I-95 closed in North Carolina after tornado touches down

[mahatmakanejeeves]

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.

Link to tweet

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.

{snip}

[Yonnie3]

1. NC DOT website says

I-95 CLOSED NEAR ROCKY MOUNT
All lanes of I-95 are closed near Rocky Mount between Exits 138 (US 64) and 141 (NC 43) due to a road obstruction, The road is expected to reopen by 4:00 PM.

this at drivenc.gov

[mahatmakanejeeves]

2. This might mess up Amtrak too, as their mainline to Florida goes through Rocky Mount NC.

Which is not to be confused with Rocky Mount VA.

A lot of the CSX freights I see going through Ashland VA are headed to or from Rocky Mount NC.

I can't get through to the Amtrak Twitter channel, https://twitter.com/AmtrakAlerts .

89 and 90 are both approaching Rocky Mount, and both are just a bit late.

https://asm.transitdocs.com/

And good afternoon.

[Yonnie3]

3. there is this at your link

Amtrak Alerts
@AmtrakAlerts
·
16m
As of 2:32 PM ET, Palmetto Train 89, which departed New York (NYP) on 7/19, is stopped south of Petersburg (PTB) due to severe weather conditions along the route ahead. We will provide updates as information becomes available.

Link to tweet

[mahatmakanejeeves]

6. Virtual Railfan at Ashland, Virginia:

125 just departed, but that turns toward Newport News when it gets to Richmond.

91 is south of Richmond and on the move.

53, the southbound AutoTrain, is a few miles north of Fredericksburg.

{edited}

Some guy (and his son?) are hanging around on the platform as if they know something. The father is looking as if he’s expecting business as usual.

[unc70]

4. Trains are still halted near Rocky Mount, NC

The tornado cut a path at roughly right angles to I-95 and to the main N-S rail line. This is just north of Rocky Mount. The Palmetto northbound from SAV to NYC is paused at the RM station; southbound is paused north of the tornado. The Carolinian from NYC to Charlotte is paused nearby.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

5. 79, 89, and 90 are all showing a speed of 0 mph.

https://asm.transitdocs.com/