While Sedona was hit by 0.88 inches of rain Wednesday, Oct. 6, four tornadoes touched down around Northern Arizona. Several others reportedly formed, but did not make contact.
Sedona received more than 2.4 inches of rain, including 1.12 inches of rain Tuesday, Oct. 5, from the storm cell that moved into Northern Arizona on Saturday, Oct. 2.
The National Weather Service in Flagstaff issued a tornado warning early Wednesday morning for south central Coconino County and central Yavapai County. The area included Sedona and the Verde Valley.
A tornado touched down in the Bellemont neighborhood west of Flagstaff around 5:30 a.m. A second reportedly touched down in the same neighborhood around 6:15 a.m., hitting 10 to 15 homes and causing minor injuries to seven people.
The tornado also derailed 28 cars of a parked, westbound, 58-car freight train, which had reportedly stopped due to the tornado warning.
The tornado destroyed about 30 recreational vehicles at an RV park near I-40, scattering debris across the interstate.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety closed about 20 miles of I-40 for several hours, but opened the interstate around 10:15 a.m.
The tornado watch expired around noon, but was reissued a short time later and set to expire around 5 p.m. and included Sedona and the Village of Oak Creek.
A funnel cloud was reportedly seen along State Route 260 about 5 miles outside of Cottonwood mid-morning Wednesday.
At 12:11 p.m. the NWS’ Doppler Radar indicated a severe thunderstorm capable of producing a tornado near the Village of Oak Creek and 8 miles southeast of Sedona moving northeast at 40 mph. Munds Park and Interstate 17 between mileposts 315 and 325, about 20 miles north of its junction with I-17, was included.
A third tornado touched down near Blue Ridge knocking over trees along a 15-mile stretch of U.S. Forest Service land.
A fourth tornado touched down in the early afternoon two miles south of Munds Park, located northeast of Sedona along I-17.
In Case of Tornado
According to the NWS, the safest place to be during a tornado is in a basement. Get under a workbench or other piece of sturdy furniture. If no basement is available, seek shelter on the lowest floor of the building in an interior hallway or room such as a closet. Use blankets or pillows to cover your body and always stay away from windows.
If in mobile homes or vehicles, evacuate them and get inside a substantial shelter. If no shelter is available, lie flat in the nearest ditch or other low spot and cover your head with your hands.
Do not use highway overpasses for shelter. Overpasses do not provide protection from tornado winds.
Get out of your vehicle and lie flat in a ditch as a last resort.
