Local
Possible tornado shifts Heber-Overgaard home off its foundation as residents clean up
A suspected tornado lifted Margaret Wilkie’s home and moved it about four feet from its porch during a Wednesday-night storm in Heber-Overgaard. National Weather Service investigators are assessing damage at three Arizona sites to determine whether tornadoes touched down and how strong the storms were.
HEBER-OVERGAARD, Ariz. — Margaret Wilkie and her husband dropped to the floor as a funnel cloud and violent winds tore through their property Wednesday night, lifting their home and shifting it about four feet from the porch.
The couple survived, but the storm left extensive damage in their yard. A trailer was flipped into a tree, and a 14-foot boat was thrown to the other side of a tree, with its motor left behind.
“It happened so fast. It was crazy,” Wilkie said.
The storm is being investigated as a possible tornado. National Weather Service Flagstaff investigators surveyed three sites in Arizona, including Heber-Overgaard, to assess the damage and determine whether tornadoes touched down. Megan Taylor, an agency official, said investigators were working to establish the storm’s strength. Confirmation could take several days.
Other residents described a sudden shift from hail to powerful winds. Rick Koberna said hail stopped before objects began striking and rattling against his home. He also pointed to split tree trunks as evidence of the force and rotation of the wind.
Some residents said tornado alerts arrived after the storm had already passed. Taylor said damage surveys help officials gather information and improve warning processes.
Cleanup continued across the Navajo County community as investigators worked to determine the extent of the damage. Wilkie said the couple was grateful to be alive and planned to take recovery one step at a time.