The National Weather Service in Raleigh has confirmed three tornadoes that occurred during Thursday’s severe storms in North Carolina. No injuries or deaths have been reported as a result of these tornadoes, but several homes were severely damaged with roofs ripped off. Surveys are still ongoing, so all ratings are preliminary.
A long-lived cell dropped the first tornado southeast of High Point at 5:01 PM, blowing down trees and powerlines. Initial reports suggest structural damage occurred near I-85, with major roof damage in the area. It stayed on the ground for roughly a mile before lifting, with peaks winds estimated around 85 mph.
The same cell went on to produce another tornado to the east of Greensboro, touching down just north of I-40. It carved a discontinuous 2.5 mile damage path towards Elon, NC before lifting around 5:44 PM. The initial damage survey found significant tree and roof damage, thus earning the tornado an EF-1 rating.
The last tornado from this cell occurred a little after 6 PM in a remote portion of Orange County, NC. Despite travelling through a sparsely populated area, it managed rip the roof off of one home on Pentecost Road. It has been awarded a preliminary EF-1 rating.
Elsewhere in the Carolinas, scattered reports of wind damage and small hail accompanied strong to severe thunderstorms. A damaged barn led to the deployment of a survey team near Roanoke Rapids, where they found evidence of straight line winds up to 88 mph.
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