Officials: ‘Freak Storm’ Caused Deadly North Carolina Tornado
The governor surveyed the brunt of the damage, at Ocean Ridge Plantation, a neighborhood where residents recounted near-death experiences from the powerful EF3 tornado that approached swiftly.
Showing the Democratic governor obliterated roofs, downed trees and severely damaged homes, Brunswick County’s emergency services director Ed Conrow echoed the frustrations of residents who spoke of having little to no time to prepare.
“It developed so fast,” Conrow told the governor. “I mean, it just was really nothing and just exploded. Within four minutes, we had a tornado on the ground, which is scary because everyone’s in bed at nighttime sleeping.”
February EF3 Tornadoes Are Rare In North Carolina
SHARE
Severe weather in February is not unusual for North Carolina. The state can see severe thunderstorms and even tornadoes any month of the year.
But what made Monday evening s tornado in Brunswick County so unusual was that it was a strong tornado, an EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale. A very strong tornado can happen any time of the year, but it s a rare occurrence for North Carolina in February.
What You Need To Know
The Brunswick County tornado was a high-end EF3 tornado
Severe weather does occur in North Carolina during the winter season, but odds are lower than any other season
Cooper calls for improved warning system amid deadly tornado mynorthwest.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from mynorthwest.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said Wednesday that the state must learn from the surprise tornado that struck Ocean Isle Beach with little or no warning,