EF1 Tornado — Sampson, North Carolina

2024-09-27 · near Garland, Sampson, North Carolina

Event narrative

A tornado touched down just southwest of the intersection of Highway 210 and Turney Berry Lane, where it snapped numerous 12 diameter pine trees and uprooted large blueberry bushes. It moved north-northeast, and crossed Peter Cromartie Road, where minor roof damage was noted, along with several snapped trees. The tornado continued north-northeast to the Bladen-Sampson county line, exiting the county near the Helltown Road bridge across the South River. Numerous large trees were snapped near the county line, along with downed power lines.

Numerous trees snapped along Helltown Rd around the county border area with power lines downed and an outbuilding damaged by fallen tree. Along and near Elwell Road, large, healthy, and leafy oak tree was uprooted with saturated soils. Numerous large limbs snapped out of oak tree with a few other limbs snapped out of nearby trees.

Wider weather episode

Hurricane Helene weakened to a strong tropical storm on the morning of 27 September across northeast Georgia. Helene continued to track to the west and northwest into the Tennessee Valley. Widespread rainfall totals of 2-4 inches of rain fell over central North Carolina, along with wind gusts of 25-45 mph. Additionally, four tornadoes occurred, with the strongest an EF3, touching down over Rocky Mount in Nash County.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (34.7618, -78.4417)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 1210444. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.