CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – The United States has had its first EF-5 tornado in more than a decade, the National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed this week.
The twister in North Dakota actually touched down on June 20, but evidence and wind speed estimates led weather officials to upgrade it to the rare EF-5 status on Monday, Oct. 6. It was the first EF-5 since one ripped through Oklahoma in May 2013.
The North Dakota twister left three people dead and reached wind speeds of at least 200 mph, according to the NWS.
Back home in the Carolinas, things are much calmer. This weekend is shaping up to be a cool, fall weekend with temperatures in the low to mid-70s with low rain chances in Charlotte.
Meteorologists Al Conklin and Eric Garlick have it all on this episode of “The First Alert.”
Watch all episodes of “The First Alert” here
The Oct. 9 episode can be watched live in the top of this story at approximately 8 a.m.
Copyright 2025 WBTV. All rights reserved.