NWS: Tornado tossed umbrellas, caused minor damage in CB

CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WECT) – The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado touched down Thursday morning in Carolina Beach.  Lifeguards, law enforcement and public safety officials reported up to three tornadoes near Atlanta Ave, Canal Drive and the Boardwalk area of Carolina Beach between 10 and 11 a.m.

According to the NWS, a waterspout moved parallel to the northern portions of Carolina Beach and eventually moved onshore as it progressed to the southwest.  The waterspout moved onshore near the Marriott in Carolina Beach, turning into a tornado.

After moving onshore, the EF-0 65 mph tornado crossed over the dunes and destroyed a wooden dune bridge structure.  The tornado crossed near the intersection of Woody Hewett and Atlanta Avenues, causing minor damage to a light pole at a car wash.

The NWS also said the winds tossed patio furniture and umbrellas high in the air, prior to crossing South Lake Park Boulevard.  Video shows the twister moving across Carolina Beach Lake and quickly lifting near the southern shoreline of the lake.

PHOTO GALLERY

Click here to see waterspouts spotted in Carolina Beach, Aug. 18.

A private beach access just south of Hamlet Avenue was ripped apart and tossed by the tornado.

Also, according to First Alert Meteorologist Eric Davis, the fire department spotted a waterspout south of the Oak Island pier in Brunswick County.

The southern part of New Hanover County was under a tornado warning until 11 a.m. because of reports that one of the waterspouts moved onshore.

Lifeguards said at one point, there were six waterspouts off the coast of Carolina Beach. They evacuated the beach. No one was injured.

[Click here to see a viewer's video of the spout on YouTube]

[Click here to see a viewer's video of the tornado on YouTube]

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