2011 Davis County windstorm

{{Short description|In Utah, United States}} {{Use American English|date=May 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}} A high wind storm which began early in the morning of December 1, 2011, reached wind speeds as high as {{convert|102|mph|km/h}} in Centerville, Utah, United States and surrounding cities. Fruit Heights, a neighborhood just {{convert|15|mi|km|abbr=off}} from the Utah State Capitol, saw gusts of up to {{convert|146|mph|kph|abbr=on}} during the event.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|title=Destructive windstorm slams Utah with gusts to 100 mph|newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2020/09/09/utah-wind-power-outages/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200910040039/https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2020/09/09/utah-wind-power-outages/ |archive-date=2020-09-10 }}</ref> Damage was reported throughout Davis County, and extending into Weber and Salt Lake counties, ranging from Ogden down to Salt Lake City.<ref name="Winds KSL">{{cite news|url=http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=18309646&title=high-winds-cause-property-damage-power-outages-in-northern-utah|title=High winds cause property damage, power outages in northern Utah|work=ksl.com|publisher=Deseret Digital Media|location=Salt Lake City|date=1 Dec 2011|accessdate=15 Mar 2014}}</ref> That morning Mayor Ron Russell of Centerville declared a local state of emergency.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc4.com/content/news/slc/story/State-of-Emergency-declared-for-Centerville/uh5vUXPKpUaN1WyAa0yf5w.cspx|title=State of Emergency declared for Centerville|website=abc4.com|publisher=Newport Television (ABC 4 News)|location=Salt Lake City|date=1 Dec 2011|accessdate=17 Feb 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120716235706/http://www.abc4.com/content/news/slc/story/State-of-Emergency-declared-for-Centerville/uh5vUXPKpUaN1WyAa0yf5w.cspx|archivedate=2012-07-16}}</ref> Due to the extensive damage, Davis County declared a state of emergency later that evening.<ref name="Winds KSL"/> The windstorm extended throughout the Western United States, with power outages and structural damage also reported in California and Nevada.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/53029513-78/mph-winds-weather-pressure.html.csp|title=Thursday's wind storm biggest blow in a decade|last=Smart|first=Christopher|date=1 Dec 2011|newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune|publisher=MediaNews Group|location=Salt Lake City|accessdate=15 Mar 2014}}</ref>

==Impact== The storm occurred late in the fall season, so most of the trees damaged in the storm were evergreens. More than 400 trees were down at the Davis Golf course alone due to the winds.<ref name="Winds Tribune">{{cite news|url=http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/53027231-78/thursday-power-utah-ogden.html.csp?page=2|title=Winds buffet Utah, toppling trucks, trees, power lines|date=1 Dec 2011|last1=Mims|first1=Bob|last2=Whitehurst|first2=Lindsay|newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune|publisher=MediaNews Group|location=Salt Lake City|accessdate=17 Feb 2013}}</ref> Thousands of residences were without power throughout the day and into the evening. At one point, as many as 54,000 residences were without power. Calls flooded into Rocky Mountain Power that day from customers trying to get updates on when their power would be restored. Many residences of the area had difficulties attempting to call friends and families with their cell phones because of the surge in communications in the area.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc4.com/content/news/top_stories/story/Cell-phones-out-in-storm/rNbz1Z-NdUWFK0ShpwKWgw.cspx|title=Cell phones out in storm|website=abc4.com|publisher=Newport Television (ABC 4 News)|location=Salt Lake City|date=2 Dec 2011|accessdate=17 February 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20120716175539/http://www.abc4.com/content/news/top_stories/story/Cell-phones-out-in-storm/rNbz1Z-NdUWFK0ShpwKWgw.cspx|archivedate=16 July 2012}}</ref> The Utah Transit Authority shut down the ''FrontRunner'' commuter rail service between Layton and Salt Lake City due to damaged train stations, debris on the train tracks, and power outages.<ref name="Winds Tribune"/> A "bus bridge" was used to ferry passengers between the Layton and Salt Lake Central stations while repairs were made. Even though ''FrontRunner'' service resumed by mid-afternoon, the Farmington Station remained closed through the weekend while repairs to the station were completed.<ref name="Winds KSL"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rideuta.com/news/2011/12/farmington-station-damage/|title=Update on Wind Damage to Farmington Station|website=rideuta.com|publisher=Utah Transit Authority|date=5 Dec 2011|accessdate=15 Mar 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/53035583-78/friday-power-utah-saturday.html.csp|title=Utahns catch their breath, begin windstorm cleanup|last1=Stecklein|first1=Janelle|last2=Mims|first2=Bob|last3=Orellana|first3=Roxana|newspaper=The Salt Lake Tribune|publisher=MediaNews Group|location=Salt Lake City|date=3 Dec 2011|accessdate=16 Mar 2014}}</ref>

Many schools in Davis School District were closed for the safety of the children and because many of the facilities were without power and damage to other schools in the district.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=18323519&title=schools-closed-power-remains-out-in-parts-of-davis-county|title=Power coming back on as wind storm cleanup continues|last1=O'Donoghue|first1=Amy Joi|last2=Penrod|first2=Sam|work=KSL-TV|publisher=Deseret Digital Media|location=Salt Lake City|date=1 Dec 2011|accessdate=15 Mar 2014}}</ref> Weber State University (WSU) also cancelled daytime classes at both its Ogden and Davis County campuses, with the Davis County campus remaining closed through the next day.<ref name="Winds KSL"/>

Overall damages from the storm were estimated to be $20 million.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ksl.com/?nid=960&sid=18327614|title=Damage from windstorm could total more than $20 million|last1=O'Donoghue|first1=Amy Joi|last2=Boal|first2=Jed|work=KSL-TV|publisher=Deseret Digital Media|location=Salt Lake City|date=2 Dec 2011|accessdate=15 March 2014}}</ref> The estimated cost of the cleanup from the storm was $8 million for Centerville alone.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705395170/Hurricane-force-winds-wreak-havoc-in-Davis-County-cleanup-could-take-days.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203092353/http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705395170/Hurricane-force-winds-wreak-havoc-in-Davis-County-cleanup-could-take-days.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 3, 2011|title=Hurricane force winds wreak havoc in Davis County, cleanup could take days|last1=Reavy|first1=Pat|last2=O'Donoghue|first2=Amy Joi|newspaper=Deseret News|publisher=Deseret Digital Media|location=Salt Lake City|date=1 Dec 2011|accessdate=17 Feb 2013}}</ref> Some citizens were left without power for days, caused by winds uprooting trees and sending them crashing down into power lines.

While no major injuries were reported due to the winds within Davis County, WSU reported that three of their students sustained minor injuries from being blown off their feet in parking lots or being hit by a door that was blown by the winds.<ref name="Winds KSL"/> The Utah Highway Patrol also reported several truck drivers suffered minor injuries as a result of their semi-trucks being blown over along the freeways.<ref name="Winds Tribune"/> In addition, some injuries resulted from the cleanup and repair efforts, including individuals who fell off roofs and broke arms and legs. One individual in Kaysville fell through a carport roof, broke several ribs, and punctured a lung.{{citation needed|date=March 2014}}

==References== {{reflist|2}}

Category:Windstorms 2011 Davis County windstorm Category:2011 in Utah Category:2011 natural disasters in the United States Category:Natural disasters in Utah Windstorm of December 2011 Category:December 2011 in the United States