EF2 Tornado — Wilson, North Carolina

2011-04-16 · near Lucama, Wilson, North Carolina

Event narrative

A tornado touched down just just north of the town of Lucama, where several homes were heavily damaged and numerous large pine trees were snapped in half or uprooted. Several vehicles were blown over and rolled as much as 100 feet. Winds in this location were estimated at 120 mph. The tornado continued moving northeast and crossed NC Highway 42 on the western side of Wilson where 25 homes and a dozen businesses were heavily damaged, in addition to numerous downed trees and power-lines. Several air conditioning units were blown off the top of businesses and onto the street...and dozens of vehicles at an automotive dealership were heavily damaged by wind blown debris. At this point peak winds were also estimated at 120 mph. The tornado continued moving northeast to NC Highway 264 on the western

Side of Wilson where a family medical supply building and the Parkwood Village Apartments received minor roof and window damage from wind blown debris. Winds in this area were estimated at 80 mph. The tornado continued to weaken and lifted near NC Highway 58 on the northwest side of Wilson. In total, approximately 175 homes were damaged, including 40 homes that were completely 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 → (35.6580, -78.0410)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 297246. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.