Severe Storms OK & KS 4/14/11. South 4/15/11. EC 4/16/2011

[brunota2003]

Don't know...that is the only team to report back from either Newport or Raleigh thus far.

[CrazyC83]

Sounds like a QRT is headed for Askewville. I would say the final rating will be EF4, although EF5 cannot be ruled out.

000
NOUS41 KAKQ 172313
PNSAKQ

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
710 PM EDT SUN APR 17 2011

...BERTIE COUNTY NC TORNADO SURVEY RESULTS...

LOCATION...1 MILE SOUTH OF ASKEWVILLE NC NORTHEAST TO ABOUT 3
MILES EAST OF HARRELLSVILLE
DATE...APRIL 16 2011
ESTIMATED TIME...655 PM
EF-SCALE RATING...EF3 /PRELIMINARY...PENDING FURTHER ANALYSIS/
ESTIMATED WIND SPEED...136 TO 165 MPH
PATH WIDTH...1/2 TO 3/4 MILE
PATH LENGTH...18.8 MILES
INJURIES...50 /ESTIMATED/
DEATHS...11 /CONFIRMED/

...SUMMARY...

TORNADO FIRST TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 1 MILE SOUTH OF ASKEWVILLE
NC...DOING MINOR TREE AND BUILDING DAMAGE. THE TORNADO THEN TRACKED
CONTINUOUSLY FOR NEARLY 19 MILES...FINALLY LIFTING EAST OF
HARRELLSVILLE. FOR MUCH OF THE TORNADO`S LIFE...THE PATH WIDTH WAS
ONE HALF TO NEARLY 3/4 MILES WIDE. EF2 AND EF3 DAMAGE WAS WIDESPREAD
FROM JUST WEST OF ASKEWVILLE...NORTHEAST TO JUST WEST OF
COLERAIN...THEN GRADUALLY DECREASING AS THE TORNADO CROSSED INTO
HERTFORD COUNTY. NUMEROUS HOMES WERE DESTROYED...AND MANY OTHERS
SUFFERED VARYING DEGREES OF DAMAGE. IN ADDITION...THERE WAS
EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO TREES AND WOODED AREAS IN THE PATH OF THE
TORNADO.

A SPLIT IN THE TORNADO DAMAGE PATHS JUST NORTH OF COLERAIN SUGGESTS
THAT THE TORNADO UNDERWENT A CYCLIC RE-DEVELOPMENT...WITH 2
TORNADOES ON THE GROUND SIMULTANEOUSLY FOR A PERIOD OF ABOUT 5
MILES. THE SECOND TORNADO...WITH A DAMAGE PATH JUST TO THE EAST OF
THE ORIGINAL...STRONGER TORNADO...IS DETAILED BELOW.

&&

LOCATION...1 MILE NW OF COLERAIN NORTHEAST TO ABOUT 4 MILES EAST OF
HARRELLSVILLE
DATE...APRIL 16 2011
ESTIMATED TIME...705 PM
EF-SCALE RATING...EF2
ESTIMATED WIND SPEED...111 TO 135 MPH
PATH WIDTH...300 TO 500 YARDS
PATH LENGTH...7.8 MILES
INJURIES...UNKNOWN
DEATHS...NONE

...SUMMARY...
A DISTINCT SEPARATION IN THE DAMAGE PATHS NW OF COLERAIN SUGGESTS
THAT A SECOND TORNADO FORMED JUST NW OF COLERAIN...AND TRACKED
NORTHEAST NEARLY PARALLEL TO THE ORIGINAL TORNADO. NORTH OF
COLERAIN...THE TORNADO TRACKED PARALLEL RT. 45 FOR ABOUT 1
MILE...THEN CONTINUED NORTHEAST IN SOUTHEAST HERTFORD COUNTY...JUST
WEST OF THE CHOWAN RIVER. THE LAST VISIBLE DAMAGE WAS NEAR THE
WESTERN SHORE OF THE CHOWAN RIVER ABOUT 4 MILES EAST OF
HARRELLSVILLE. SEVERAL HOMES AND OTHER BUILDINGS WERE DAMAGED.
POULTRY HOUSES AND OTHER FARM EQUIPMENT WERE ALSO DAMAGED. MANY
TREES DOWN OR SNAPPED OFF.


$$

WRS

[brunota2003]

Another report, this time from Jones County...which was not complete:

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC
719 PM EDT SUN APR 17 2011

...TORNADO CONFIRMED NEAR HARGETTS CROSSROADS IN JONES COUNTY NORTH
CAROLINA...

LOCATION...HARGETTS CROSSROADS IN JONES COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA
DATE...APRIL 16 2011
ESTIMATED TIME...713 PM EDT
MAXIMUM EF-SCALE RATING...EF2
ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WIND SPEED...UNKNOWN
MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH...UNKNOWN
PATH LENGTH...UNKNOWN
FATALITIES...UNKNOWN
INJURIES...UNKNOWN

THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT(S) AND PUBLICATION IN NWS
STORM DATA.

THIS INFORMATION CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE AT
WEATHER.GOV/MHX.

[CrazyC83]

Raleigh: EF3. I wonder if a QRT will be called in the Sanford area as that sounds like EF4 damage there.

000
NOUS42 KRAH 172348
PNSRAH
NCZ007>011-021>028-038>043-073>078-083>086-088-089-180300-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RALEIGH NC
748 PM EDT SUN APR 17 2011

...TORNADO CONFIRMED NEAR SANFORD...BROADWAY...HOLLY SPRINGS AND
RALEIGH IN LEE AND WAKE COUNTIES COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA...

LOCATION...SANFORD...BROADWAY...HOLLY SPRINGS AND RALEIGH IN LEE AND
WAKE COUNTIES COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA
DATE...APRIL 16, 2011
ESTIMATED TIME...253 PM EDT
MAXIMUM EF-SCALE RATING...EF3
ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WIND SPEED...160 MPH
MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH....3
MILES PATH LENGTH...APPROXIMATELY 63 MILES
BEGINNING LAT/LON...35.34N / 79.31W
ENDING LAT/LON...39.96N / 78.41W
* FATALITIES...5
* INJURIES...TOTAL NUMBER UNKNOWN

* THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT(S) AND PUBLICATION IN NWS
STORM DATA.

...SUMMARY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN RALEIGH NC HAS CONFIRMED A TORNADO
NEAR SANFORD...BROADWAY...HOLLY SPRINGS AND RALEIGH IN LEE AND WAKE
COUNTIES COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA ON APRIL 16, 2011.

AT 253 PM EDT ON SATURDAY, APRIL 16, 2011 A SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORM
PRODUCED A TORNADO THAT TOUCHED DOWN IN NORTHEASTERN MOORE COUNTY
WEST OF CAMERON NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF RED HILL ROAD AND
GILCHRIST ROAD. THE INITIAL TORNADO TOUCHDOWN INTENSITY WAS EF0.
THE TORNADO STRENGTHENED TO AN EF1 AS IT CROSSED HIGHWAY 1 NEAR
WILDLIFE ROAD BLOWING A SINGLE WIDE TRAILER OFF ITS FOUNDATION AND
DAMAGING ANOTHER HOME NEXT DOOR. TORNADO CONTINUED TO INTENSIFY
TO EF3 ALONG LEMON SPRINGS ROAD STRIKING THE ST ANDREWS
SUBDIVISION. ONE FATALITY OCCURRED IN A VEHICLE ALONG LEMON
SPRINGS ROAD. NUMEROUS HOMES WERE COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND SEVERAL
TWO STORY HOMES HAD THEIR UPPER FLOORS REMOVED. WIND SPEEDS WERE
ESTIMATED AT 140 MPH WITH A PATH LENGTH OF OVER A QUARTER MILE.
ADDITIONAL HOMES WERE BLOWN OFF THEIR FOUNDATION ON CEMETERY
DRIVE.

CONTINUING NORTHEAST ALONG CAMERON DRIVE...THE UPPER FLOOR WAS
BLOWN OFF TWO APARTMENT BUILDINGS. THE TORNADO THEN ENTERED AN
INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX ALONG INDUSTRIAL DR WHERE IT MULTIPLE STEEL
CONSTRUCTED RETAIL BUILDINGS WERE DESTROYED IN ADDITION TO AT
LEAST THREE LARGE WAREHOUSES AT THE STATIC CONTROL FACILITY. WINDS
IN THIS AREA LIKELY EXCEEDED 160 MPH. THE TORNADO THEN DESTROYED
THE TRACTOR SUPPLY COMPANY... BIG LOTS... AND LOWES HOME
IMPROVEMENT STORE ALONG HIGHWAY 421. WINDS IN THIS AREA WERE
ESTIMATED AROUND 140 MPH. TWO HOMES WERE BLOWN OFF THEIR
FOUNDATIONS ALONG RICE RD NORTH OF HIGHWAY 42. A FATALITY OCCURRED
ALONG POPLAR SPRING CHURCH ROAD IN A MOBILE HOME. THE TORNADO
CONTINUED NORTHEAST ALONG AVENT FERRY ROAD CROSSING INTO CHATHAM
COUNTY JUST EAST OF HARRIS LAKE.

THE TORNADO WEAKENED TO EF0 AS IT APPROACHED HOLLY SPRINGS. THERE
WAS MULTIPLE TREE AND ROOF DAMAGE ALONG AVENT FERRY ROAD SOUTHWEST
OF HOLLY SPRINGS. THE TORNADO INTENSIFIED TO EF1 WITH WINDS OF 86
MPH AS IT REACHED THE FIRE STATION NUMBER TWO AND THE HOLLY GLENN
SUBDIVISION BEFORE CROSSING HIGHWAY 55 AND TRACKING THROUGH THE
REMINGTON DEVELOPMENT. AVERAGE INTENSITY IN HOLLY SPRINGS WAS EF0
WITH WINDS AROUND 80 MPH.

AT APPROXIMATELY 350 PM AN EF-1 TORNADO...WITH WINDS GREATER THAN
100 MPH...TRACKED NORTHEAST ACROSS TRYON ROAD...BETWEEN LAKE WHEELER
ROAD AND THE RALEIGH GOLF ASSOCIATION GOLF COURSE. SEVERAL HOMES
ALONG TRYON ROAD SUSTAINED DAMAGE FROM FALLEN TREES AS THE
THE TORNADO PROCEEDED NORTHEAST SNAPPING TREES THROUGH A HEAVILY
WOODED AREA ON THE WESTERN PERIPHERY OF THE VILLAGE OF TYRON
SUBDIVISION.

THE TORNADO CONTINUED NORTHEAST ACROSS SOUTH SAUNDERS STREET WHERE
FOUR BUSINESSES WERE DAMAGED. A BODY SHOP HAD THE MOST SEVERE DAMAGE
WHEN THE ROOF WAS COMPLETELY RIPPED OFF AND THE SIDE WALLS
COLLAPSED. THE TORNADO CONTINUED TO SNAP HARDWOOD TREES AND
POWER-LINES ACROSS MOUNT HOPE CEMETERY AND NEARBY HOMES.

AS THE TORNADO CONTINUED NORTHEAST TOWARDS SHAW UNIVERSITY...IT
APPEARED THE TORNADO WEAKENED WITH MOST DOWNED TREES HAVING BEEN
UPROOTED. DORMITORIES AND THE STUDENT CENTER ON CAMPUS HAD WINDOWS
BLOWN IN WITH ROOF DAMAGE.

THE TORNADO STRENGTHENED TO AN EF-2 WITH WINDS GREATER THAN 110 MPH
AS IT CONTINUED NORTHEAST PRODUCING EXTENSIVE TREE DAMAGE IN AN
APPROXIMATE 100 YARD WIDE PATH FROM STONY BROOK DRIVE TO BUFFALO
ROAD. SNAPPED TREES CRASHED ONTO AND THROUGH NUMEROUS HOMES ALL
ALONG THE PATH. IT IS IN THIS AREA WHERE 3 FATALITIES WERE REPORTED
WHEN TWO MOBILE HOMES WERE THROWN 30 TO 50 FEET WHEN THE TIE DOWNS
SNAPPED FROM THEIR ANCHOR POINTS. NEARLY ALL OF THE MOBILE HOMES IN
THE PARK SUSTAINED SOME TYPE OF DAMAGE.

THE EF-2 TORNADO CONTINUED TO MOVE NORTHEAST ACROSS BUFFALO ROAD
NEAR THE CARDINAL GROVE SUBDIVISION. SEVERAL TWO STORY HOMES WERE
COMPLETELY DESTROYED WITH NUMEROUS OTHER HOMES SUSTAINING
MODERATE TO MAJOR DAMAGE.

DAMAGE CONSISTENT WITH AN EF-2 TORNADO CONTINUED WITH WIDESPREAD
DAMAGE IN A 150 YARD WIDE SWATH ALONG FORESTVILLE ROAD. A COUPLE OF
MOBILE HOMES WERE DESTROYED AND SEVERAL TWO STORY HOMES SUFFERED
EXTENSIVE ROOF DAMAGE...WITH CONTINUED NUMEROUS SNAPPED TREES
ON HOUSES.

THE TORNADO WEAKENED OR LIFTED AS IT MOVED NORTHEAST TOWARDS
ROLESVILLE. DAMAGE BECAME VERY SPORADIC AND ISOLATED IN NATURE AS
IT CROSSED THE WAKE AND FRANKLIN COUNTY LINE.

THIS INFORMATION CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE AT
WEATHER.GOV/RAH.

SPECIAL THANKS GOES TO LEE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT...THE
SANFORD POLICE DEPARTMENT...HOLLY SPRINGS FIRE DEPARTMENT AND WAKE
COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR ASSISTANCE WITH THE SURVEYS.

FOR REFERENCE...THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE CLASSIFIES TORNADOES
INTO THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:

EF0...WIND SPEEDS 65 TO 85 MPH.
EF1...WIND SPEEDS 86 TO 110 MPH.
EF2...WIND SPEEDS 111 TO 135 MPH.
EF3...WIND SPEEDS 136 TO 165 MPH.
EF4...WIND SPEEDS 166 TO 200 MPH.
EF5...WIND SPEEDS GREATER THAN 200 MPH.

$$

JO/BLS/KC/TC/CBL

[brunota2003]

I understand that mobile homes are "death traps" during tornadoes...but I must say this...it takes a stronger tornado on the coast to destroy and roll a mobile home than it does inland. The reason being is that coastal areas (of NC), the new trailers have to be built to a better code, thanks to hurricanes. Hurricane tie downs are used, and the houses are built to withstand winds of a certain speed. The trailer my parents got in the early '90s in coastal NC was rated to a category 2, which would correspond to a EF1 on the EF scale. Would I stay in it during a tornado? No! But just something to think about.

[CrazyC83]

I understand that mobile homes are "death traps" during tornadoes...but I must say this...it takes a stronger tornado on the coast to destroy and roll a mobile home than it does inland. The reason being is that coastal areas (of NC), the new trailers have to be built to a better code, thanks to hurricanes. Hurricane tie downs are used, and the houses are built to withstand winds of a certain speed. The trailer my parents got in the early '90s in coastal NC was rated to a category 2, which would correspond to a EF1 on the EF scale. Would I stay in it during a tornado? No! But just something to think about.

A Category 2 hurricane though would produce EF1-level winds for a long duration, sometimes hours, in addition to occasional EF2 gusts. The tornado produces those winds only for seconds usually.

[CrazyC83]

So far 85 tornadoes have been confirmed. That number will likely continue to increase.

[vbhoutex]

That maximum path width of 3 miles eclipses the largest recorded previously which was 2.5 miles iirc in Nebraska(Hallen?).

[CrazyC83]

That maximum path width of 3 miles eclipses the largest recorded previously which was 2.5 miles iirc in Nebraska(Hallen?).

If that is confirmed, that would be correct. I am sure it will be revised.

[brunota2003]

A couple more (3 to be exact) tornadoes confirmed in Newport's CWA...an EF3, EF1, and EF0:

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC
945 PM EDT SUN APR 17 2011

...TORNADO CONFIRMED FROM NEAR SNOW HILL IN GREENE COUNTY TO NEAR
FARMVILLE IN PITT COUNTY IN NORTH CAROLINA...

LOCATION...SNOW HILL IN GREENE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA
DATE...APRIL 16 2011
ESTIMATED TIME...545 PM
MAXIMUM EF-SCALE RATING...EF-3
ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WIND SPEED...150-160 MPH
MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH...400 YARDS
PATH LENGTH...UNKNOWN
BEGINNING LAT/LON...UNKNOWN
ENDING LAT/LON...UNKNOWN
* FATALITIES...0
* INJURIES...2 SERIOUS INJURIES. OTHER MINOR INJURIES

LOCATION...FARMVILLE IN PITT COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA
DATE...APRIL 16 2011
ESTIMATED TIME...620 PM
MAXIMUM EF-SCALE RATING...EF-1
ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WIND SPEED...90 MPH
MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH...75 YARDS
PATH LENGTH...UNKNOWN
BEGINNING LAT/LON...UNKNOWN
ENDING LAT/LON...UNKNOWN
* FATALITIES...0
* INJURIES...0

* THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT(S) AND PUBLICATION IN NWS
STORM DATA.

...SUMMARY...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC HAS
CONFIRMED A TORNADO NEAR SNOW HILL IN GREENE COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA
ON APRIL 16 2011.

THIS IS A PRELIMINARY REPORT FOR THE TORNADO THAT OCCURRED IN
GREENE AND PITT COUNTY AREAS. A COMPLETE REPORT FOR THIS LONG-
LIVED TORNADO WILL BE ISSUED MONDAY APRIL 18TH.

THIS INFORMATION CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE AT
WEATHER.GOV/MHX.

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC
946 PM EDT SUN APR 17 2011

...TORNADO CONFIRMED NEAR KENANSVILLE IN DUPLIN COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA...

LOCATION...6 MILES SOUTH OF KENANSVILLE IN DUPLIN COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA
DATE...APRIL 16 2011
ESTIMATED TIME...630 PM
MAXIMUM EF-SCALE RATING...EF0
ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WIND SPEED...UNKNOWN
MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH...UNKNOWN
PATH LENGTH...UNKNOWN
FATALITIES...UNKNOWN
INJURIES...UNKNOWN

* THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT(S) AND PUBLICATION IN NWS
STORM DATA.

THIS INFORMATION CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE AT
WEATHER.GOV/MHX.

[CrazyC83]

I'm now up to 90 total tornadoes.

[CrazyC83]

The record for confirmed tornadoes in the month of April is 268 in 1974 (even without the Super Outbreak it would have been above average for the era - of course it is probable there were many more tornadoes then, including in the Super Outbreak there were likely a lot of F0's and F1's ignored as wind damage or not surveyed at all). If even 75% of the reports turn to confirmations (so far 171 have been confirmed), there is a new monthly record - and with still two weeks to go.

http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/cmb/ ... scount.png

ZCZC STAMTS ALL
NWUS21 KWNS 172016

TORNADO TOTALS AND RELATED DEATHS...THROUGH SAT APR 16 2011
NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
0316 PM CDT SUN APR 17 2011

...NUMBER OF TORNADOES... NUMBER OF KILLER
TORNADO DEATHS TORNADOES
..2011.. 2010 2009 2008 3YR 3YR 3YR
PREL ACT ACT ACT ACT AV 11 10 09 08 AV 11 10 09 08 AV
JAN 10 16 30 6 84 40 0 0 0 7 2 0 0 0 4 1
FEB 67 - 1 36 147 61 1 0 9 59 23 1 0 2 12 5
MAR 115 - 33 115 129 92 1 1 0 4 2 1 1 0 3 1
APR 371 - 139 226 189 185 3 11 6 0 6 2 2 3 0 2
MAY - - 304 201 462 322 - 7 5 44 19 - 4 3 10 6
JUN - - 324 270 292 296 - 12 0 7 6 - 6 0 4 3
JUL - - 146 118 95 114 - 2 0 1 1 - 1 0 1 1
AUG - - 55 60 101 72 - 1 0 0 0 - 1 0 0 0
SEP - - 57 8 111 59 - 2 0 2 1 - 2 0 1 1
OCT - - 108 65 21 65 - 0 1 0 0 - 0 1 0 0
NOV - - 53 3 15 22 - 0 0 2 1 - 0 0 2 1
DEC - - 32 48 46 48 - 9 0 0 3 - 4 0 0 1
---- ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- -- -- -- --- -- -- -- -- -- --
SUM 563 16 1282 1156 1692 1376 5 45 21 126 64 4 21 9 37 22


PREL = 2011 PRELIMINARY COUNT FROM ALL NWS LOCAL STORM REPORTS.
ACT = ACTUAL TORNADO COUNT BASED ON NWS STORM DATA SUBMISSIONS.

TORNADO-RELATED FATALITY NUMBERS ARE ENTERED WHEN CONFIRMED BY NWS
FORECAST OFFICES.

PLEASE NOTE: THE PRELIMINARY (PREL) COUNT IS USUALLY AN OVERCOUNT DUE
TO MULTIPLE REPORTS FOR A SINGLE TORNADO. THESE COUNTS SHOULD *NOT* BE
COMPARED TO OFFICIAL TORNADO COUNTS FOR PRIOR YEARS.

..CARBIN..04/17/2011

$$

[Calasanjy]

In regard to the Bertie County tornado, it evidently also had a satellite EF2 tornado. Here is a photo of the main beast moving through Colerain, which is where the 10/11 fatalities supposedly occurred:



Discussion has begun about the ultimate rating of this tornado. Much of the damage I have seen is indicative of EF4 in my opinion, however what do you think about the damage to the residence in the following pictures?



I'm not sure what used to be present on that patch of land, perhaps a mobile home? (If so, not indicative of violent tornado damage, I suppose)



Admittedly, that appears to be EF4 damage, with a significant amount of debris still littered across the foundation.

However, could the following represent EF5 damage, depending on the strength of the structure?









Observing some of these images, I wonder whether this tornado could be North Carolina's first to receive the maximum rating. We will have to wait to see what the QRT determines, however. What do you guys think about the preceding damage photos?

[WeatherGuesser]

Did the forecasting guys mention why they didn´t consider to go high, maybe different from the normal update time at 20/1 z, or why they didn´t pds some of the watches ?

They did yesterday. But for Friday, not sure.

Do you have a link ?

Link to?

This? http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outloo ... _1630.html


There's also this Wiki on SPC High Risk Days: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_SPC_High_Risk_days

[brunota2003]

It looks like a lot of those photos are probably in association with mobile homes...here are some more damage pics (from NWS Raleigh):

http://www.erh.noaa.gov/rah/news/conten ... Storms.pdf

[Bunkertor]

Thanks for links, guys ! Wasn´t sure about the friday.

Look at this man.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgwJfoZ-12c&feature=player_embedded#at=86[/youtube]

[CrazyC83]

Observing some of these images, I wonder whether this tornado could be North Carolina's first to receive the maximum rating. We will have to wait to see what the QRT determines, however. What do you guys think about the preceding damage photos?

I would say EF4 looking at those pictures. Given that it is a fairly rural area that may not have the strongest building codes, it may be tougher to get it up to EF5 levels. Indeed, I found out North Carolina has not had an EF5 or F5 tornado since 1950, although it is possible one or two back before then may have been at F5/EF5 levels.

[Bunkertor]

NC survey flight

http://www.cnn.com/video/flashLive/live ... am2&hpt=T2

[vbhoutex]

That maximum path width of 3 miles eclipses the largest recorded previously which was 2.5 miles iirc in Nebraska(Hallen?).

If that is confirmed, that would be correct. I am sure it will be revised.

It was an NWS typo. It was supposed to read 0.3 miles. I didn't see any video that made me think it was that big, but since it was an NWS report it was being looked at seriously.

[Calasanjy]

I would say EF4 looking at those pictures. Given that it is a fairly rural area that may not have the strongest building codes, it may be tougher to get it up to EF5 levels. Indeed, I found out North Carolina has not had an EF5 or F5 tornado since 1950, although it is possible one or two back before then may have been at F5/EF5 levels.

I would agree with the possible exception of the final images of the brick foundation of the house. The team will have to assess the substantiality of whatever used to stand there.

In regard to the naming of the outbreak, I thought of one the other day. I propose that it be referred to as the "Devil Makes Three" Outbreak, since it lasted three days and became gradually worse (i.e. more "devilish") each successive day in a different location. Also, from here on, instead of the March 28, 1984 outbreak being referred to as the "Carolinas Tornado Outbreak," I propose that it now be known as the "SOB" (for "South of the Border", however it can also have another connotation) Outbreak, since some of the worst tornadoes originated from South Carolina and crossed the border into NC. In addition, my understanding is that outbreak was a result of a primary tornadic cell which originated in South Carolina and proceeded to track northeastward across North Carolina, producing a long, devastating family of tornadoes.