At least 42 tornadoes touched down across the eastern United States on Good Friday. That is is the latest count from the National Weather Service that has been surveying the storm damage from Pennsylvania to Florida. 

Virginia had the most tornadoes on April 19 with 15 across the state. The strongest tornado of the day, an EF-3, was also reported in Virginia.  

In North Carolina, the strongest tornado was an EF-2 tornado in Orange County that damaged homes near Hillsborough. The state was second on the list for the number of tornadoes.

 

Note that one tornado is counted in both North Carolina and Virginia as it formed in North Carolina and then tracked into Virginia.  That is why a total of 42 tornadoes is listed instead of 43.

Here is a closer look at the 13 tornadoes in North Carolina:

  • Orange County: EF-2 tornado on the ground for 12 miles from near the community of White Cross to Hillsborough.
  • Northhampton County: EF-1 tornado on the ground for 18.6 miles from Garysburg into Southhampton County, Virginia.
  • Nash and Halifax Counties:  EF-1 tornado on the ground for 12.5 miles from just east of Dortches to near Enfield.
  • Sampson and Johnston Counties: EF-1 tornado on the ground for 10 miles from Spiveys Corner to Meadow.
  • Edgecombe and Halifax Counties: EF-1 tornado on the ground for 8.8 miles from near Whitakers to near Enfield.
  • Halifax County: EF-1 tornado on the ground for 5.1 miles near Weldon.
  • Chatham County:  EF-1 tornado on the ground for 2 miles near Siler City.
  • Moore County: EF-1 tornado on the ground for 1.6 miles near Robbins.
  • Alexander County: EF-1 tornado on the ground for 0.56 miles near Hiddennite and Vashti.
  • Northhampton County: EF-0 tornado on the ground for 9.75 miles from Jackson to Margarettsville.
  • Gaston and Lincoln Counties: EF-0 tornado on the ground for 7.17 miles from Crouse to Lincolnton.
  • Northhampton County: Another EF-0 tornado on the ground for 1.5 miles near Gaston.
  • McDowell County:  EF-0 tornado on the ground for 0.63 miles near Ashford.

Tornadoes are ranked by strength using the Enhanced Fujita scale from 0 to 5.  An EF-0 tornado has winds between 65 and 85mph.   Winds in an EF-1 tornado range between 86 and 110mph.  An EF-2 has winds up to 135mph and an EF-3 has winds up to 165mph.