FAYETTEVILLE, NC — A tornado tore through northwest Fayetteville on Sunday, October 11, 2026, overturning vehicles, damaging businesses, tearing apart rooftops and snapping utility poles as powerful winds swept through some of the city’s busiest commercial corridors.
The storm struck shortly before noon, leaving extensive damage along Skibo Road and Bragg Boulevard, while fallen trees, downed electrical lines and widespread power disruptions affected surrounding neighborhoods. Police closed several roadways and directed traffic as emergency personnel and utility crews responded to hazardous conditions.
The National Weather Service reported a radar-confirmed tornado moving through Fayetteville, although the storm’s final intensity rating, damage path and total losses had not been determined Sunday evening. The destruction was particularly noticeable in areas surrounding Sam’s Club, Walmart and several businesses along Bragg Boulevard.
Skibo Road
Some of the most striking damage occurred near Sam’s Club and Walmart along Skibo Road, where the powerful winds overturned vehicles and scattered debris across parking lots.
At Sam’s Club, a van was overturned in the parking lot, while other vehicles appeared to have been moved by the storm, leaving some nearly pushed against one another. The aftermath offered a striking indication of the forces that had passed through an area ordinarily filled with weekend shoppers.
Near Walmart, a large transfer truck was left overturned on its side. Several nearby hotels also sustained roof damage, with portions of building materials scattered around the properties. Large trees were snapped or uprooted, leaving broken branches and debris across parking areas and surrounding streets.
The damage extended beyond the shopping centers, affecting nearby commercial properties and creating dangerous conditions for motorists and pedestrians. Emergency crews responded throughout the corridor as the extent of the destruction became clearer.
For businesses in the area, Sunday’s storm brought an abrupt interruption to operations, with damaged buildings, displaced vehicles and debris requiring extensive cleanup and assessment.
Bragg Boulevard
Along Bragg Boulevard near Skibo Road and Swain Street, the destruction took a different form, with damaged commercial rooftops, broken electrical infrastructure and fallen trees scattered across several properties.
The Grifols Talecris Plasma Resources center in the 4600 block of Bragg Boulevard sustained roof damage, while nearby Bethel International had a section of its metal roof torn open, exposing the underlying structure. At AutoGlassNow, a commercial garage door was visibly damaged and pushed out of position.
The surrounding properties showed extensive damage to utility equipment. Several wooden power poles had snapped, leaving electrical lines stretched across parking lots and roadways. Broken trees and scattered building materials added to the hazardous conditions.
Fayetteville police blocked portions of the affected streets as emergency responders and cleanup crews moved into the area. Officers were also seen directing motorists around restricted roads while utility workers began assessing the damaged electrical infrastructure.
Beyond Bragg Boulevard, damage was reported near Durwood Drive off Rosehill Road. Traffic signals were also out along Murchison Road, Shaw Road, Shaw Mill Road and Swain Street, further complicating travel as motorists encountered intersections without functioning lights.
The combination of damaged poles, downed wires and traffic disruptions created challenges for emergency personnel attempting to secure affected locations. Some commercial properties remained inaccessible as crews worked to clear debris and address electrical hazards.
The damage across northwest Fayetteville brought renewed attention to the region’s history of destructive tornadoes. On April 16, 2011, an EF3 tornado struck the Fayetteville area during one of North Carolina’s most devastating tornado outbreaks, damaging homes and businesses and causing an estimated $100 million in property losses within the city.
That tornado traveled through Hoke, Cumberland and Harnett counties, leaving a destructive path across multiple communities. Fayetteville was also struck by a significant F3 tornado on February 22, 1971, while an F4 tornado affected Cumberland County on April 8, 1957.
Although Sunday’s tornado had not yet received an official Enhanced Fujita rating, the damage left behind demonstrated the vulnerability of commercial districts, neighborhoods and critical infrastructure to powerful storms.
By Sunday evening, cleanup and recovery efforts were underway across affected areas of Fayetteville. Utility crews faced the task of repairing damaged poles and restoring electrical service, while property owners began assessing damage to buildings and vehicles.
The full financial impact remains unknown, and additional inspections will be necessary to determine the extent of structural damage. The National Weather Service is expected to conduct storm surveys to establish the tornado’s path, intensity and estimated wind speeds.
For residents and businesses along Skibo Road, Bragg Boulevard and surrounding neighborhoods, the immediate focus remains on restoring electricity, reopening roads and beginning repairs following a storm that left significant destruction in its wake.
Kres Thomas | FayToday News
business@faytoday.com
