recorded every single damaged tree. The southernmost area of the track was also visited on foot and photographed by Fujita's colleague Bradley S. Churchill.
301:, the Fremont County Commission, and timber groups lobbied for the ability to harvest the fallen timber from the tornado's path, arguing that it posed a threat because of wildfire and beetle infestation risks and would provide nearby lumber mills with work. The Wyoming Chapter of the
305:
opposed the suggestion on the grounds that the harvesting would require many miles of logging roads through wilderness and would create a dangerous precedent. In the end, much of the area burned in the Huck Snake River
Complex and Mink Creek fires during the
162:, it remains the strongest tornado ever recorded in the state and the only recorded F4/EF4 tornado in Wyoming history. The tornado cut through a 24.4-mile (39.2 km)-long and 1.6-mile (2.5 km)-wide swath of the
254:
Valley, gradually weakening as it did so. The damage path became more sporadic until it disappeared on the valley's far eastern side, with the tornado's time of dissipation calculated to have been 1:54 p.m. MDT.
310:. Though several thousand acres of the tornado blowdown track remained unaffected, it prevented Fujita and his colleagues from returning to perform follow-up aerial photographic surveys and site visits.
225:
The tornado maintained F2–F3 intensity for the next 6.2 miles (10 km), producing a large swath of tree damage. During this period, it approached and crossed directly over Enos Lake in the
178:. While no human fatalities or injuries occurred, an estimated one million trees were felled by the tornado. The tornado damage was originally thought to be the result of strong thunderstorm
229:. A group of nine campers near Enos Lake reported that they saw no funnel cloud, but that the storm developed quickly and a "roar like a train in the distance" was accompanied by
199:
trees between 30–40 centimetres (12–16 in) in diameter were found uprooted and stripped of their bark, with the bare trunks spattered with wind-blown topsoil. Meteorologist
1161:
1078:
1570:
1693:
736:
535:
215:
775:
770:
1658:
242:
1563:
1066:
1027:
457:
655:
1688:
694:
1614:
226:
1668:
1288:
1181:
1112:
729:
1032:
780:
1556:
1151:
563:"An Analysis of the 7 July 2004 Rockwell Pass, California, Tornado: Highest-Elevation Tornado Documented in the United States"
1683:
618:
186:
and his colleagues, who published a paper in 1989 surveying the tornado's path and discussing its meteorological character.
1678:
1663:
1176:
418:
1156:
722:
286:
1449:
1401:
1171:
1042:
846:
531:
1673:
1499:
1001:
836:
659:
527:
517:
487:
430:
1653:
1278:
1258:
1202:
1047:
756:
745:
307:
167:
120:
392:
365:
28:
1514:
1494:
1489:
1474:
1429:
1419:
1414:
623:
426:
1469:
1464:
1459:
1454:
1439:
1212:
1519:
1484:
1444:
1424:
1409:
1232:
821:
370:
233:
the size of golf balls. Fujita hypothesized that because of the area's high elevation and the storm's low
208:
1590:
1509:
1504:
1434:
1376:
1105:
1006:
894:
841:
790:
204:
175:
203:
noted that the only comparable forest damage he had seen associated with an F4 tornado had been in the
1479:
1331:
1273:
1268:
1222:
991:
574:
379:
105:
1386:
1237:
1227:
1197:
1052:
996:
976:
831:
219:
1356:
1217:
1166:
981:
920:
879:
714:
600:
179:
50:
465:
1579:
1381:
1371:
1341:
1326:
1321:
1306:
1135:
861:
592:
522:
397:
251:
196:
130:
1600:
1391:
1366:
1351:
1336:
1316:
1296:
1207:
1098:
1011:
986:
889:
884:
826:
805:
582:
387:
163:
116:
683:
1361:
1346:
1301:
945:
940:
930:
851:
578:
383:
1538:
925:
547:
298:
212:
1647:
1311:
955:
950:
935:
604:
144:
899:
856:
250:. The tornado then crossed the drainage of Falcon Creek before descending into the
238:
159:
80:
182:
until the area was surveyed by
University of Chicago severe weather meteorologist
633:
1263:
1253:
960:
815:
810:
302:
1121:
915:
361:
234:
230:
200:
183:
171:
151:
1629:
1616:
596:
587:
562:
401:
1548:
561:
Monteverdi, John P.; Edwards, Roger; Stumpf, Gregory J. (November 1, 2014).
282:
491:
1125:
422:
155:
147:
247:
1090:
629:
1552:
1094:
718:
682:
Greater
Yellowstone Coordinating Committee (January 25, 1989).
684:"The Greater Yellowstone Fires of 1988: Questions and Answers"
393:
10.1175/1520-0493(1989)117<1913:TTYTOJ>2.0.CO;2
241:
would have been visible. The tornado then descended into
452:
450:
448:
462:
Water
Resources Data System & State Climate Office
1400:
1287:
1246:
1190:
1144:
1020:
969:
908:
870:
798:
763:
656:"The Wyoming chapter of the Sierra Club says it..."
112:
100:
92:
87:
72:
64:
56:
45:
38:
1079:People associated with Yellowstone National Park
366:"The Teton-Yellowstone Tornado of 21 July 1987"
488:"Tornado History Project: Maps and Statistics"
464:. Wyoming State Climate Office. Archived from
297:In the fall of 1987, U.S. senator for Wyoming
1564:
1106:
730:
33:A large swath of trees leveled by the tornado
8:
691:NPS History Electronic Library & Archive
404:– via American Meteorological Society.
21:
1571:
1557:
1549:
1113:
1099:
1091:
737:
723:
715:
27:
20:
586:
516:Thuermer Jr., Angus M. (August 5, 1987).
413:
411:
391:
356:
354:
352:
350:
348:
346:
344:
342:
16:1987 F4 tornado in Wyoming, United States
340:
338:
336:
334:
332:
330:
328:
326:
324:
322:
150:which occurred on July 21, 1987, in the
755:Historic events and personalities from
318:
700:from the original on December 24, 2022
281:After the July 23 report of a massive
1694:July 1987 events in the United States
626:Weather Forecast Office, Riverton, WY
538:from the original on January 30, 2023
7:
1073:
1028:History of the National Park Service
511:
509:
776:Washburn–Langford–Doane Expedition
433:from the original on March 2, 2012
14:
1532:
1072:
1033:History of wolves in Yellowstone
789:
781:Hayden Geological Survey of 1871
518:"Storm was world-record tornado"
771:Cook–Folsom–Peterson Expedition
285:in the Teton Wilderness by the
1659:Climate of the Rocky Mountains
1:
227:Bridger–Teton National Forest
1043:1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake
847:Alexander Ross (fur trader)
273:recorded as $ 2.5 million.
190:Storm development and track
1710:
1002:Samuel Baldwin Marks Young
837:Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden
660:United Press International
1689:Yellowstone National Park
1586:
1580:Tornado outbreaks of 1987
1528:
1132:
1061:
1048:Yellowstone fires of 1988
1038:Teton–Yellowstone tornado
787:
757:Yellowstone National Park
753:
746:Yellowstone National Park
308:Yellowstone fires of 1988
168:Yellowstone National Park
141:Teton–Yellowstone tornado
131:tornado outbreaks of 1987
126:
121:Yellowstone National Park
104:$ 2.5 million (1987
77:
60:July 21, 1987 1:54 PM MDT
26:
22:Teton–Yellowstone tornado
1669:F4 tornadoes by location
624:National Weather Service
588:10.1175/MWR-D-14-00222.1
427:National Weather Service
423:"The Online Tornado FAQ"
970:Military administration
871:Photographers, artists
458:"Wyoming Climate Atlas"
567:Monthly Weather Review
371:Monthly Weather Review
49:July 21, 1987 1:28 PM
40:Meteorological history
1684:Teton County, Wyoming
1007:Wilber Elliott Wilder
895:William Henry Jackson
842:Nathaniel P. Langford
619:"Tornado Information"
364:(September 1, 1989).
205:Appalachian Mountains
176:Sequoia National Park
158:. Rated at F4 on the
1679:Tornadoes in Wyoming
1664:F4 tornadoes by date
1269:Powder River Country
1081:at Wikimedia Commons
992:Dan Christie Kingman
748:– history and people
421:(January 29, 2009).
1626: /
1053:2022 Montana floods
997:Hiram M. Chittenden
977:Henry Tureman Allen
832:Warren Angus Ferris
663:. September 1, 1987
579:2014MWRv..142.3925M
494:on January 17, 2018
468:on October 19, 2022
384:1989MWRv..117.1913F
362:Fujita, T. Theodore
277:Discovery and study
220:1974 Super Outbreak
180:straight-line winds
23:
1539:Wyoming portal
982:Lloyd Milton Brett
921:Horace M. Albright
880:Heinrich C. Berann
636:on October 4, 2006
68:Approx. 26 minutes
1674:Tornadoes of 1987
1609:
1608:
1546:
1545:
1088:
1087:
1077:Media related to
862:Henry D. Washburn
822:Gustavus C. Doane
573:(11): 3925–3943.
523:Jackson Hole News
252:Yellowstone River
137:
136:
1701:
1654:1987 meteorology
1641:
1640:
1638:
1637:
1636:
1631:
1630:44.02°N 110.23°W
1627:
1624:
1623:
1622:
1619:
1573:
1566:
1559:
1550:
1537:
1536:
1535:
1115:
1108:
1101:
1092:
1076:
1075:
1012:Fort Yellowstone
987:Frazier Boutelle
890:Frank Jay Haynes
885:Albert Bierstadt
873:and illustrators
827:Truman C. Everts
806:Robert Adams Jr.
793:
739:
732:
725:
716:
710:
709:
707:
705:
699:
688:
679:
673:
672:
670:
668:
652:
646:
645:
643:
641:
632:. Archived from
615:
609:
608:
590:
558:
552:
551:
545:
543:
513:
504:
503:
501:
499:
490:. Archived from
484:
478:
477:
475:
473:
454:
443:
442:
440:
438:
415:
406:
405:
395:
378:(9): 1913–1940.
358:
264:(90 km/h).
197:Engelmann spruce
164:Teton Wilderness
117:Teton Wilderness
41:
31:
24:
1709:
1708:
1704:
1703:
1702:
1700:
1699:
1698:
1644:
1643:
1634:
1632:
1628:
1625:
1620:
1617:
1615:
1613:
1612:
1610:
1605:
1582:
1577:
1547:
1542:
1533:
1531:
1524:
1396:
1283:
1242:
1186:
1140:
1128:
1119:
1089:
1084:
1057:
1016:
965:
946:Philetus Norris
941:John W. Meldrum
931:Harry W. Frantz
909:Park management
904:
872:
866:
852:Osborne Russell
794:
785:
759:
749:
743:
713:
703:
701:
697:
686:
681:
680:
676:
666:
664:
654:
653:
649:
639:
637:
617:
616:
612:
560:
559:
555:
541:
539:
515:
514:
507:
497:
495:
486:
485:
481:
471:
469:
456:
455:
446:
436:
434:
417:
416:
409:
360:
359:
320:
316:
295:
293:Timber blowdown
279:
270:
261:
192:
127:
88:Overall effects
39:
34:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1707:
1705:
1697:
1696:
1691:
1686:
1681:
1676:
1671:
1666:
1661:
1656:
1646:
1645:
1635:44.02; -110.23
1607:
1606:
1604:
1603:
1598:
1593:
1587:
1584:
1583:
1578:
1576:
1575:
1568:
1561:
1553:
1544:
1543:
1529:
1526:
1525:
1523:
1522:
1517:
1512:
1507:
1502:
1497:
1492:
1487:
1482:
1477:
1472:
1467:
1462:
1457:
1452:
1447:
1442:
1437:
1432:
1427:
1422:
1417:
1412:
1406:
1404:
1398:
1397:
1395:
1394:
1389:
1384:
1379:
1374:
1369:
1364:
1359:
1354:
1349:
1344:
1339:
1334:
1329:
1324:
1319:
1314:
1309:
1304:
1299:
1293:
1291:
1285:
1284:
1282:
1281:
1276:
1271:
1266:
1261:
1256:
1250:
1248:
1244:
1243:
1241:
1240:
1235:
1230:
1225:
1220:
1215:
1210:
1205:
1203:Climate change
1200:
1194:
1192:
1188:
1187:
1185:
1184:
1182:Radio stations
1179:
1174:
1169:
1164:
1159:
1154:
1148:
1146:
1142:
1141:
1133:
1130:
1129:
1120:
1118:
1117:
1110:
1103:
1095:
1086:
1085:
1083:
1082:
1070:
1062:
1059:
1058:
1056:
1055:
1050:
1045:
1040:
1035:
1030:
1024:
1022:
1018:
1017:
1015:
1014:
1009:
1004:
999:
994:
989:
984:
979:
973:
971:
967:
966:
964:
963:
958:
953:
948:
943:
938:
933:
928:
926:Harry W. Child
923:
918:
912:
910:
906:
905:
903:
902:
897:
892:
887:
882:
876:
874:
868:
867:
865:
864:
859:
854:
849:
844:
839:
834:
829:
824:
818:
813:
808:
802:
800:
796:
795:
788:
786:
784:
783:
778:
773:
767:
765:
761:
760:
754:
751:
750:
744:
742:
741:
734:
727:
719:
712:
711:
674:
647:
610:
553:
548:Newspapers.com
505:
479:
444:
419:Edwards, Roger
407:
317:
315:
312:
299:Malcolm Wallop
294:
291:
287:Forest Service
278:
275:
269:
266:
260:
257:
213:North Carolina
191:
188:
135:
134:
124:
123:
114:
113:Areas affected
110:
109:
102:
98:
97:
94:
90:
89:
85:
84:
75:
74:
70:
69:
66:
62:
61:
58:
54:
53:
47:
43:
42:
36:
35:
32:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1706:
1695:
1692:
1690:
1687:
1685:
1682:
1680:
1677:
1675:
1672:
1670:
1667:
1665:
1662:
1660:
1657:
1655:
1652:
1651:
1649:
1642:
1639:
1602:
1599:
1597:
1594:
1592:
1589:
1588:
1585:
1581:
1574:
1569:
1567:
1562:
1560:
1555:
1554:
1551:
1541:
1540:
1527:
1521:
1518:
1516:
1513:
1511:
1508:
1506:
1503:
1501:
1498:
1496:
1493:
1491:
1488:
1486:
1483:
1481:
1478:
1476:
1473:
1471:
1468:
1466:
1463:
1461:
1458:
1456:
1453:
1451:
1448:
1446:
1443:
1441:
1438:
1436:
1433:
1431:
1428:
1426:
1423:
1421:
1418:
1416:
1413:
1411:
1408:
1407:
1405:
1403:
1399:
1393:
1390:
1388:
1385:
1383:
1380:
1378:
1375:
1373:
1370:
1368:
1365:
1363:
1360:
1358:
1355:
1353:
1350:
1348:
1345:
1343:
1340:
1338:
1335:
1333:
1330:
1328:
1325:
1323:
1320:
1318:
1315:
1313:
1310:
1308:
1305:
1303:
1300:
1298:
1295:
1294:
1292:
1290:
1286:
1280:
1277:
1275:
1272:
1270:
1267:
1265:
1262:
1260:
1257:
1255:
1252:
1251:
1249:
1245:
1239:
1236:
1234:
1231:
1229:
1226:
1224:
1221:
1219:
1216:
1214:
1211:
1209:
1206:
1204:
1201:
1199:
1196:
1195:
1193:
1189:
1183:
1180:
1178:
1177:State symbols
1175:
1173:
1170:
1168:
1165:
1163:
1160:
1158:
1155:
1153:
1150:
1149:
1147:
1143:
1138:
1137:
1131:
1127:
1123:
1116:
1111:
1109:
1104:
1102:
1097:
1096:
1093:
1080:
1071:
1069:
1068:
1064:
1063:
1060:
1054:
1051:
1049:
1046:
1044:
1041:
1039:
1036:
1034:
1031:
1029:
1026:
1025:
1023:
1019:
1013:
1010:
1008:
1005:
1003:
1000:
998:
995:
993:
990:
988:
985:
983:
980:
978:
975:
974:
972:
968:
962:
959:
957:
956:Roger W. Toll
954:
952:
951:Robert Reamer
949:
947:
944:
942:
939:
937:
936:Herbert Maier
934:
932:
929:
927:
924:
922:
919:
917:
914:
913:
911:
907:
901:
898:
896:
893:
891:
888:
886:
883:
881:
878:
877:
875:
869:
863:
860:
858:
855:
853:
850:
848:
845:
843:
840:
838:
835:
833:
830:
828:
825:
823:
819:
817:
814:
812:
809:
807:
804:
803:
801:
797:
792:
782:
779:
777:
774:
772:
769:
768:
766:
762:
758:
752:
747:
740:
735:
733:
728:
726:
721:
720:
717:
696:
692:
685:
678:
675:
662:
661:
657:
651:
648:
635:
631:
627:
625:
620:
614:
611:
606:
602:
598:
594:
589:
584:
580:
576:
572:
568:
564:
557:
554:
549:
537:
533:
529:
525:
524:
519:
512:
510:
506:
493:
489:
483:
480:
467:
463:
459:
453:
451:
449:
445:
432:
428:
424:
420:
414:
412:
408:
403:
399:
394:
389:
385:
381:
377:
373:
372:
367:
363:
357:
355:
353:
351:
349:
347:
345:
343:
341:
339:
337:
335:
333:
331:
329:
327:
325:
323:
319:
313:
311:
309:
304:
300:
292:
290:
288:
284:
276:
274:
267:
265:
258:
256:
253:
249:
244:
243:Pacific Creek
240:
236:
232:
228:
223:
221:
217:
214:
210:
206:
202:
198:
189:
187:
185:
181:
177:
173:
169:
165:
161:
157:
153:
149:
146:
145:high-altitude
142:
133:
132:
125:
122:
118:
115:
111:
107:
103:
99:
95:
91:
86:
83:
82:
76:
71:
67:
63:
59:
55:
52:
48:
44:
37:
30:
25:
19:
1611:
1595:
1530:
1377:Rock Springs
1213:Demographics
1152:Bibliography
1134:
1065:
1037:
900:Thomas Moran
857:Cyrus Thomas
702:. Retrieved
690:
677:
665:. Retrieved
658:
650:
640:December 21,
638:. Retrieved
634:the original
622:
613:
570:
566:
556:
546:– via
540:. Retrieved
521:
496:. Retrieved
492:the original
482:
472:December 21,
470:. Retrieved
466:the original
461:
437:December 21,
435:. Retrieved
375:
369:
296:
280:
271:
262:
239:funnel cloud
224:
193:
160:Fujita scale
140:
138:
129:
128:Part of the
81:Fujita scale
78:
18:
1633: /
1450:Hot Springs
1332:Green River
1279:Yellowstone
1264:Great Basin
1259:Grand Teton
1254:Black Hills
1233:LGBT rights
1162:Delegations
961:Harry Yount
816:John Colter
811:Jim Bridger
764:Expeditions
704:January 30,
667:January 30,
542:January 30,
526:. pp.
303:Sierra Club
246:in several
143:was a rare
1648:Categories
1500:Sweetwater
1387:Torrington
1274:Red Desert
916:Mission 66
498:January 7,
314:References
235:cloud base
231:hailstones
207:after the
201:Ted Fujita
184:Ted Fujita
172:California
152:U.S. state
93:Casualties
73:F4 tornado
57:Dissipated
1357:Newcastle
1223:Education
1157:Governors
1139:(capital)
799:Explorers
605:120568073
597:1520-0493
402:1520-0493
268:Aftermath
1621:110°14′W
1515:Washakie
1495:Sublette
1490:Sheridan
1475:Niobrara
1430:Converse
1420:Campbell
1415:Big Horn
1402:Counties
1382:Sheridan
1372:Riverton
1342:Kemmerer
1327:Gillette
1322:Evanston
1307:Cheyenne
1238:Politics
1228:Gun laws
1198:Abortion
1136:Cheyenne
695:Archived
536:Archived
431:Archived
283:blowdown
65:Duration
1618:44°01′N
1601:July 31
1596:July 21
1470:Natrona
1465:Lincoln
1460:Laramie
1455:Johnson
1440:Fremont
1392:Worland
1367:Rawlins
1352:Laramie
1337:Jackson
1317:Douglas
1297:Buffalo
1247:Regions
1218:Economy
1191:Society
1167:History
1126:Wyoming
1067:Outline
575:Bibcode
380:Bibcode
259:Summary
248:cirques
218:of the
216:tornado
156:Wyoming
148:tornado
79:on the
1591:May 22
1520:Weston
1485:Platte
1445:Goshen
1425:Carbon
1410:Albany
1362:Powell
1347:Lander
1302:Casper
1289:Cities
1172:People
1145:Topics
1021:Events
603:
595:
400:
209:Murphy
101:Damage
46:Formed
1510:Uinta
1505:Teton
1435:Crook
1208:Crime
1122:State
698:(PDF)
687:(PDF)
601:S2CID
237:, no
1480:Park
1312:Cody
706:2023
669:2023
642:2009
630:NOAA
593:ISSN
544:2023
500:2014
474:2009
439:2009
398:ISSN
166:and
139:The
96:None
1124:of
820:Lt.
583:doi
571:142
388:doi
376:117
174:'s
154:of
106:USD
51:MDT
1650::
693:.
689:.
628:.
621:.
599:.
591:.
581:.
569:.
565:.
534:.
532:12
530:,
520:.
508:^
460:.
447:^
429:.
425:.
410:^
396:.
386:.
374:.
368:.
321:^
222:.
211:,
119:,
1572:e
1565:t
1558:v
1114:e
1107:t
1100:v
738:e
731:t
724:v
708:.
671:.
644:.
607:.
585::
577::
550:.
528:1
502:.
476:.
441:.
390::
382::
108:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
