Charleston, SC (WLTX) - The National Weather Service says the tornado that caused damage near Charleston early Friday morning packed winds of 130 miles an hour.
Meteorologist said late in the day a damage survey revealed the twister was an EF-2, which is the third highest rating on the scale that measures a tornado's intensity. Previous Coverage:Tornado Damages Homes Near Charleston
The funnel cloud first touched down at 12:42 a.m. on Johns Island, then dissipated about 17 minutes later on Highway 17. It's estimated it was on the ground for almost seven miles.
The tornado heavily damaged two homes on Sonny Boy Lane, ripping the back off one of the homes and sending an air conditioning unit hurtling about 150 yards. A home on Cane Slash Road had its roof blown off, as did several other businesses in that area. In total, almost 70 to 80 homes had some type of damage, and thousands of trees were uprooted.
There were no reported injuries, which forecasters say was fortunate, considering when the funnel formed.
"The tornado was especially dangerous because it spun up quickly when it did," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski. "That can make the situation even more dangerous as people go to bed for the night and are not aware of the tornado warning that may be issued."
USA TODAY contributed to this article
