480
NOUS42 KMHX 251907
PNSMHX
NCZ029-044>047-079>081-090>092-094-193>196-198-199-203>205-260715-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC
307 PM EDT TUE AUG 25 2026
...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR AUGUST 24TH, 2026 TORNADO EVENT DOWNEAST
CARTERET COUNTY...
RATING: EF0
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 85 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: 0.18 MILES (ESTIMATED)
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/: UNKNOWN
FATALITIES: 0
INJURIES: 0
START DATE: 08/24/2026
START TIME: 04:34 PM EDT
START LOCATION: 3 NNW ATLANTIC / CARTERET COUNTY / NC
START LAT/LON: 34.9353 / -76.3563
END DATE: 08/24/2026
END TIME: 04:34 PM EDT
END LOCATION: 3 NNW ATLANTIC / CARTERET COUNTY / NC
END LAT/LON: 34.9352 / -76.3532
SURVEY SUMMARY:
ALONG HIGHWAY 12/CEDAR ISLAND ROAD, JUST EAST OF THE THOROFARE
BRIDGE, TWO CEDAR TREES WERE SNAPPED UP FROM THE BASE OF THE
TRUNK. THE TREES WERE ON THE SMALLER SIDE AND AN AVERAGE BETWEEN
THE EXPECTED VALUES FOR LARGE BRANCHES BROKEN BUT BELOW TRUNKS
SNAPPED WERE USED TO ACCOUNT FOR THIS. WITH EXTENSIVE MARSHLAND IN
THIS AREA, THE WIND ESTIMATE WAS QUITE DIFFICULT WITH NO OTHER
TREES OR BUILDINGS TO DETERMINE A THRESHOLD OF DAMAGE. POWERLINES
ALONG THIS ROAD ARE METAL AND HAVE A HIGH WIND THRESHOLD. THEY DID
NOT EXHIBIT ANY DAMAGE. EYEWITNESSES REPORTED A WATERSPOUT CROSS
HIGHWAY 12 (CEDAR ISLAND ROAD) AT THE SAME TIME THE RADAR SHOWED
AN INTENSE AREA OF ROTATION JUST ABOVE THE SURFACE. A PATH WIDTH
COULD NOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO THE EXTENSIVE MARSHLAND AND LACK OF
OTHER AREAS OF DAMAGE. CONFIDENCE IS HIGH IN THE DETERMINATION OF
A TORNADO BASED ON THE COMBINATION OF STRONG RADAR EVIDENCE AND
EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS THAT MATCH THE EXACT LOCATION DAMAGE WAS
FOUND. WIND ESTIMATE CONFIDENCE IS A BIT LOWER THAN USUAL GIVEN
THE LACK OF ANY TREES OR BUILDINGS IN THAT AREA TO MAKE A MORE
CONCLUSIVE DETERMINATION OF WIND SPEED. AN ESTIMATION OF TOP WIND
SPEEDS BETWEEN 75 AND 85 MPH IS REASONABLE GIVEN THE EXHIBITED
DAMAGE.
IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT PICTURES OF A FUNNEL CLOUD AND POTENTIAL
TORNADO WERE CIRCULATED ON SOCIAL MEDIA ABOUT THE SAME TIME THE
TORNADO ABOVE OCCURRED. THESE PICTURES HOWEVER ARE LIKELY FROM A
SEPARATE FUNNEL CLOUD OR TORNADO. THE LOCATION OF WHERE THE
PICTURES WERE TAKEN WAS IN BETTIE, NC, ALONG HIGHWAY 70. THIS WAS
16 MILES TO THE SOUTHWEST OF THE STORM SURVEY LOCATION ABOVE. IN
ADDITION THE TORNADO SURVEYED WAS LIKELY RAIN WRAPPED AND WOULD
NOT BE VISIBLE FROM THAT DISTANCE. WE HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY DAMAGE
REPORTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS POSSIBLE SECOND FUNNEL CLOUD OR
TORNADO, DESPITE REACHING OUT TO OPEN GROUND FARMS. IF ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION COMES INTO THE OFFICE, A SECOND SURVEY OR ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION WILL BE SENT OUT.
EF SCALE: THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE CLASSIFIES TORNADOES INTO THE
FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:
EF0.....65 TO 85 MPH
EF1.....86 TO 110 MPH
EF2.....111 TO 135 MPH
EF3.....136 TO 165 MPH
EF4.....166 TO 200 MPH
EF5.....>200 MPH
NOTE:
THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO
CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT AND PUBLICATION IN
NWS STORM DATA.
HEDEN/TL
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