NWS confirms EF-0 tornado hit Cherry Grove area after waterspout moved ashore

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WMBF) - The National Weather Service confirmed that an EF-0 tornado touched down just after 10 p.m. Wednesday in the Cherry Grove area.

The agency said that a waterspout went ashore near Ocean Boulevard and 56th Avenue North with maximum winds of 85 miles per hour.

Watch home surveillance video that capture the moment the tornado came through the Cherry Grove area:

The tornado was about 30 yards wide and traveled a little over a mile and a half, according to the National Weather Service.

The tornado moved north-northwest and caused damage to two homes in the Cherry Grove area.

The North Myrtle Beach Fire Rescue team said it saw roof damage to the homes. Crews also found “cosmetic structural damage” in several locations which included damage to siding, gutters and shingles.

Mitch Mooney believes the tornado ripped his brand-new A/C unit right off his home.

“It tore everything off of there. I had this shower slammed full of coolers and chairs and stuff, it pulled them all out, ripped those two walls off, ripped that post off and those two railings, blew my A/C off and put a hole into their house,” Mooney described.

The tornado then crossed Williams Creek into the Tidewater Golf Club, where it downed a few trees.

The National Weather Service added that there were a few brief spin-ups in the area of the waterspout as it came ashore.

The agency said it all lasted about two minutes but left some homeowners dealing with a good bit of damage.

But Mooney said his neighbors always come together to help one another out during difficult times.

“This is a great street to live, it really is. Way more thankful for them than anything else because you can’t buy friends,” Mooney said.

Thankfully, no injuries were reported from the tornado.

North Myrtle Beach Public Works and Building/Code Enforcement along with Santee Cooper also assisted at the scene.

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