NWS confirms EF-1 tornado touched down in Alexander County, N.C.

TAYLORSVILLE, N.C. (WBTV) - The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed an EF-1 tornado with winds up to 110 miles per hour touched down in the Taylorsville area of Alexander County on Wednesday.

On Friday, NWS meteorologists surveyed storm damage near Taylorsville. The survey was in relation to the severe thunderstorms that moved through the area on Wednesday, March 23.

A statement says the survey team confirmed an EF-1 tornado with wind speeds to 110 MPH and a width of 150 yards occurred in this area.

Alexander County officials say it appears there was a 5-6 mile stretch of wind damage that included damage from the EF1 Tornado, which had winds of at least 110 mph.

Several houses sustained damage during the severe storm, with many downed trees. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported.

NWS officials said the tornado touched down beginning around 11:02 p.m. Wednesday on Hidden Valley Road with multiple trees down.

The tornado quickly moved northeast thereafter, causing moderate damage to a small barn and knocking down some small trees as it crossed Lambert Fork Road.

Shortly thereafter, officials say it caused roof and siding damage to a family home, and intensified to EF-1 as it approached Robinette Road.

The tornado caused some of the worst damage in this area, snapping dozens of thick hardwood trees, causing severe damage to the exterior of a doublewide, and completely destroying a small barn.

In addition, Alexander County Emergency Management sent up a drone during the survey, which was able to record extensive snapped and uprooted trees away from the roadway, in nearby areas that were otherwise inaccessible to the NWS survey team.

The tornado continued northeastward, snapping or uprooting dozens of smaller trees along Mount Olive Church Road.

At this point, officials say it was likely weakening, and by the time it reached Russell Gap Road, was causing EF-0 damage, snapping smaller trees over a more isolated area.

By 11:07 p.m., the tornado had dissipated northeast of Russell Gap Road.

“The National Weather Service in Greenville-Spartanburg, SC would like to thank Alexander County Emergency Management for collaboration with today`s storm survey,” a statement from NWS read.

The storm survey information will also be available on the NWS website.