Downed power lines and major road closures severely disrupted travel across Eastern North Carolina as severe weather produced confirmed tornadoes across several counties. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued multiple tornado warnings as the storm system tracked northeast, prompting emergency responses and damage assessments throughout the region.
According to the National Weather Service office in Newport/Morehead City, severe thunderstorms tore through parts of the region, yielding multiple confirmed twisters that damaged homes, ripped roofs off structures, and knocked down trees. The active weather pattern led to emergency declarations and warnings spanning numerous local jurisdictions.
Confirmed Tornado Tracks and Damage Reports
Storm damage survey teams deployed by the NWS investigated multiple touchdown locations across the region, confirming several EF-0 and EF-1 tornadoes:
- Maysville (Onslow County): A 90-mph EF-1 tornado touched down near a farm on White Oak River Road, damaging roofs, removing barn doors, stripping siding off agricultural buildings, and snapping a row of trees.
- Whortonsville (Pamlico County): An EF-1 tornado packing winds between 90 and 100 mph blew a large porch and part of a roof 60 yards east, uprooted large pine trees, and damaged home siding.
- Fairfield Harbour (Craven County): A 90-100 mph EF-1 tornado ripped a large section of a well-built roof at least 100 yards to the east while scattering shingles and snapping timber.
- Florence (Pamlico County): A stronger 105-mph EF-1 tornado injured one person on a sun porch after blowing a brick exterior wall inward. The twister also overturned small campers and snapped power poles.
- Jacksonville (Onslow County): An 85-mph EF-0 tornado caused structural damage to an American Legion building.
Regional Impact and Warnings
Earlier weather activity included a radar-confirmed tornado warning covering portions of Duplin, Jones, Lenoir, and Onslow counties. The storm tracked near Chinquapin at approximately 2:02 p.m., moving northeast at 35 mph. Further north, a confirmed tornado touched down near Fort Barnwell around 3:12 p.m., roughly 12 miles east of Kinston, with localized damage documented near the 4500 block of Middle Road close to Dover.
Emergency management officials urged residents to remain cautious as cleanup operations began. Utility crews worked continuously to clear blocked roadways and restore power to affected neighborhoods throughout the impacted counties.
Ongoing Weather Threats
Meteorologists warn that severe weather risks are not yet over for the region. Additional thunderstorms carrying potential damaging winds, heavy rainfall, and large hail are forecasted to approach Eastern North Carolina ahead of a strong cold front.
“Showers and thunderstorms chances increase Sunday afternoon through Monday ahead of a strong cold front,” forecasters with the NWS Newport/Morehead City office stated in social media updates.
Residents across the affected and surrounding counties are advised to monitor local forecasts closely, keep emergency alerts enabled on their mobile devices, and prepare for potential disruptions as the unstable weather pattern continues.
