TL;DR

Three tornadoes touched down across Wyoming, Nebraska, and Colorado on August 13, 2026. The most significant struck near Reno Junction, Wyoming, where multiple homes and buildings sustained severe damage and occupants were trapped before being rescued. Two additional tornadoes—a landspout in Nebraska and a brief rope tornado in Colorado—were documented but caused no reported damage.

Wyoming tornado traps occupants in damaged homes

The National Weather Service office in Riverton, Wyoming confirmed a tornado struck approximately 14 miles north of Reno Junction at 1832 UTC (12:32 PM MDT) on August 13. The tornado occurred in the area of Highway 59 and Rattlesnake Road.

According to the local storm report, multiple homes and buildings were severely damaged. Occupants became trapped inside damaged structures and required rescue. All trapped individuals were successfully rescued, though the NWS report did not specify the number of people involved or detail any injuries.

The tornado's rating remains under investigation. The NWS has not yet assigned an EF-scale rating, which requires a damage survey team to assess the structural damage and wind speeds.

This event stands out as the most damaging tornado report in the United States in recent days. While the High Plains have seen scattered severe weather throughout the week, most tornado reports have been brief landspouts or rope tornadoes over open terrain.

Where did the other tornadoes touch down?

Nebraska landspout

At 2248 UTC (4:48 PM MDT), a landspout tornado was photographed west of Highway 71, approximately 13 miles south-southeast of Bushnell, Nebraska. The National Weather Service in Cheyenne confirmed the circulation and matched the timing with radar data.

Landspouts are tornadoes that form along the leading edge of developing thunderstorms, typically in environments with strong low-level wind shear but weaker mid-level rotation than classic supercell tornadoes. They tend to be brief and relatively weak, though they can still cause localized damage.

No damage was reported with this tornado.

Colorado rope tornado

A brief rope tornado was documented at 2342 UTC (5:42 PM MDT) west of Padroni, Colorado, roughly 5 miles north-northeast of North Sterling Reservoir. The National Weather Service in Boulder confirmed the report.

Rope tornadoes are narrow, often short-lived tornadoes that appear as a thin, rope-like condensation funnel. This tornado dissipated quickly and caused no reported damage.

What was the severe weather setup?

The tornadoes occurred within a broader severe weather outbreak across the central and eastern United States on August 13. The NOAA Storm Prediction Center (SPC) documented 227 wind reports, 59 hail reports, and 3 tornado reports nationwide over the 24-hour period.

The High Plains tornadoes developed in an environment of post-frontal upslope flow and steep mid-level lapse rates. According to the SPC Day 1 Convective Outlook, high-based thunderstorms were forecast to develop over the higher terrain of the central Rockies and Front Range during the afternoon.

"Storm motions into slightly richer moisture will favor some aggregation of outflow within a hot boundary layer featuring steep lapse rates," the outlook noted. "Isolated to widely scattered severe gusts 60-75 mph are possible, along with occasional hail with a few of the stronger cores that develop."

While the outlook emphasized damaging wind gusts as the primary threat, the environment also supported isolated tornadoes—particularly landspouts along outflow boundaries.

Severe weather extended well beyond the Plains

While the tornadoes were confined to the High Plains, severe weather reports spanned 24 states on August 13. The most widespread severe weather occurred across the Midwest and Ohio Valley, where a long-lived mesoscale convective system (MCS) produced widespread damaging winds and large hail.

Severe wind reports dominated the day's activity. Notable reports included:

  • Illinois and Iowa: Numerous trees and power lines downed across the Quad Cities metro area, with wind gusts reaching 70 mph near Moline, Illinois
  • South Dakota: Golf ball–sized hail (up to 3.5 inches in diameter) measured west of Hot Springs
  • Ohio: Two-inch hail reported in Lima, with widespread quarter-sized hail across multiple counties

The severe weather extended into the Northeast, where a mid-level trough moving across New England supported isolated damaging winds of 50–65 mph.

What happens next in Wyoming?

The National Weather Service will likely conduct a damage survey near Reno Junction in the coming days to assess the tornado's intensity and assign an official EF-scale rating. Survey teams examine structural damage, vegetation damage, and debris patterns to estimate peak wind speeds.

EF-scale ratings range from EF0 (65–85 mph winds) to EF5 (over 200 mph). Tornadoes that severely damage well-constructed homes typically receive ratings of EF2 or higher, though the specific construction quality and anchoring of the damaged structures will influence the final determination.

Residents in the affected area should follow guidance from local emergency management and the Campbell County Sheriff's Office regarding road closures, utility restoration, and available assistance.

Tornadoes remain possible Thursday across the Midwest

As of August 13, the SPC Day 1 outlook maintains a Slight Risk across portions of the Midwest and Ohio Valley, where additional severe thunderstorms are possible through the evening. The primary hazards are damaging wind gusts, though isolated tornadoes and hail cannot be ruled out.

Severe Thunderstorm Watches remain in effect for portions of Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri through the late afternoon and evening hours.

For those in the watch area, monitor local NWS forecasts and have multiple ways to receive warnings. Tornadoes can develop quickly within severe thunderstorm complexes, and warnings may be issued with limited lead time.

VORTEX is a free web app at vortexintel.app that monitors severe weather nationwide. Pro ($4.99/month) places phone calls to your phone when a tornado or flash flood warning is issued for a location you care about — calls can ring through Do Not Disturb once you enable Emergency Bypass for the number, unlike most third-party app notifications.