ASHEBORO, N.C. (ACME NEWS) — Two tornadoes touched down in the Triad on Tuesday, with the closest to Randolph County an EF-0 that struck High Point, just across the county line.
The National Weather Service in Raleigh confirmed the High Point tornado struck for approximately 5 minutes with winds of 85 mph over about 1 mile. The tornado passed over the station WGHP, forcing anchors to evacuate the studio live on air.
An EF-1 tornado also touched down in Whitsett, traveling over 5 minutes and 2.5 miles into Burlington with wind speeds up to 100 mph.
Storm reports show the severe weather knocked down trees, snapped telephone poles, damaged roofs and flipped tractor-trailers on their side on Interstate 40 in Gibsonville. No serious injuries or deaths were reported, according to the National Weather Service.
The National Weather Service survey teams examined damage reports and radar data to determine if radar-indicated rotation and reports of funnel clouds confirmed tornado touchdowns. The tornado reports remain preliminary as the agency continues to gather additional data.
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