Tornado Sweeps Through Denair, California; Homes, Trees Damaged

A tornado spotted in Denair, California, caused minor damage and a flurry of social media activity Sunday afternoon.

According to The Modesto Bee, the tornado swept along Zeering Road, damaging the roofs of structures, knocking down trees and damaging gas and power lines. There were no reports of injuries at the time. 

“A few thunderstorms developed in parts of northern and central California on Sunday afternoon as an upper-level trough, or southward dip in the jet stream, moved into the West,” said weather.com meteorologist Linda Lam. “There was enough instability that a possible tornado developed near Denair and quarter-size hail was reported in Coloma. This same storm system will continue to push eastward and will bring the threat of severe weather to the Plains and South early this week.”

The NWS Sacramento office catagorized the tornado as an EF1 Monday, stating that the original touchdown point was off of Barnhart Road. It traveled along a 3-mile path, making multiple touchdowns.

KCRA reports that a team arrived Monday morning to assess the damage left behind. A command center for emergency responders was set up at Zeering Road and Gratton Road, and the California Highway Patrol and Denair and Keyes Fire Departments were on the scene. Fire fighters began clearing fallen trees and debris.

A majority of homes in the city lost power, but it was restored to most residents by Sunday night, according to the Turlock Irrigation District

The NWS Sacramento office dispatched two separate storm reports of wild weather in California. They reported quarter sized hail covering the ground in El Dorado county and dime sized hail, enough to pile up and cover roads, in Placer county. 

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