EF1 Tornado — Iredell, North Carolina

2024-01-09 · near Buffalo, Iredell, North Carolina

1.5 mi

Path length

250 yds

Path width

Event narrative

NWS storm survey found the path of an EF1 tornado that began in the Claremont area of Catawba County crossed the Catawba River into Iredell County, just south of I-40. Several tree trunks were snapped along Interstate 40 between the river and Sharon School Rd. Additional snapped and uprooted trees were observed in the Sharon Community. The damage path appeared to end just north of I-40 between Sharon School Rd and Buffalo Shoals Creek.

Wider weather episode

A major/complex frontal system brought widespread rain with embedded thunderstorms to western North Carolina, mainly during the afternoon of the 9th. Widespread rainfall amounts of 3 to 5 inches (with locally higher amounts) in around 12 hours resulted in numerous reports of flooding. Isolated severe thunderstorms also resulted in a number of damaging wind gusts reports over the Piedmont, along with an EF1 tornado that impacted portions of Catawba and Iredell Counties.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (35.7390, -81.0690)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1159055. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.