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Draft:Sunset Beach tornado

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Sunset Beach tornado
EF3 damage to a home in Sunset Beach, NC where 2 fatalities occurred.
Meteorological history
FormedFebruary 15, 2021, 11:34 p.m. EST (UTC−04:00)
DissipatedFebruary 16, 2021, 12:02 a.m. EST (UTC−04:00)
Duration28 minutes
EF3 tornado
on the Enhanced Fujita scale
Highest winds160 mph (260 km/h)[1]
Overall effects
Fatalities3
Injuries10
Power outages
37,000[2]
Part of the Tornadoes of 2021, and February 13–17, 2021 North American winter storm

In the nighttime hours from February 15, to February 16, an unusually rare but intense tornado tracked through several communities, including Sunset Beach. Rated EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, this tornado had maximum wind speeds of 160 mph (260 km/h). This tornado caused considerable damage, with 37,000 people reported power loss. While being part of a larger outbreak, this was the strongest tornado, and the deadliest as well. The tornado stay largely in rural areas, though it's impact in Sunset Beach was the worst. After causing fatalities in the town, this tornado then tracked through seval communities, before moving further into marsh areas and then dissipate.

After the National Weather Service had completed their survey, the tornado was rated EF3. This, however, was not the only tornado to be rated, though. There was another tornado rated EF2, and 4 other EF0. These tornadoes did not cause any injuries or fatalities.

The National Weather Service did issue a tornado warning, but only after the tornado had touched down and had started to do damage. Most residents were asleep, and the warning never got through to people's phones. There were also no tornado sirens in place, leading to even less warning.

In the aftermath of the tornado, Governor Roy Cooper had issued the area as a state of emergency. Red cross had assisted in helping, providing shelters for families. The Brunswick County’s emergency services director Ed Conrow had limited visitors in the area so rescue and clean-up crew could help assist with the damage.


Metrological Setup

The outlook when the tornado had formed.

On February 13, a frontal storm formed off the coast of the Pacific Northwest and made landfall in California and Washington, before moving southeastward, with the storm becoming disorganized in the process.[3] A low level trough formed from February 12-13, fueling the storm. The trough became fully mature by February 15, channeling significant amounts of moisture into the winter storm and also contributing to a historic cold wave that affected most of the Central and Eastern United States.[4]

Meanwhile, the NWS had issued a marginal risk for northern Florida at 09:29 UTC (4:29 a.m., EST[note 1]) (with no risk for tornadoes.[5] At 12:00 UTC ( 7:00 AM EST), the risk was upgraded to a marginal risk, with a 2% risk over eastern North Carolina. At this time, a strong shortwave trough had moved from the southern Plains that morning across the lower Mississippi Valley that afternoon. With a strengthening upper jet spreading northeastward across the Appalachians, this allowed for storms to develop. At the surface, a low pressure over the Gulf of Mexico had moved inland across the Florida Panhandle during the early afternoon as a warm front brought 60 °F (16 °C) dewpoints ashore and into southern GA.[5] As the day wore on, The SPC outlined an Enhanced risk tornadoes, and a 5% risk was present over these areas.[6] At 11:00 p.m. EST on February 15, data from the Storm Prediction Center indicated atmospheric instability exceeding 1,000 J/kg and an effective bulk shear of approximately 45 knots. These parameters supported an area of strong thunderstorms moving northeastward across South Carolina. As the system interacted with a warm front, rotation increased, leading to the formation of a tornado in Brunswick County.[7]

Preparations

The SPC had outlined a 5% risk for tornadoes, but more concerned had been focused in Northern Florida-Southern Alabama area, where a 10% for tornadoes was in place. At 11:33 pm, the NWS had issued a Severe Weather Warning, but few people received this warning.[8] The tornado itself would strike near midnight, and there was no warning for the tornado before, or after it touched down. A tornado warning was issued however, but only after the tornado had begun damage. This left residents with little time to prepare, as those who did receive the message were asleep.[9][10]

Tornado Narrative

Thousands of trees that were destroyed.

As the sun set, the front had neared Carolina Shores, the cold front spawned a QLCS tornado at 11:34 PM EST in Calabash.[11][12] It left Calabash and rapidly inflicting weak EF0 damage to the Sea Trail Golf Resort, knocking over several trees. After leaving the resort, it hit Sandpiper Bay Resort as well. Quickly strengthening, it reached F2 intensity and destroyed many mobile homes, as well as a metal structure, causing structural damage. Then it weekend to EF1 and knocked over some trees.[13] Shortly after this, the tornado strengthened, causing low end EF3 tornado damage to houses in the Sunset Beach neighborhood.[14] As the tornado continued, it briefly strengthened to high end EF3, destroying several buildings outside of Sunset beach.[15] The hardest hit area was the Ocean Ridge Plantation, especially to Windsor Circle and Rosebury Court.[16] It also reach it's max width of 275 yards, It flattening several homes in the area. All three deaths occured on Rosebury Court, with all three being seniors.[17][18][19] Some areas showed EF4 possible damage, but was assigned high end EF3 instead.[20] After this, the tornado then crossed over Ocean Highway, quickly weakening into a EF2 with 115 mph wind speeds. While crossing the highway, it destroyed many power utilities, causing severe power outages.[21] It impacted more homes after this, including a home on Old Shallotte Road where a tree impaled a house at EF2 intensity.[22][23] The tornado then caused EF1 damage as it reached the end of it's path, mostly to trees. A total of over a thousand trees had been damaged or destroyed.[24][13] The tornado continued to weaken again while traveling through marshlands. When the tornado reached N.C. 904, it destroyed a large metal building and overturned a number of RVs. The National Weather Service estimates that wind speeds were estimated to have reached low end EF2.[25] The supercell did not produce anymore tornadoes after that, and soon was consumed by the front.[note 2]

Aftermath

Damage

At least 50 homes were damaged in Sunset Beach.[26] The golf course nearby also sustained significant damage. Around 37,000 customers lost power during the height of the storms.[27] Two large warehouses also collapsed during the tornado.[28] This tornado became the deadliest single tornado in Southeastern North Carolina since an F3 touched down on November 16, 2006,[29] and the first deadly tornado on record in Brunswick County.[17] There were also severe injuries, with at least ten injuries being reported.[30][31]

Response

Governor Roy Cooper signed a state of emergency for Sunset Beach on February 25.[32] Cooper also designated the week of March 7-13 as “Severe Weather Awareness Week”, and ordered tornado drills at school on March 10.[33]

Recovery

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Eastern time zone was the time zone that the tornado occurred in.
  2. ↑ According to radar

References

  1. ↑ Storm Events Database February 15, 2021 (Report). National Centers for Environmental Information. Retrieved May 28, 2021 – via National Centers for Environmental Information.
  2. ↑ Powerful EF3 tornado tears through NC, killing at least 3, AccuWeather, February 16, 2021
  3. ↑ Service, NOAA's National Weather. "WPC Surface Analysis Archive". www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  4. ↑ Jackson, Bryan (February 22, 2021). "Southern Plains to Great Lakes Winter Storm: (2/14 - 2/16)" (PDF). wpc.ncep.noaa.gov. Weather Prediction Center. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Storm Prediction Center Feb 15, 2021 0100 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook". www.spc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  6. ↑ "Storm Prediction Center Feb 15, 2021 2000 UTC Day 1 Convective Outlook". www.spc.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
  7. ↑ Storm Prediction Center ;https://www.spc.noaa.gov/exper/ma_archive/images_s4/20210216/04_cpsh.gif
  8. ↑ Price, Shoemaker, Blondin and Farhat, Mark J. Dale Alan Jenna. "'A path of destruction.' Three dead after tornado rips through coastal NC community". www.newsobserver.com. Retrieved October 02, 2026. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |access-date= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ↑ Mark Price , J. Dale Shoemaker , Alan Blondin and Jenna Farhat: Tornado warning was sent as EF3 twister touched down in NC. Why the short notice? [https://www.newsobserver.com/news/weather-news/article249292695.html#storylink=cpy]
  10. ↑ "Deadly Brunswick County tornado intensified quickly, offering little warning for sleeping families". CBS17.com. 2021-02-16. Archived from the original on 2021-10-19. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  11. ↑ "At least three dead, 10 injured after tornado rips through 'luxurious' North Carolina community". New York Daily News. 2021-02-16. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
  12. ↑ "Storm slams coastal town in N.C. | Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette". www.nwaonline.com. 2021-02-17. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  13. 1 2 "Damage Viewer (PROD)". apps.dat.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
  14. ↑ Merryman, Emma Dill and Krys. "'A freak storm': Brunswick County tornado victims held on with prayer as the storm passed". Wilmington Star-News. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
  15. ↑ Alisha Ebrahimji,Joe Sutton,Hollie Silverman (2021-02-16). "3 people were killed and 10 more injured after a tornado struck coastal North Carolina | CNN". CNN. Retrieved 2026-10-02.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. ↑ News, WWAY (2023-02-15). "Brunswick County marks 2 years since deadly EF3 tornado". WWAYTV3. Retrieved 2026-10-04. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  17. 1 2 Brunswick County, NC EF3 Tornado of February 15, 2021, National Weather Service Wilmington, North Carolina
  18. ↑ "Birthday turns to day of grief for family after father, stepmother killed in Brunswick tornado". https://www.wect.com. 2021-02-18. Retrieved 2026-10-04. {{cite news}}: External link in |work= (help)
  19. ↑ akrherz@iastate.edu, daryl herzmann. "IEM :: PNS from NWS ILM". mesonet.agron.iastate.edu. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  20. ↑ Orlando, Joyce. "Map shows path of the deadly Brunswick County tornado". Wilmington Star-News. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  21. ↑ McKenith, DaVonté (2021-02-16). "UPDATE: NWS confirms "high-end" EF3 tornado struck Brunswick County; 3 killed, 10 hurt". WXII. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
  22. ↑ Sharpe, Scott. "Dramatic images show destruction from deadly tornado in NC's Brunswick County". newsobserver.com. Retrieved October 2, 2026.
  23. ↑ "Storm Events Database". www.ncei.noaa.gov. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
  24. ↑ Wirszyla, Carole; Bullock, Clint (2021-02-18). "National Weather Service releases more details about deadly tornado". www.wect.com. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
  25. ↑ Report, Staff (2021-02-18). "Severe Tornado Leaves Path of Destruction". Coastal Review. Retrieved 2026-10-02.
  26. ↑ "The Sunset Beach Tornado". Wood TV. February 18, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  27. ↑ "'A path of destruction.' Three dead after tornado rips through coastal NC community". Charlotte News Observer. February 18, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  28. ↑ "Cooper seeking improved warning system after deadly tornado". News10. February 17, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  29. ↑ Fowler, Hayley (February 19, 2021). "Deadly tornado carved 22-mile path of destruction in NC". The News & Observer. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  30. ↑ February Tornadoes Have Been Deadly Six Straight Years in the U.S., The Weather Channel, February 15, 2022
  31. ↑ Bella, Timothy (2021-02-16). "3 dead, 10 injured as tornado tears through North Carolina coast: 'Something unlike I've ever seen'". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2026-10-04.
  32. ↑ "Gov. Cooper signs state of emergency declaration in wake of deadly Brunswick County tornado". WECT. February 25, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2026.
  33. ↑ "North Carolina begins Severe Weather Preparedness Week". March 8, 2021. Retrieved October 3, 2026.

Category:Tornadoes of 2021

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