A powerful storm system that had moved across the deep south during previous days, swept across the eastern Carolinas during the afternoon and evening hours. Instability and shear values were highly supportive of super-cell thunderstorms. The result was a large outbreak of severe weather including strong and deadly tornadoes across eastern North Carolina.

Tornado in ROBESON, NORTH CAROLINA
From 16-APR-11 14:33:00 to 16-APR-11 14:35:00 (EST-5)
Location: ROWLAND
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 1.50M
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A National Weather Service Storm Survey Team concluded an EF1 tornado touched down near Rowland, North Carolina. The maximum wind speed was estimated to 105 mph.  The path length was just over two-thirds of a mile. The maximum path width was 50 yards. Significant damage occurred to about 50 homes as a result of snapped pine trees, up to two feet in diameter. Shingles were observed to be missing from many roofs. A detached garage was pushed several feet off its foundation and a few outbuildings were destroyed. Significant damage was reported to an elementary school. Straight-line wind damage to trees was apparent for another mile beyond the point where the tornado lifted.

Tornado in BLADEN, NORTH CAROLINA
From 16-APR-11 15:25:00 to 16-APR-11 15:27:00 (EST-5)
Location: LIVE OAK
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Property damage: 1.00M
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A National Weather Service Storm Survey Team found evidence of a strong tornado in northern Bladen County, near Ammon, North Carolina. The damage was rated up to an EF2. The maximum wind speed was estimated up to 130 mph.  The path length was one and a half miles in Bladen County. However, the tornado remained on the ground as it moved into southeast Cumberland County. The maximum path width was 200 yards. The tornado first touched down southwest of Old Fayetteville Road and severely impacted Foxfire Nursery in northern Bladen County. The tornado completely destroyed four large hog houses and significantly damaged two others. More than one hundred hogs were killed by the tornado. Small offices and outbuildings near the hog houses were either completely destroyed or significantly damaged. There were a couple dozen trees downed in the area. Power lines were also downed.  The damage was rated EF1 with winds to 105 mph. The tornado moved across a wooded area and as it approached Old Fayetteville Road, it completely destroyed three manufactured homes, two singlewide trailers and a doublewide. A fourth singlewide manufactured home was broken from its foundation and turned 90 degrees on the north side of Old Fayetteville Road. All of the homes appeared to have been strapped down. There were three fatalities. Several dozen pine and hardwood trees were snapped off as were a few power poles. The damage near and along Old Fayetteville Road was rated EF2 with winds to 130 mph. The damage path then crossed into southeast Cumberland County (WFO Raleigh, North Carolina's County Warning Area).

Tornado in ROBESON, NORTH CAROLINA
From 16-APR-11 14:47:00 to 16-APR-11 14:49:00 (EST-5)
Location: POWERS
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 3.00M
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A National Weather Service Storm Survey Team concluded an EF1 tornado touched down near Barker Ten Mile, North Carolina. The maximum wind speed was estimated to 105 mph.  The path length was near one and a half miles. The maximum path width was 352 yards. Several headstones were turned over in a cemetery on Highway 301. Several ornamental trees, up to eight inches in diameter, were snapped. A half dozen power poles were leaning over and a flag pole was completely bent over. Numerous trees were snapped along Interstate-95. Several dozen large hardwood and pine trees, up to two feet in diameter, were snapped or uprooted. Fallen trees caused substantial damage to over 100 homes along Robin Road, Castle Road and Sherwood Road.

Tornado in BLADEN, NORTH CAROLINA
From 16-APR-11 15:58:00 to 16-APR-11 16:18:00 (EST-5)
Location: BLADENBORO ARPT
Tornado F-scale: EF2
Property damage: 3.10M
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A National Weather Service Storm Survey Team found evidence of a strong tornado in  Bladen County, North Carolina. The damage was rated up to an EF2. The maximum wind speed was estimated up to 120 mph.  The path length was just over 13 miles. The maximum path width was 440 yards. The tornado first touched down at 458 pm EDT in downtown Bladenboro at the intersection of Seaboard Street and Highway 242. A  gas station had its asphalt roof entirely ripped off and tossed into the aluminum awning over the pumps, damaging the awning. A small industrial building also had its asphalt roof entirely removed and tossed 30 yards downwind. The tornado then came entirely to the ground decimating a grove of about 75 trees, consisting of maple and oak, some up to 2 ft in diameter. The path width at this point was approximately 150 yards. The damage was rated EF1 with winds up to 100 mph.
The tornado tracked along and just west of Highway 242 causing damage to a series of singlewide mobile homes. Of these homes, one un-mounted home was flipped onto its side, a second was partially destroyed, while a third had its entire metal roof ripped off and tossed up into a tree. Just beyond these homes the Bladenboro EMS
building was also damaged. Partial uplift of the roof of this brick building was noted, as well as the complete destruction of a small shed. In addition, many large hardwood trees were uprooted. This damage was rated EF1 with winds to 100 mph.
The tornado then widened to 200 yards as it moved across a neighborhood of mobile homes in the Ronald Britt Road area. Almost every tree in this neighborhood, mostly consisting of oak, was snapped about halfway up the trunk. Many of the homes sustained at least minor cosmetic damage. Three of the homes were completely destroyed including one in which even the debris had been deposited well downwind of where the home initially stood. There was one fatality in this location.  Damage in this neighborhood was rated up to EF2 with winds to 120 mph. The tornado widened further as it moved adjacent to Highway 242. Near Bill Crawley Road at around 508 pm, a single wide mobile home was completely demolished and its debris was spread 50 yards to the other side of Highway 242. Up to 80 percent of all trees were snapped or uprooted in this area. The tornado then crossed back across Highway 242 and reached its maximum path width of 440 yards as it crossed Guyton Road and encountered a series of single family homes. A large brick home had approximately half of its roof destroyed and blown away while the other homes suffered significant cosmetic damage. Additionally, a few empty galvanized steel grain silos were lifted and moved 100 yards. This damage was rated EF2 with winds around 120 mph.
The tornado continued across mostly forested areas before impacting the Hayfield neighborhood of Elizabethtown around 512 pm. Extensive damage was observed between Singletary Avenue and Doll Street. A well constructed home had its roof partially lifted, causing the exterior walls to bow out. Significant structural damage was noted to the roof and to the upper portion of the exterior walls. Many other homes in this neighborhood experienced significant cosmetic damage. As the tornado moved across Cromartie Road, it snapped or uprooted virtually all of the trees in the area as its width decreased to about 300 yards. Most of the observed structural damage to homes was from falling trees. The damage directly related to winds was mostly cosmetic with shingles torn off and siding damaged. As the tornado crossed Highway 87, it made a direct hit on Elizabethtown Baptist Church. Moderate roof damage was noted to several of the buildings, and a brick covered walkway was almost completely leveled. The damage in this area was rated EF1 with winds to 100 mph. The tornado then moved across mostly rural and forested areas as it began to weaken. The tornado crossed Highway 53, taking down a swath of pine trees 100 yards wide, some of which blocked the road. This damage was rated EF1 with winds to 95 mph. At this point the tornado began to lift and subsequent tree damage was more consistent with straight line winds.

Tornado in COLUMBUS, NORTH CAROLINA
From 16-APR-11 16:33:00 to 16-APR-11 16:34:00 (EST-5)
Location: RICO
Tornado F-scale: EF0
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A tornado was captured on video by a trained spotter 6 miles southwest of Clarkton, North Carolina at 533 pm EDT on 4/16/11. The tornado formed about one-quarter mile north of the intersection of Highway 701 and 131. The tornado quickly formed and dissipated in an open field near Highway 701. A National Weather Service Storm Survey Team investigated, but found no damage. After the team viewed the video and collaborated with the spotter who observed the tornado, they estimated the tornado had a path length of near one-quarter of a mile and a maximum path width of 25 yards. The tornado was rated EF0 with winds to 70 mph.

Thunderstorm Wind in ROBESON, NORTH CAROLINA
From 16-APR-11 14:35:00 to 16-APR-11 14:37:00 (EST-5)
Location: ROWLAND
Magnitude: 65.00 EG
Property damage: 50.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

Significant tree damage was apparent for an additional mile beyond the point where the EF1 tornado lifted. The roof was blown off a very large shed. A National Weather Service Storm Survey Team estimated straight-line winds to 75 mph.

Hail in ROBESON, NORTH CAROLINA
From 16-APR-11 14:36:00 to 16-APR-11 14:38:00 (EST-5)
Location: ALFORDS
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Law Enforcement

Hail up to the size of quarters was reported.

Hail in ROBESON, NORTH CAROLINA
From 16-APR-11 14:38:00 to 16-APR-11 14:53:00 (EST-5)
Location: PEMBROKE
Magnitude: 1.75 
Property damage: 10.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Amateur Radio

Hail to the size of golf balls was reported near the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. The hail lasted for about 15 minutes.

Hail in ROBESON, NORTH CAROLINA
From 16-APR-11 14:46:00 to 16-APR-11 14:48:00 (EST-5)
Location: BUIE
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

Hail to the size of quarters was reportedly covering a portion of Highway 211.

Thunderstorm Wind in ROBESON, NORTH CAROLINA
From 16-APR-11 14:55:00 to 16-APR-11 14:57:00 (EST-5)
Location: LUMBERTON
Magnitude: 63.00 MG
Property damage: 4.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Public

A wind gust to 73 mph was measured. Trees were reportedly snapped.

Thunderstorm Wind in BLADEN, NORTH CAROLINA
From 16-APR-11 16:18:00 to 16-APR-11 16:20:00 (EST-5)
Location: ELIZABETHTOWN
Magnitude: 70.00 EG
Property damage: 60.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

As the tornado lifted and dissipated, a strong rear flank downdraft likely wrapped around the funnel and caused significant tree damage for an additional mile. Many large oak trees were uprooted from just north of Highway 53 to the Oak Tree Trail area. A few snapped pine trees were noted just to the northeast of Willard Tatum Road. This represented the last of the damage observed. A National Weather Service Storm Survey Team estimated straight-line winds to 80 mph.

Hail in COLUMBUS, NORTH CAROLINA
From 16-APR-11 18:00:00 to 16-APR-11 18:02:00 (EST-5)
Location: WHITEVILLE
Magnitude: 1.00 
Property damage: 0.50K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Trained Spotter

Hail to the size of quarters was reported.

Tornado in COLUMBUS, NORTH CAROLINA
From 16-APR-11 17:05:00 to 16-APR-11 17:07:00 (EST-5)
Location: WHITER CROSSING
Tornado F-scale: EF1
Property damage: 35.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: NWS Storm Survey

A National Weather Service Storm Survey Team concluded a tornado was responsible for the damage 9 miles south of Whiteville, North Carolina. The tornado was rated up to an EF1 with winds to 100 mph. The path length was just over 1 mile. The maximum path width was 50 yards. The tornado touched down in a field west of Lebanon Church Road and caused significant damage to a stand of two dozen trees which were mainly snapped just west of the roadway. The tornado crossed Lebanon Church Road, passing near two homes. Trees fell onto the homes causing damage. The damage was rated EF1. The tornado then moved across a wooded area behind the homes and emerged onto a field before affecting two homes on Gores Trailer Road. The homes sustained minor damage. There were also several trees uprooted near Gores Trailer Road. The damage was rated EF0. The tornado lifted as it crossed into the field on the north side of Gores Trailer Road.