EF-1 Tornado Hits Bethel, NC, June 5, 2017

EF-1 Tornado Hits Bethel, NC, June 5, 2017

An EF-1 tornado formed along a frontal boundary during the evening hours of June 5, 2017 in Bethel in northern Pitt County. The tornado produced some significant structural and tree damage along Highway 30. An EF-1 tornado produces estimated wind speeds in the 86 to 110 mph range.

Tornado near Bethel, NC, June 5, 2017 (Courtesy WITN). Damage near Bethel, NC (Photo by Caty Whitehurst)

..TORNADO CONFIRMED NEAR BETHEL IN PITT COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA  
  
LOCATION...BETHEL IN PITT COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA  
DATE...JUNE 5 2017  
ESTIMATED TIME...725 PM EDT  
MAXIMUM EF-SCALE RATING...EF1   
ESTIMATED MAXIMUM WIND SPEED...80 TO 90 MPH   
MAXIMUM PATH WIDTH...100 YARDS   
PATH LENGTH...ABOUT 1/2 MILE   
BEGINNING LAT/LON...35.766N/ 77.33W   
ENDING LAT/LON...35.77 / 77.33W  
* FATALITIES...0  
* INJURIES...0  
  
* THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO  
CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT(S) AND PUBLICATION IN NWS  
STORM DATA.  
   
..SUMMARY  
  
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC HAS CONFIRMED  
A TORNADO NEAR BETHEL IN PITT COUNTY NORTH CAROLINA ON JUNE 5 2017.  
  
AT APPROXIMATELY 7:25 PM EDT, A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR THE INTERSECTION  
OF WHITEHURST STATION ROAD AND HIGHWAY 30, WHERE IT PRODUCED SIGNIFICANT   
DAMAGE TO ONE OLDER BUILDING AND UPROOTED AND SNAPPED HARDWOOD TREES. THE   
TORNADO CROSSED HIGHWAY 30 AND CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO A WOODSHOP   
STORAGE BUILDING AND KNOCKED DOWN POWERLINES, WHILE DEBRIS CAUSED DAMAGE   
TO TWO RESIDENTIAL HOMES. THE TORNADO MOVED ACROSS A CROP FIELD WHERE IT   
LIFTED MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE MOVING INTO FIELD OF TREES WHERE ADDITIONAL TREES   
WERE KNOCKED DOWN AND BLOCKED THE TRAIN TRACKS. THE TORNADO DEBRIS PATH WIDTH   
WAS APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS WITH A PATH LENGTH OF ABOUT HALF A MILE.      
  
THIS INFORMATION CAN ALSO BE FOUND ON OUR WEBSITE AT  
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MHX.  
  
FOR REFERENCE...THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE CLASSIFIES TORNADOES INTO THE  
FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:  
  
EF0...WIND SPEEDS 65 TO 85 MPH.  
EF1...WIND SPEEDS 86 TO 110 MPH.  
EF2...WIND SPEEDS 111 TO 135 MPH.  
EF3...WIND SPEEDS 136 TO 165 MPH.  
EF4...WIND SPEEDS 166 TO 200 MPH.  
EF5...WIND SPEEDS GREATER THAN 200 MPH