EF0 tornado in Columbus County, North Carolina

A National Weather Service Storm Survey examined damage along the west side of Orange Street in Fair Bluff and found the pattern suggestive of a brief tornadic circulation. Several trees were snapped before the tornado lifted after about one minute. The tornado was rated at EF0. The path length was 30 yards and the maximum width was 10 yards.

A surface warm front lifted northward across the area just a few hours prior to the onset of a severe weather outbreak while a cold front approached from the northwest. A meso-low developed across northeast Georgia and enhanced the shear through the low-levels of the atmosphere. The arrival of a potent shortwave and associated strong dynamics by late afternoon were able to overcome limited instability and the stabilizing influences of the chilly Atlantic Ocean, allowing for a long-lived severe weather outbreak. National Weather Service Storm Damage Teams confirmed eight tornadoes, up to an EF1 on the Enhanced F-scale. The teams also observed evidence of strong microbursts and rear-flank downdraft damage. Large hail up to 1.75 inches and straight line wind damage up to 95 mph also occurred. The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center upgraded the area from a moderate risk for severe weather to a PDS high risk early in the afternoon.