Was There Really A Tornado at the Utah and Idaho Border Yesterday

Tornadoes are rare in Idaho and Utah, but they are not impossible and have happened many times over the years. But a reported tornado at the Utah/Idaho border has some people questioning what actually happened.

In the video, there is definitely a twirling cloud of dust and precipitation, but was it a tornado or a glorified dust devil? Check out the video below and see what local meteorologists are saying about it.

WATCH: Residents Report a Tornado Near the Utah and Idaho Border

Last year, in late March, we learned that tornadoes can happen across the Pacific Northwest after a meteorologist posted graphics on social media showing a possibility of tornadoes across the area. Just a year earlier, in 2024, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon all had confirmed tornado touchdowns. While no confirmed tornadoes happened, coinciding with the social media post, it was a reminder that they can happen.

I found two videos on social media showing the ‘tornado’ that happened on Sunday at about 2:30 PM, and one is clearly fake, posted on the Utah Satire Instagram page. The second one, posted by meteorologist Chase Thomason, shows what actually happened.

The post from Thomason gives a description of what is happening in the video and helps to clarify why the twister is a landspout (more like a dust devil) and not a tornado. Not being a tornado doesn’t make it any less impressive.

How Often Do Tornadoes Happen In Idaho

If you’re curious about the possibility of tornadoes in Idaho, there are websites that list all that have happened over the years. The Tornado Project even breaks them down by county, so you can see which areas are more likely to be affected. Tornado Path is another site that can be helpful when there are strong winds, to see if there is a chance they could become a tornado.

In recent years, we have reported on quite a few chances of tornadoes, confused tornadoes, and confirmed tornadoes in Idaho. Two years ago, there was a report of a tornado in Eastern Idaho, but that was a tornado watch, and the funnel never touched down. Three years ago, a confirmed tornado in the area was the most impressive, touching down in the mountains near the Idaho-Utah border. That one is cool because seeing a tornado on top of a mountain is crazy.

Further back in Idaho history, a small tornado touched down in Mountain Home in May of 2019.

We know weather can be weird and confusing in Idaho, so if you are uncertain where we are in the seasons, check the list below, and you’ll see we are probably in Third Winter and getting close to the Pollenating season, which is one of the worst for people with allergies and people who like their cars to look clean.