Violent weather is a hallmark of Arizona’s monsoon season. The state had its first tornado of the year touched down late Tuesday evening in Tucson.
The National Weather Service confirmed it was an EF-1 tornado, the second-lowest on a five-point scale. The twister was reported around 10:45 p.m., approximately two miles north of Interstate 10, with winds reaching up to 110 miles per hour.
Meteorologist Aaron Hardin described the damage. “Decent amount of uprooted and downed trees. It also drug an empty container, about 40-feet, and damaged a chain link fence. It also ripped off some shingles off of a few houses," Hardin said.
While tornadoes are rare in Arizona, Hardin notes that monsoon season can bring all kinds of unexpected weather. He advises residents to pay attention to weather alerts and take shelter underground or in an innermost room when advised.