The April 16, 2011 tornado
EF3Bertie and Hertford counties, North Carolina
An EF3 tornado on a 17.9-mile path that killed 12 and injured 58. It was one of 57 tornadoes recorded in the U.S. that day, 6 of them rated F3/EF3 or stronger.
Watch how it happened Part of the outbreak of April 16, 2011: 57 tornadoes in 6 statesEF3 tornado · April 16, 2011
How it happened
Follow the tornado’s path, minute by minute.
The tornado
- Rating
- EF3
- Enhanced Fujita scale
- Path length
- 17.9 mi
- Width up to 1,300 yards
- Killed
- 12
- Along the whole path
- Injured
- 58
- Along the whole path
- Date and time
- Saturday, April 16, 2011
- 5:55 PM EST
The National Weather Service account
Written by the local Weather Service office after its damage survey.
Tornado first touched down about one mile south of Askewville (east of U.S. Rt. 13), producing minor tree and building damage. The tornado began producing significant damage on the east side of Askewville, where numerous structures and several mobile homes sustained major damage or were destroyed. The tornado then tracked continuously for nearly 19 miles finally lifting east of Harrellsville. For much of the tornado's life, the path width was one half to nearly three quarters of a mile wide. EF2 and EF3 damage was widespread from just east of Askewville northeast to about 3 miles west of Colerain, then gradually decreased as the tornado crossed into Hertford county. Numerous homes were destroyed, and many others suffered varying degrees of damage. In addition, there was extensive damage to trees and wooded areas in the path of the tornado. A split in the tornado damage paths just north of Colerain suggests that the tornado underwent a cyclic re-development with 2 tornadoes on the ground simultaneously for a period of about 5 miles.
The storm system that day
Scattered severe thunderstorms in advance of a cold front produced damaging winds, large hail, and several tornadoes across portions of northeast North Carolina.
NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database.
Counties on its path
Other notable tornadoes that day
- EF3, Moore County6 killed
Storm Prediction Center severe weather database. Path drawn as a straight line from the recorded start to end point.