EF2 tornado in Bladen County, North Carolina

A National Weather Service Storm Survey Team found evidence of a strong tornado in Bladen County, North Carolina. The damage was rated up to an EF2. The maximum wind speed was estimated up to 120 mph. The path length was just over 13 miles. The maximum path width was 440 yards. The tornado first touched down at 458 pm EDT in downtown Bladenboro at the intersection of Seaboard Street and Highway 242. A gas station had its asphalt roof entirely ripped off and tossed into the aluminum awning over the pumps, damaging the awning. A small industrial building also had its asphalt roof entirely removed and tossed 30 yards downwind. The tornado then came entirely to the ground decimating a grove of about 75 trees, consisting of maple and oak, some up to 2 ft in diameter. The path width at this point was approximately 150 yards. The damage was rated EF1 with winds up to 100 mph.

The tornado tracked along and just west of Highway 242 causing damage to a series of singlewide mobile homes. Of these homes, one un-mounted home was flipped onto its side, a second was partially destroyed, while a third had its entire metal roof ripped off and tossed up into a tree. Just beyond these homes the Bladenboro EMS

building was also damaged. Partial uplift of the roof of this brick building was noted, as well as the complete destruction of a small shed. In addition, many large hardwood trees were uprooted. This damage was rated EF1 with winds to 100 mph.

The tornado then widened to 200 yards as it moved across a neighborhood of mobile homes in the Ronald Britt Road area. Almost every tree in this neighborhood, mostly consisting of oak, was snapped about halfway up the trunk. Many of the homes sustained at least minor cosmetic damage. Three of the homes were completely destroyed including one in which even the debris had been deposited well downwind of where the home initially stood. There was one fatality in this location. Damage in this neighborhood was rated up to EF2 with winds to 120 mph. The tornado widened further as it moved adjacent to Highway 242. Near Bill Crawley Road at around 508 pm, a single wide mobile home was completely demolished and its debris was spread 50 yards to the other side of Highway 242. Up to 80 percent of all trees were snapped or uprooted in this area. The tornado then crossed back across Highway 242 and reached its maximum path width of 440 yards as it crossed Guyton Road and encountered a series of single family homes. A large brick home had approximately half of its roof destroyed and blown away while the other homes suffered significant cosmetic damage. Additionally, a few empty galvanized steel grain silos were lifted and moved 100 yards. This damage was rated EF2 with winds around 120 mph.

The tornado continued across mostly forested areas before impacting the Hayfield neighborhood of Elizabethtown around 512 pm. Extensive damage was observed between Singletary Avenue and Doll Street. A well constructed home had its roof partially lifted, causing the exterior walls to bow out. Significant structural damage was noted to the roof and to the upper portion of the exterior walls. Many other homes in this neighborhood experienced significant cosmetic damage. As the tornado moved across Cromartie Road, it snapped or uprooted virtually all of the trees in the area as its width decreased to about 300 yards. Most of the observed structural damage to homes was from falling trees. The damage directly related to winds was mostly cosmetic with shingles torn off and siding damaged. As the tornado crossed Highway 87, it made a direct hit on Elizabethtown Baptist Church. Moderate roof damage was noted to several of the buildings, and a brick covered walkway was almost completely leveled. The damage in this area was rated EF1 with winds to 100 mph. The tornado then moved across mostly rural and forested areas as it began to weaken. The tornado crossed Highway 53, taking down a swath of pine trees 100 yards wide, some of which blocked the road. This damage was rated EF1 with winds to 95 mph. At this point the tornado began to lift and subsequent tree damage was more consistent with straight line winds.

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.