Rare tornado hits NC mountains in Madison County

MARSHALL, N.C. (WNCN) — An EF-0 tornado caused damage in Madison County, according to the National Weather Service.

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The NWS has confirmed that an EF-0 tornado touched down near the Allegheny community in Madison County, producing peak winds of 80 mph.

The tornado first caused damage along Rock Branch Road, where survey crews found broken large tree limbs and a few uprooted or partially snapped trees. It then tracked southeast across Highway 212, producing its most concentrated damage along the south-facing slope near Shelton Laurel Creek.

In that area, numerous trees were snapped and uprooted before the tornado continued toward Cutshall Town Road, where several pine trees were also snapped. Survey teams also found additional broken limbs and a few possible uprooted trees in a wooded area beyond the creek. Overall, the damage was consistent with an EF-0 tornado, the weakest rating on the Enhanced Fujita Scale.

Although the damage was relatively minor and scattered, it matched radar data that indicated a tornadic circulation moving through the area at the time. Because of the rugged mountain terrain, survey teams were unable to access portions of the tornado’s potential path, meaning some damage may have gone undocumented.

This was a rare event; only five times has a tornado happened officially in Madison County. Three of those tornadoes have occurred this year. One in July and two in March; before that, you have to go back to the 2011 super outbreak. 

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There were also two straight-line wind events surveyed from the severe weather, one in Madison County and another in Catawba County.

The NWS has determined that a swath of damaging straight-line winds moved through portions of Catawba County during the afternoon of July 28, producing wind gusts estimated as high as 75 mph.

The damage path began near Rifle Range Road and stretched southeast across Lee Cline Road, N.C. Highway 16, and Interstate 40 before gradually weakening between Interstate 40 and U.S. Highway 70. Along the damage path, numerous trees were uprooted, and many large tree limbs were snapped.

The most significant damage was concentrated along Rifle Range Road and Lee Cline Road near the intersection with Stafford Street, where survey teams estimated the strongest winds reached 75 mph.

The damage was caused by powerful straight-line winds associated with thunderstorms rather than a tornado. Winds of this magnitude can produce damage similar to a weak tornado, including downed trees, power outages, and damage to roofs and other structures.

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