ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. — A strong tornado struck eastern North Carolina Wednesday afternoon.
It happened near Rocky Mount, just north by a few miles near the town of Battleboro. The storm spun up right along I-95, closing the highway in both directions with damaged cars and fallen trees blocking lanes of traffic.
"This was what we call a supercell thunderstorm," said WFMY Chief Meteorologist Tim Buckley. "Sometimes, they can get so strong that they produce their own tornadoes. That's just what happened here, staying on the ground for what looks to be several miles."
The tornado hit first near Dortches, North Carolina along I-95. The highway was closed for a period of time and damage was seen to trees and vehicles. It quickly moved northeast just north of Rocky Mount toward the small town of Battleboro.
It's unclear at this time if there are any deaths or injuries.
The National Weather Service is investigating the area with a storm survey crew. They say winds of at least 150 mph caused the damage around Dortches. They are still looking to see how long exactly the path of damage is.
This was a scary scene for drivers along the interstate who were unaware they were driving into a tornado. The video below shows the immediate aftermath of the tornado.
Tornadoes like these aren't terribly common in the summer months here in North Carolina. Spring and fall are more common times of year to see strong tornadoes, and our considered our "severe weather seasons".
Stay tuned for further updates on this story.