WEATHER NEWS Published July 19, 2023 1:56pm EDT

I-95 closed in North Carolina after tornado touches down

The National Weather Service issued a Tornado Watch for portions of North Carolina and Virginia until 7 p.m. EDT.

By Steven Yablonski Source FOX Weather

DORTCHES, N.C. - Teams with the National Weather Service will be out surveying damage Wednesday afternoon after a tornado touched down in North Carolina.

The National Weather Service issued a Tornado Warning for Nash, Edgecombe and Halifax counties in North Carolina just before 12:30 p.m. Wednesday.

At the time, the Tornado Warning was radar indicated. Minutes later, a tornado was observed on the ground by law enforcement, according to the NWS.

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According to the police department in Middlesex, North Carolina, a tornado touched down near Hummingbird Lane and was headed toward Dortches Boulevard.

The NWS said they have received reports of numerous trees down across Interstate 95 in the Dortches area, which is to the northeast of Middlesex.

According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, I-95 is now closed in both directions south of N.C. Highway 43 and north of U.S. Highway 64 near Dortches in Nash County because numerous trees are down across the roadway.

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