West End, NC. 4/19/13, 5:41 pm EDT. Estimated wind speed 60 mph by radar per NWS Raleigh. No damage visible at this location.
The area was under a tornado warning at the time, but the cell that prompted the warning had moved on to the northeast. This storm was part of a bowed line of very strong thunderstorms. I’ve been a NWS SKYWARN storm spotter since 1999 and this is almost the strongest winds I’ve personally witnessed.