WINDOW ROCK, Ariz.- A tornado touched down northeast of Monument Valley June 5.
Around 8 p.m., Rose Whitehair, director of the Navajo Nation Department of Emergency Management, sent photos of a tornado touching down northeast of Monument Valley to the office of the President.
On June 5th of this year, a rare occurrence happened near Monument Valley National Park, as a tornado touched down causing silver-dollar sized hail and multiple rockslides in the Montezuma Creek and Bluff area of Navajo Nation outside of Monument Valley. No injuries or property damage was reported, but this event served as a reminder for local residents to take precautionary measures during rainstorms passing over the Nation. “We encourage the traveling public to be cautious with the recent storms arising on the Navajo Nation. There have been marble sized hail, a tornado and rockslides reported,” Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye said.
While there was a short period of encouraged avoidance of Highway 95 near the Comb Ridge in Bluff, Utah as there were reports of rockslides in the area, the area is now open and deemed safe for public travel. There have been no issues with tours of Monument Valley, but the precaution to pay attention to weather forecasts for the area, as well as contacting local law enforcement if strange weather patterns are noticed is encouraged during the upcoming months.