STAR VALLEY, AZ — At daybreak on Monday, Star Valley Mayor Bobby Davis assessed the damage on Quail Hollow Drive after the town of 2,600 people experienced a disaster they never expected.
"That's the last thing I ever thought about as being a mayor for Star Valley that I've had to work a crisis with a tornado," Mayor Davis says.
A little after 9:30 a.m. Sunday, an EF-1 tornado with winds up to 105 mph struck the community, just east of Payson.
On average, Arizona experiences five to six tornadoes per year, mostly outside the Valley, according to the Arizona State Climate Office.
The strongest tornadoes recorded in Arizona's history were EF-3s, meaning wind gusts in excess of 136 mph occurred with those twisters.
The Star Valley tornado didn't reach that kind of strength, but it was strong enough to severely damage several homes.
"There's nine homes that have been condemned because they're just unable to live in them," Mayor Davis stated.
Blue tarps now blanket many rooftops of the bedroom community. Rim View Community Church is offering a place for people to stay. The Red Cross has also been involved with the families affected.
Mayor Davis says the cleanup will likely last a week, but he is thankful for the community's resiliency to come together.
"It's just a really good, really feel-good moment when you see this many people coming out," he said.
