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Heat and Fire Weather Concerns in the West

Heat will build over the Intermountain West and the Southwest the next couple of days. Lightning from dry thunderstorms can create new fire starts and combined with gusty winds may cause a fire to rapidly grow in Oregon and northern California. Elevated fire weather conditions are also expected in the Great Basin. Flash flooding will be possible in Arizona and west Texas, especially in burn scars. Read More >

Overview

A waterspout developed at approximately 1100-1105 AM CDT about 2 miles offshore of Sky Harbor Airport the morning of August 9, 2012. The waterspout/EF-0 tornado crossed Minnesota Point and Sky Harbor Airport between 1110-1115 AM CDT before crossing Superior Bay and briefly coming onshore as an EF-0 tornado at Barker’s Island before dissipating around 1120 AM CDT. Eyewitnesses at Sky Harbor Airport reported a couple of float plane pontoons were briefly lifted and set back down (not moved), but otherwise no damage was reported on Minnesota Point or at Barker’s Island.

Image
The waterspout near Minnesota Point as seen from the Duluth hillside ~1120AM.
(
Michael Mirtica photo)
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