North Carolina saw its first tornado of 2023 just four days into the new year.

What You Need To Know

  • An EF-1 tornado touched down Wednesday afternoon in Beaufort County

  • Tornadoes occur more often in the spring but have been reported every month of the year in North Carolina

  • Storm damage in other parts of the state Wednesday was caused by straight-line wind gusts

The tornado formed near Bayview in Beaufort County as a broken line of storms was moving through eastern North Carolina Wednesday afternoon. 

According to a storm survey conducted by the National Weather Service Office in Newport, the tornado was on the ground for 125 yards with wind speeds estimated at up to 105 miles per hour. That makes it an EF-1 tornado on the Enhanced Fujita scale.

The tin roof of a shed hit by the tornado was thrown about 25 yards away. The storm survey also said the tornado snapped several large cedar trees and tore shingles off several homes.

Fortunately, no fatalities and no injuries were reported.

North Carolina averages 26 tornadoes, three tornado fatalities and 39 tornado injuries each year. April is the peak month for tornadoes in the state. A secondary peak occurs in November.

However, tornadoes have been reported in every month of the year.

Severe storms also caused damage in other parts of North Carolina Wednesday. That damage, including a tree that fell on a home near Parkton in Robeson County, was caused by straight-line wind gusts.