EF3 Tornado — Brunswick, North Carolina

2021-02-15 to 2021-02-16 · near Grissettown, Brunswick, North Carolina

Event narrative

The tornado touched down near the intersection of Old Georgetown Road SW and Angel Trace Road as an EF-0, where a couple of pine trees were snapped and several large limbs were broken. It moved to the northeast across a forest, then rapidly intensified to an EF-2 as it approached Hwy 904. A large portion of a roof was blown off a metal building on the west side of 904, several RVs were rolled over, and several large pine trees were snapped. The tornado crossed Hwy 904, snapped numerous trees and caused moderate damage to a large metal building and church.

The tornado entered the Ocean Ridge Plantation neighborhood with wind speeds up to 125 mph. Hundreds of trees were snapped, and many homes sustained minor to moderate damage. It crossed Rosebury Court SW, then strengthened to its maximum intensity of 160 mph (EF-3), as it approached Cambria Court SW. Two homes were completely destroyed in this area, and several more sustained moderate to major damage. The tornado reached its maximum path width of 275 yards as it moved across Windsor Circle, although maximum winds decreased to 115 mph (EF2). Many homes sustained moderate to major damage, hundreds of large trees were snapped, and one automobile was observed rolled on its side.

It crossed Hwy 17 as an EF-1, then re-intensified to an EF-2, causing major damage to several homes and snapping hundreds of trees along Green Bay Road NW and Old Shallote Road NW. The tornado continued to produce a near continuous path of tree damage through forest and swamp land, across Hwy 130 and Highway 211, confirmed by helicopter overflight. The tornado lifted approximately three miles east of highway 211 after passing west of the Bear Pen Airstrip.

Wider weather episode

Strong low pressure and a cold front produced an EF-3 tornado.

View location on OpenStreetMap → (33.9118, -78.5096)

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event_id 945569. Narrative written by the NWS forecast office that issued the report.