719
NOUS42 KMHX 132135
PNSMHX
NCZ029-044>047-079>081-090>092-094-193>196-198-199-203>205-140945-
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEWPORT/MOREHEAD CITY NC
535 PM EDT FRI MAR 13 2026
...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR MARCH 12TH, 2026 TORNADO EVENT IN FLORENCE, NC...
FLORENCE TORNADO
RATING: EF-1
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND: 105 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/: 3 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/: 150 YARDS
FATALITIES: 0
INJURIES: 1
START DATE: MARCH 12, 2026
START TIME: 256 PM EDT
START LOCATION: 3 WNW FLORENCE, NC
START LAT/LON: 35.141137/-76.662916
END DATE: MARCH 12, 2026
END TIME: 306 PM EDT
END LOCATION: FLORENCE, NC
END LAT/LON: 35.143465/-76.635358
THE TRACK STARTED NEAR OR JUST SOUTH OF THE BAY RIVER JUST TO THE WEST OF ARANT
AND MURPHY FARM ROAD. DAMAGE CONSISTED OF MULTIPLE SOFTWOOD OR PINE TREES SNAPPED
OR UPROOTED. MULTIPLE SMALL CAMPERS WERE OVERTURNED ALONG MURPHY FARM ROAD.
SOME PINE TREES WERE DEBARKED ALONG MURPHY FARM ROAD. THIS WOULD INDICATE
PEAK WINDS MAY HAVE BRIEFLY APPROACHED EF2 DAMAGE HERE BASED ON GUIDANCE.
HOWEVER, THIS GROVE OF TREES WAS COMPLETELY IN THE OPEN AND WIND WAS LIKELY
ENHANCED HERE. IN ADDITION, NO DAMAGE BEFORE OR AFTER THIS LOCATION SUPPORTED
HIGHER WIND SPEEDS.
THE DAMAGE PATH CONTINUED EAST OF MURPHY FARM ROAD AND ALONG FLORENCE ROAD.
NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF THIS LOCATION AND JUST NORTH OF FLORENCE ROAD, MORE
THAN 20 SOFTWOOD TREES WERE UPROOTED AND SNAPPED. A CLEAR, CONVERGENT PATH WAS
FOUND THROUGH THE WOODS. THE DAMAGE PATH CONTINUED ALONG FLORENCE ROAD, WHERE
MORE SOFTWOOD TREES WERE SNAPPED AND UPROOTED NEAR THE ENTRANCE TO BAY SHORES
ROAD. HERE 3 POWER POWER POLES WERE DAMAGED WITH THE CROSS ARMS BROKEN.
THE PATH CONTINUED ALONG FLORENCE ROAD, WITH MORE SOFTWOOD TREES SNAPPED AND
UPROOTED JUST SOUTH OF MOORE CREEK. AT THIS LOCATION A CONVERGENT PATH
WAS STILL NOTED WITH UPROOTED TREES IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. WIND SPEEDS
ALONG THIS PART OF THE PATH WERE LIKELY BETWEEN 90 AND 100 MPH.
THE PATH ENDED ALONG FLORENCE ROAD, WHERE THE PEAK OF THE WINDS MAY HAVE
OCCURRED OR APPROACHING 105 MPH. A BRICK OUTSIDE WALL WAS BLOWN INWARD,
WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO A SUN PORCH. AN OCCUPANT IN THE SUN PORCH DURING
THE STORM WAS INJURED. MULTIPLE SOFTWOOD TREES WERE SNAPPED NEAR THIS LOCATION.
THE DAMAGE PATH ENDED TO THE EAST NORTH EAST OF THIS LOCATION IN A FIELD.
DAMAGE AT A NEARBY HOUSE CONSISTED OF SIDING AND DRIP EDGING BLOWN IN THE
OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF THE STORM PATH, AGAIN CONSISTENT WITH THE DAMAGE PATTERN
OF A TORNADO.
WE EXTEND A SPECIAL APPRECIATION AND THANKS TO THE PAMLICO COUNTY EMERGENCY
SERVICES AND THE RESIDENTS OF PAMLICO COUNTY FOR AIDING IN OUR STORM SURVEY
TODAY.
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.
CQD/HEDEN
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.
Main Text Page