Last Updated on August 21, 2023 12:15 pm
The National Weather Service has confirmed an EF1 tornado touchdown in Watauga County last week.
That tornado is the same one that touched down in Avery County during the very early hours of Tuesday, August 15th.
It's the third official tornado confirmed for Watauga since the database began in 1950. The previous two occurred in:
1996 – Watauga County: A F1 tornado was documented on April 20, 1996, around 1 pm in the Tweetsie Railroad parking lot.
1998 – Zionville (Watauga County): A F0 tornado was documented on June 3, 1998, around 7:17 pm, measuring in length 2 miles and 60 yards wide.
For more on the history of tornadoes in the High Country visit this page.
Below is the official report from NWS:
0103 AM Tornado
2 NNW Beech Mountain
36.24N 81.90W
08/15/2023
Watauga NC NWS Storm Survey
Corrects previous tornado report from 2 NNW Beech Mountain.
EF1 tornado moved a short distance into western Watauga Co. before lifting. Sporadic uprooted trees were noted in a wooded area between Buckeye Rd. and Seminole Trail, resulting from estimated wind gusts up to 90 mph.
