May 24, 2017 Tornadoes Confirmed in Yadkin and Stokes County

Overview

As a warm front lifted north through North Carolina in the afternoon of Wednesday May 24, 2017, isolated storms formed just to the south of it and quickly developed rotation in an environment with strong wind shear. One particular supercell storm tracked north-northeastward through Iredell and Davie Counties, before crossing into Yadkin and Stokes Counties, and eventually into Virginia. This storm produced two fairly long track tornadoes in the NWS Blacksburg County Warning Area. The first one was on the ground for over 4 miles in Yadkin County (after first crossing out of Davie County), and produced EF2-rated damage including to an elementary school gymnasium in the town of Courtney. This same storm then produced another tornado in Stokes County, touching down right on the border with Forsyth County, and lasting for over 15 miles producing some EF2 damage as well near and through the YMCA Camp Hanes, before cross over a portion of Sauratown Mtn and then continuing for a few more miles with mainly tree damage before dissipating near the Dan River. Damage was mainly to trees, including large hardwoods that were snapped or uprooted, but in some locations homes and cabins had fairly significant roof damage, while several mobile homes suffered more significant damage and several outbuildings were completely destroyed. No injuries were reported, but several families had to find temporary shelter as their homes were damaged too severely to remain in.

Tornadoes:

Tornado - Courtney, NC
Yadkin County

Date	May 24th, 2017
Time (Local)	4:17 PM - 4:23 PM
EF Rating	EF2
Est. Peak Winds	125 MPH
Path Length	4.1 miles (in Yadkin)
Max Width	225 yards
Injuries/Deaths	1 injury
Summary: Damage to trees and dozens of structures occurred as the tornado passed into Yadkin Co from Davie County, with the most extensive damage to the Courtney Elementary School gymnasium. One person was injured when a large limb fell on a mobile home. The tornado lifted just northeast of Watkins Rd.

Track Map


Courtney Elementary School Gym	Mobile Home on Baity Rd

Tornado - Sauratown Mountain, NC
Stokes County

Date	May 24th, 2017
Time (Local)	4:52 PM - 5:19 PM
EF Rating	EF2
Est. Peak Winds	125 MPH
Path Length	16.1 mi
Max Width	700 yds
Injuries/Deaths	None
Summary: A tornado with a continuous path touched down near the Forsyth and Stokes County line causing large tree limbs to snap and numerous trees to become uprooted along and near Spainhour Mill Road. The tornado continued to the northeast, producing damage as it crossed US-52, Old Highway 52, and other minor roadways. The tornado reached its maximum strength and width as it impacted areas near and within YMCA Camp Hanes at the base of Sauratown Mountain, where numerous outbuildings, mobile homes, and cabins were damaged. The tornado at this point reached a maximum path width of just under 1/2 mile with a maximum wind speed estimate of 125 MPH. The tornado continued in the same cardinal direction for several more miles before coming to an end just north of Highway 89 and just south of North Stokes High School. In total, the tornado was on the ground for 16.1 miles, and produced up to EF2 damage.

Track Map


Damage to building at YMCA Camp Hanes	Damage to trees and AC units at Camp Hanes	Damage to outbuilding and trees south of Sauratown Mountain (seen in distance looking north)	Swath of tree damage on edge of Sauratown Mountain (looking west)

The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale classifies tornadoes into the following categories:

EF0 Weak 65-85 mph	EF1 Moderate 86-110 mph	EF2 Significant 111-135 mph	EF3 Severe 136-165 mph	EF4 Extreme 166-200 mph	EF5 Catastrophic 200+ mph

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