Tornado In Coconino County – A tornado touched down north of Williams this afternoon, causing damage to several homes in the Junipine community, officials said. No injuries have been reported at this time.

At 1:30 p.m. the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) received reports of a weather-related event in the Junipine community.  

By 5:30 p.m., the National Weather Service Flagstaff had confirmed that an EF-1 tornado touched down in the area, damaging homes and trees with the strong wind.

Search and rescue units with the CCSO were in the area as a precautionary measure, but no injuries or fatalities were reported.

Video on social media shows dark clouds near the ground, although it’s not clear if this is the cloud that formed the tornado.

Investigators are currently assessing the scale of the damages. Early reports said that ten mobile homes and several trees in the area were damaged.

Right now, it is not clear how many people will be displaced by storm damage. A Red Cross Shelter has been opened at 636 South 7th Street in Williams to assist residents displaced by the tornado. 

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Tornado In Coconino County

‘Freak accident’

A resident in the area, Duane Dettmann, says, “It’s kind of a freak accident, you know? One of those things that just happens. I had no idea about what had happened, I just thought the wind storm came through. I walk out and see the devastation and as you guys are saying, it’s pretty incredible.”

The quiet mountain community of Junipine Estates is now left picking up the pieces after the tornado ripped through.

Dettmann was just feet away.

“You can see where it actually knocked down the block wall, snapped a bunch of trees off of my neighbor’s yard, knocked the telephone pole and broke it in two,” he said.

The rain, hail and eventual tornado downed power lines, bent stop signs, and left at least ten homes damaged. Some lifted off their foundation and moved several feet. Fortunately, there were no injuries.

Brian Telfer has damage to his garage, windows, shed, and is left without water. Over in the yard, his RV was completely flipped over.

“Things all blown over, and trash all over and everything else,” he said, adding that first responders were very helpful. “They came out to make sure everybody was OK first, and then you know, started taking pictures and checking things out making sure there was no fire or anything going. I thought it was a good response.”

Dettmann says the community will make it through together.

“Williams, especially this area, is really a community, and that’s kind of one thing i really like about Williams. It’s a small community and people work together,” he said.