Wednesday's tornado near Rocky Mount is the strongest tornado on record for the month of July in North Carolina.

Meteorologists from the National Weather Service found damage along the tornado path that indicate winds in the tornado reached up to 150 mph. That places the tornado strength at EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale.

A search of a tornado database maintained by the State Climate Office of North Carolina found no other records of an EF3 tornado or higher in the state in July.

There was a report of an EF3 tornado on July 4, 1967 just over the state line in Suffolk County, Virginia. 

Most tornadoes in North Carolina range between EF-0 and EF-1 strength. 

Between 1950 and last year, 1,469 tornadoes have been reported in the state. Only 3% of those were rated EF3 or EF4. There has never been an EF5 tornado reported in the state. 

Wednesday's tornado path through Nash and Edgecombe Counties was over 16 miles long and up to about 600 yards wide.

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