Columbus County tornado stretched five miles

BOLTON, NC (WWAY) — The National Weather Service says yesterday’s tornado in Columbus County covered five miles in about eight minutes.

The NWS updated information about the tornado after more survey work this morning.

Investigators say the EF-1 tornado touched down at about 4:13 p.m. about three miles east of Bolton on the north size of US 74/76 and snapped approximately 100 pine trees. An EF-1 tornado has winds of 86 to 110 mph. The maximum width of the tornado’s path is reported at 100 yards.

The tornado moved southeast and crossed US 74 causing significant structural damage to a single wide mobile home and adjacent buildings while snapping several large pine trees near the home. The tornado continued southeast through forest and snapped large pine trees that blocked Robinson Road. It broke more trees and large limbs as it crossed Spearman Road. The tree damage knocked down several power lines in the area due to tree damage.

The NWS says damage became less severe as the tornado approached Byrdville-Freeman , and it appears the tornado lifted briefly before touching down  again along Swimming Hole Road. It snapped several large pine and cedar trees and uprooted a few large hardwoods before lifting near the intersection of Dogwood Stand Road and Jm Bordeaux Lane.

Investigators found spotty minor to moderate damage mainly in the form of broken large tree limbs south of the tornado track from west of
Byrdville-Freeman Road to Lennon Road near the intersection of Water Tank road. They say that damage was the result of straightline winds up to about 70 mph.