Communities rebuilding after Rocky Mount area tornado brace for new severe weather threat

The storm’s path still runs clearly through the Nash County town of Dortches like a scar.

It’s a vivid reminder of the historic tornado that damaged more than 100 homes in the Rocky Mount area on July 19.

Nearly three weeks later, the mayor of Dortches said his community has been on the mend.

“It’s getting better each day, so making good progress,” mayor Jackie Vick said.

Vick told WRAL News that he hoped the forecast for Monday night wouldn’t impact those improvements.

“Everybody’s going to have their eyes on the sky, since this tornado’s real fresh in everybody’s mind whether they were affected or not,” Vick said.

Monday brought most of central North Carolina under a Level 3 risk for severe storms.

“Level 3 risks are pretty rare in central North Carolina, we actually only average about four of them per year,” WRAL Meteorologist Kat Campbell said.

WRAL’s experts said along with heavy rain, a Level 3 risk would bring the possibility of strong winds and hail.

“The other threat that we face is isolated tornados, and of course tornados can have winds of more than 80 miles per hour,” Campbell said. “So a dangerous day certainly in the forecast.”

With multiple homes still needing repairs, Dortches leaders said severe weather could cause more damage from water, wind, or falling trees.

They hoped to stay out of the storm’s path this time around.

“As bad as we need rain on crops, we don’t need it on our houses right here in this path that was affected by the tornado,” Vick told WRAL News.