NORTH CAROLINA (PINPOINT WEATHER) — A second tornado was confirmed associated with the severe storms that ravaged the area Monday.
The National Weather Service reported Tuesday night the latest went through three counties north of Charlotte: Catawba, Iredell, and Rowan.
This is after officials confirmed that an EF-0 tornado had touched down in northern Mecklenburg County during Monday’s rash of severe weather.
The NWS said the tri-county tornado traveled 37 miles from west-southwest of Conover, tracking across Lake Norman and ending near China Grove. Winds reached 110 mph, with 80 mph straight-line winds recorded in Catawba County.
Below is the classification authorities use to categorize tornadoes:
- EF0 (Weak) is 65 to 85 mph
- EF1 (Weak) is 86 to 110 mph
- EF2 (Strong) is 111 to 135 mph
- EF3 (Strong) is 136 to 165 mph
- EF4 (Violent) is 166 to 200 mph
- EF5 (Violent) is more than 200 mph
NWS personnel still have a long way to go when it comes to damage assessment, but they said they tracked a tornado moving from Catawba County to Iredell County and ending in Rowan County.
The NWS continued that they noticed strong straight-line winds along with a tornado track where the tornado touched down.