The National Weather Service confirms an EF1 tornado touched down in Avery County Tuesday morning.
A damage survey shows it touched down by the North Carolina-Tennessee state line just before 1 a.m.
Winds were estimated to have peaked at 105 mph, with the tornado traveling around two and a half miles, according to the report. It tracked through the northern part of Avery County, in the Flat Springs community.
Below is a look at the Enhanced Fujita Scale, which classifies tornadoes into five categories.
Enhanced Fujita Scale
- EF0...WEAK......65 TO 85 MPH
- EF1...WEAK......86 TO 110 MPH
- EF2...STRONG....111 TO 135 MPH
- EF3...STRONG....136 TO 165 MPH
- EF4...VIOLENT...166 TO 200 MPH
- EF5...VIOLENT...>200 MPH
This is only the second tornado to be confirmed in the county, according to the NWS. The other instance was recorded back in 1950.
The NWS says the information is still pending a final review.
