EF2 Tornado — Sampson, North Carolina

2011-04-16 · near Highsmiths, Sampson, North Carolina

Event narrative

The tornado exited Cumberland County and moved into Sampson County, just southwest of Roseboro. The tornado tracked northeast along NC Highway 24, between Roseboro and Clinton. Cyclic damage between EF1 to EF2 was observed with the most extensive damage observed between Bonnetsville Road and Clinton, including Bass Lake Road and Dixie Road. The tornado continued northeast, crossing Highways 421 and 701 on the north side of Clinton. A roof was completely blown off of a home on Isaac Weeks Road. As the tornado moved farther northeast, the tornado was mostly of Ef1 strength damage to homes were minor, with outbuildings and power poles bent or blown down. The tornado weakened and quickly lifted in the vicinity of Highway 403 and East Darden Road, with minor roof damage to a home. In total, there were 85 to 90 residential structures were damaged, with 25 destroyed; and 13 businesses damaged, with 3 destroyed.

Wider weather episode

A strong storm system that had a history of producing deadly tornadoes across Oklahoma and the deep south on the 14th and 15th weakened as it crossed the southern Appalachians during the early morning hours of the 16th. A squall line descended the Blue Ridge by the late morning hours, and rapidly intensified

as it moved east into the central Piedmont of North Carolina, with four long live tornadic supercells evolving from the linear convective segment. These tornadic supercells went on to produce 9 tornadoes in the Raleigh CWA, including 2 EF3s, and 4 EF2s. The tornadoes left 8 dead with approximately 275 injuries.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (34.9065, -78.5402)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 296615. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.