"Firenado" in California Last Week Produced 140 mph Winds

news image
Special Stories
2 Aug 2018 11:02 PM
The fire whirl in California Thursday, July 26 has been compared to an EF-3 tornado! https://twitter.com/NWSSacramento/status/1025125984465498112 During the evening of Thursday, July 26 the Carr Fire spread uncontrollably and erratically in Shasta County, California near Redding. A "fire whirl" developed where intense heat from wildfires swirls up whipping winds that looks much like a tornado. The whirl during that Thursday evening had estimated winds of 143 miles per hour!  Compare that wind speed to a tornado and you'll enter the rating of an EF-3! There were reports of many trees uprooted and even the bark of trees being ripped off. Imagine all of this happening within an ongoing wildfire. For WeatherNation, Meteorologist Steve Glazier
All Weather News
More
Hot Weather Baking the Heartland This Week

Hot Weather Baking the Heartland This Week

More records were broken across the central p

12 Oct 2026 9:50 PM
Tropics: Another Area in the Atlantic, Pacific Stays Hyperactive

Tropics: Another Area in the Atlantic, Pacific Stays Hyperactive

Isaias ended the late-season streak of no hur

12 Oct 2026 9:05 PM
Severe Storms and Flooding Return to the Plains & Midwest

Severe Storms and Flooding Return to the Plains & Midwest

Severe weather looks to return to parts of th

12 Oct 2026 9:05 PM
Rachel Spreading Moisture Across the Southwest

Rachel Spreading Moisture Across the Southwest

Rachel came ashore in far northwestern Mexico

12 Oct 2026 9:00 PM
Digging Trough Brings Wind and Snow to the Rockies this Week

Digging Trough Brings Wind and Snow to the Rockies this Week

A strong upper-level trough digging south fro

12 Oct 2026 5:30 PM
Isaias Makes Landfall as A Category 2, Recapping it's Impacts

Isaias Makes Landfall as A Category 2, Recapping it's Impacts

Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin, F

12 Oct 2026 11:20 AM
Flooding, Tornadoes Target Central Florida Thursday

Flooding, Tornadoes Target Central Florida Thursday

Deep tropical moisture streaming north from t

8 Oct 2026 1:00 PM