NWS confirms EF1 tornado struck Catawba County, killing one
A tornado packing 110-mph winds killed a person in Catawba County as fierce storms raced across North Carolina Tuesday afternoon, a National Weather Service team confirmed Wednesday.
The tornado that struck near Claremont was an EF 1 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale that ranks tornadoes based on their wind speeds and damage, NWS meteorologist Jake Wimberley told The Charlotte Observer.
EF 1 is the second weakest of six tornado classifications on the scale. It’s considered “moderate” with winds from 86-110 miles per hour, according to the NWS.
Wimberley said the NWS damage survey team in Catawba County was only midway through tracking the path of the twister early Wednesday afternoon.
The final ranking of the tornado on the scale could change depending on damage the team finds as it finishes tracking its path in the afternoon, he said.
The team announced its preliminary findings at a 1:30 p.m. news conference at the Claremont Fire Department.
Yesterday’s tornado path, damage
Wimberely said a final report about the path of the tornado and damage it caused was expected to be available online later Wednesday on the Tornado Map page of the NWS Greer, South Carolina, office.
The tornado that hit between Claremont and Catawba killed one and critically injured two others, WCNC first reported. All three were in the same home on the 2400 block of Evening Drive, about 40 miles northwest of uptown Charlotte.
Gov. Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency over North Carolina Tuesday as heavy rains and fierce winds from the storm spread across the Carolinas and several other states.
Julia Coin contributed.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
