A tornado was confirmed to have touched down Friday afternoon in Alexander County near Hiddenite.

The National Weather Service damage survey team confirmed Saturday, that the path of the tornado was short, but the estimated maximum wind speed was 90 mph.

The wind was strong enough to peel part of a metal roof off a barn and loft the metal pieces some distance. Other damage was limited to trees.

The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authoritity approved grant requests on Friday, including two in the existing building category in Burke and McDowell Counties.

A $312,000 grant in Burke County will support the expansion of a building occupied by Marves Industries, a manufacturer of non-woven fabrics, accoustical materials, felt and composite materials. The company plans to add 10,000 square feet to the facility, while creating 25 jobs and investing more than 1.8 million dollars in this projcet.

In McDowell County, a $150,000 grant will support the renovation of a 343,000-square-foot building occupied by Buechel Stone, a fabricator of natural stones for the commerical and residential markets. The project is expected to create 12 jobs with an investment of almost 1.4 million dollars by the company.

The State Department of Public Safety is advising citizens to prepare for hurricane season, which begins June 1st.

Steps that you can take to prepare your family, home and business include:

* Create an emergency communication plan with your family.

* Build an emergency kit for home, work and in the car.

* Check your insurance coverage.

* Know your community's evacuation plan.

* Stay informed about current conditions.

* Download an emergency weather app on your phone and purchase a weather radio.

* Keep inportant documents in a weatherproof container to take with you.

Go to ReadyNC.org for more information.