EF2 Tornado — Bladen, North Carolina

2011-04-16 · near Live Oak, Bladen, North Carolina

Event narrative

A National Weather Service Storm Survey Team found evidence of a strong tornado in northern Bladen County, near Ammon, North Carolina. The damage was rated up to an EF2. The maximum wind speed was estimated up to 130 mph. The path length was one and a half miles in Bladen County. However, the tornado remained on the ground as it moved into southeast Cumberland County. The maximum path width was 200 yards. The tornado first touched down southwest of Old Fayetteville Road and severely impacted Foxfire Nursery in northern Bladen County. The tornado completely destroyed four large hog houses and significantly damaged two others. More than one hundred hogs were killed by the tornado. Small offices and outbuildings near the hog houses were either completely destroyed or significantly damaged. There were a couple dozen trees downed in the area. Power lines were also downed. The damage was rated EF1 with winds to 105 mph. The tornado moved across a wooded area and as it approached Old Fayetteville Road, it completely destroyed three manufactured homes, two singlewide trailers and a doublewide. A fourth singlewide manufactured home was broken from its foundation and turned 90 degrees on the north side of Old Fayetteville Road. All of the homes appeared to have been strapped down. There were three fatalities. Several dozen pine and hardwood trees were snapped off as were a few power poles. The damage near and along Old Fayetteville Road was rated EF2 with winds to 130 mph. The damage path then crossed into southeast Cumberland County (WFO Raleigh, North Carolina's County Warning Area).

Wider weather episode

A powerful storm system that had moved across the deep south during previous days, swept across the eastern Carolinas during the afternoon and evening hours. Instability and shear values were highly supportive of super-cell thunderstorms. The result was a large outbreak of severe weather including strong and deadly tornadoes across eastern North Carolina.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (34.8417, -78.6563)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 300477. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.