Tornado hit Black Mountain, NWS confirms; first in more than 2 decades for Buncombe County

(WGHP) – Buncombe County observed its first tornado in over two decades last Thursday.

The NWS Greenville-Spartanburg confirmed an EF-0 tornado touched down in Black Mountain , North Carolina, at 12:15 a.m. Thursday. The tornado had peak winds of 85 mph and traveled nearly two and a half miles.

This is the first tornado in the county since May 6, 1999.

Tornado in Jackson County

The recent Buncombe County tornado was not the only tornado confirmed in the North Carolina mountains last Thursday. The NWS Greenville-Spartanburg also confirmed a tornado in Jackson County. The survey team found evidence of an EF-1 tornado with 110 mph winds.

Because Nantahala National Forest, the portion of Jackson County impacted by the tornado, has rugged terrain, the survey team had difficulty accessing portions of the damage so they used drone footage and satellite imagery to track the likely path of the tornado.

The Jackson County tornado is the fourth confirmed tornado in the county since 1950 and the first tornado in 12 years. The three previous tornadoes occurred in 2012, 1976 and 1975.

Tornados in the Mountains

While it’s rare to see a tornado in the mountains of North Carolina, it’s certainly not the first time. From 1950 to 2023, a total of 52 tornadoes were confirmed in the North Carolina mountains.

Buncombe County, home to Asheville, has observed six tornadoes since 1950. The May 9, 2024, tornado makes seven confirmed tornadoes in the county since 1950.

The most active years for tornadoes in Buncombe County were 1976 and 1977 with two tornadoes confirmed both years.

The majority of tornadoes in the North Carolina mountains have been rated EF-1 which means peak winds of up to 110 mph.

The strongest tornado to occur in the mountains was an F4 tornado on April 3, 1974. An F4 tornado means peak wind speeds were likely between 207 mph and 260 mph. The tornado began in Fannin County, Georgia, and was on the ground for 24 miles, traveling into Cherokee County, North Carolina. Four people died and 26 were injured.

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