Wyoming gets only a couple of tornadoes a year, but every tornado has the potential to create havoc and produce winds with the ability to damage property.

A lot of people have witnessed a tornado whether it's been in Wyoming or somewhere else. But did you know that the real damage from a tornado comes from the debris that is thrown by the winds, not the actual damaging winds themselves?

The topography in Wyoming keeps the cowboy state protected from the most severe of tornadoes, but that doesn't mean that they can't happen here. In fact the strongest tornado in Wyoming history happened back in 1987 and began in the Teton Wilderness and made a 24 mile path that carried on into Yellowstone National park.

The Teton Yellowstone Tornado, according to Wikipedia, was an F-4 on the Fujita Scale and was the strongest ever recorded in Wyoming.  That particular tornado occurred on July 21st in 1987 and was a rare tornado taking place at high elevation (8,500 to 10,000 feet).

The Teton Yellowstone Tornado up rooted over 1 million trees but fortunately resulted in zero human fatalities.  By the way, that tornado was the only one ever recorded in Teton County, Wyoming.

For more info on the Fujita Scale and how tornadoes are rated, watch the video above or click here.

 

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