GASTON COUNTY, N.C. — The National Weather Service confirmed an EF1 tornado with 110 mph winds caused widespread damage in Cleveland and Gaston counties during Wednesday's severe weather outbreak. It was found to be the first of two confirmed tornadoes for Gaston County.
The tornado was approximately 100 yards wide, taking down trees along its path and causing damage to homes. The tornado's path stretched 22 miles beginning near Polkville in Cleveland County. The tornado continues east before lifting southeast of Cherryville in Gaston County.
National Weather Service crews have surveyed multiple locations in Cleveland and Gaston counties for possible tornado damage. This is the first confirmed tornado associated with Wednesday's storms.
At the time of this storm, the National Weather Service had issued a tornado warning advising residents to seek the protection of a sturdy structure.
One person was killed in Gaston County when a tree fell on a car. Firefighters were able to rescue another person from the vehicle and they were taken to the hospital. Gaston County commissioners declared a state of emergency due to widespread damage caused by Wednesday's severe thunderstorms.
As of 5 p.m. on Thursday, nearly 20,000 Duke Energy customers in Gaston County are without power due to storm damage. An additional 32,000 outages are active in Cleveland County, according to Duke. Schools in Cleveland, Gaston and Lincoln counties canceled class on Thursday due to power outages.
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