Stats

Path length: 4 miles

Width:  150 yards

Fatalities:  0

Injuries:  39

Rating:  F2

County:  Horry

Tornado Path

Click Map To Enlarge

The coordinates provided by the SPC Database weren’t correct.  The beginning and ending lat/lon were the same (33.7/-78.88).  It was a 4 mile path.  I found some track maps via NWS Wilmington NC and attaching those instead.  The map shows 4 separate damage paths.  The main tornado took a path down the beachfront.  There were 3 smaller “touchdowns”.  It is unclear if this was from the same tornado or separate ones.  The damage from all 4 paths is mentioned in one Storm Data entry, so the assumption could be made they were all from the same skipping tornado.

Summary

A tornado made a trek through parts of Myrtle Beach, SC on July 6, 2001. It began near the Myrtle Beach Pavilion at 9th Ave N and moved just offshore becoming a waterspout. The 2nd Avenue N pier was slightly damaged. It moved back onto the beach, becoming a tornado and caused F2 damage. Buses were overturned, and vehicles were damaged. A large billboard was bent over and hotels lining the beach had windows blown out. Palm trees were ripped out of the ground.

After moving down the beachfront, it moved back over water and continued south, coming ashore again between 28th Avenue S and Springmaid Pier. A 66 knot wind gust was recorded at the Springmail Pier anemometer. The now tornado hit the Seagate RV park. Ten RVs were destroyed and 40 more were damaged. There was also weaker F0 damage at the Myrtle Beach International Airport. A total of 39 injuries occurred and there were no fatalities.

Tornado Photo Extracted from Storm Data

Waterspout just off the beach of Myrtle Beach Grand Strand. Photo via Myrtle Beach Sun-News, extracted from Storm Data.

Tornado and Damage Photos via NWS Wilmington, NC

Picture courtesy © Bill Taaffe
Taken from in front of the Myrtle Square mall near 25th Avenue North. Picture courtesy © Michael Smith/Myrtle Beach Herald.
4:15 pm at 2nd Avenue North, Myrtle Beach. Courtesy © WPDE TV 15.
Picture courtesy © Marc Odien
This large billboard was bent over by winds estimated in excess of 100 mph. Credit NWS.
Most windows were blown out of ocean-facing rooms in this hotel, and some palm trees had their tops ripped from them. Credit NWS.
Pool furniture was thrown into the pool or into the downwind corner of the pool area by the tornado. Picture courtesy © WBTW TV
Seagate Village RV park. Picture courtesy © WBTW TV

Tweets

Newspaper Clippings

Sources:

The Storm Prediction Center

NCDC Storm Events Database

July 2001 Storm Data Publication

NWS Wilmington NC Summary

newspapers.com

Grazulis, Thomas P. (1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VT: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. Page 991.

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