KUSA – A confirmed tornado spotted 19 miles away from Walden Sunday morning was a rare event.
In fact, according to the National Weather Service, it was the first tornado in Jackson County since May 10, 1974 – and only the second documented in the area since 1950.
The tornado southwest of Walden was rated EF-0, since there was no surface damage.
And the funnel cloud spotted in Steamboat Springs Sunday is also a confirmed tornado, according to weather spotters in the area.
RELATED | Why high elevation tornadoes are so rare
For what it’s worth, this was a rare event –even though tornadoes can happen anywhere in Colorado.
High elevation tornadoes are usually weak, short-lived and are more likely in mountain valleys like South Park, the San Luis Valley, and even the Yampa Valley.
Some tornadoes, like the one that caused damage near Devil's Head Campground in July 2015, are on a steep slope. They have even been spotted on top of 14,000-foot peaks.
