About Our Office The strongest wind measurement logged on the USWB equipment located 1 mile south of the air base was a 55-knot peak gust. The funnel was quite close at this time and large black crows were caught up in the outer circulation. 25 of the 42 fatalities from the tornado were vehicle related, 16 of which were of people who left their homes to evade the massive tornado. Thanks to Bob Davies-Jones from NSSL we saw another tornado as the storm moved into Wichita Falls. It was on the ground for 11 miles. But before the day's end, three very large, devastating tornadoes swept across the area leaving scores dead and hundreds injured. Frost Tornado. On the evening of April 10th 1979 an F4 tornado touched down outside Wichita Falls TX and carved a 47 mile long path of destruction that would become the costliest Tornado in United States History. Gene is a graduate of Oklahoma University who photographed storms when he lived in Norman, Oklahoma during the 1970s. More widespread home destruction occurred in Colonial Park and several more apartment complexes were demolished. Also, tornado survivors said that some golf ball size hail fell prior to and immediately after the tornado. Local Climate Data Hazardous Weather Outlook (Rated F2 by the NWS. Several brief touchdowns in Seymour resulted in scattered roof damage and one overturned truck. On that spring day, three large supercell storms developed, each producing a series of tornadoes that moved quickly across the northern Texas and southern Oklahoma plains. The tornado slung mud across the inside of the windshield which made it difficult to drive. That said, it's never mentioned just how that wind gust was recorded, and . Fire Weather Although his house was completely destroyed, Mr. Molet escaped with only minor injuries as his pickup truck was blown over him, protecting him from the worst winds and debris. One person was injured. At the end of the outbreak, 54 people lost their lives in Texas, three were killed in Oklahoma and one was killed in Indiana. FAQ Tornadoes are capable of completely destroying well-made structures, uprooting trees, and hurling objects through the air like deadly missiles. 1979-04-10 Wichita Falls. Winter Weather Safety, Special Programs (Rated F3 by the NWS. As bad as the tornado was, it could have been worse. among them is this still life with tornado that can be your partner. Explore. ", "The three main storms in the Red River Valley outbreak were giant tornadoes. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. April 17, 1977 - A "freak tornado" moved from east to west across a 2-mile path in the western sections of Wichita Falls. There is no doubt that hundreds of lives were saved by the news media and siren warnings. 6. FU F0 F1 F2 F3 F4 F5 0 10 19 . Cool Photos. (Rated F2 by the NWS. Local Enhanced Radar (Central Oklahoma-KTLX), Local Standard Radar (KTLX-low bandwidth), Local Enhanced Radar (Southwest OK/Western North TX-KFDR), Local Standard Radar (KFDR-low bandwidth), Local Standard Radar (KVNX-low bandwidth), Averages and Records for OKC, Wichita Falls & Lawton, radar-derived storm tops exceeded 50,000 feet and reflectivities were higher than 50 dBZ, a core of greater than 50 dBZ and two mesocyclones, tornado-associated mesocyclone and hook echo in the right rear portion of the echo, its movement toward the stadium and junior high, >many cars in the mall parking lot were blown some distance and stacked on top of each other, Map of the Red River Valley Tornado Outbreak in North Texas and southern Oklahoma by (Fujita and Wakimoto), Map of Significant Weather Events which occurred between 6 AM CST April 10, 1979 and 6 AM CST April 11, 1979 (Burgess), Tornado Watch Box #67 issued by the National Severe Storms Forecast Center - valid 230 PM to 700 PM CST, April 10, 1979, Storm Track of the Wichita Falls, Texas Supercell on April 10, 1979 (Burgess), Time/Height Profile of the Wichita Falls, Texas Supercell on April 10, 1979 (Burgess), Map of Radar Reflectivity and Mesocyclone Positions of the Wichita Falls, Texas Supercell at 530 pm CST, April 10, 1979 (Burgess), Map of Radar Reflectivity and Mesocyclone Position of the Wichita Falls, Texas Supercell at 600 pm CST, April 10, 1979 (Burgess), Approximate Damage Path of the Wichita Falls Tornado on April 10, 1979 (, Map of the Red River Valley Area of Oklahoma and Texas Showing Communities and Counties Affected by the April 10, 1979 Tornadoes (NOAA Natural Disaster Report 80-1), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This huge F4 first touched down about 3 miles northeast of Holliday. The sun had set, and the moon was now a crescent. It damaged several homes and businesses before going into Wichita Falls where it . US Dept of Commerce The tornado moved to the north-northwest during its life before lifting 2 miles from Burkburnett. Losses eligible for Federal disaster relief totaled $63 million, but Federal disaster assistance did not cover additional millions in damages. He shot these images one handed while driving down a dirt road. Five bus passengers were injured when they took shelter in a ditch, only to have the bus roll onto them. In addition to the tornado which developed near Wichita Falls, sustained winds of 35 to 45 mph from the southeast with gusts near 60 mph developed across western north Texas during the mid-evening of the 10th and persisted through much of the night. The twister was almost a mile wide when it entered the Faith Village neighborhood on the north side of the east-west oriented Southwest Parkway. The western portion of the school building was crushed by the intense winds. To avoid getting trapped, it's been my policy to avoid blasted cities when ever possible. Graphical Forecasts In Texas: Clay, Foard, Wichita and Wilbarger; and in Oklahoma: Carter, Cleveland, Comanche, Cotton, Jefferson, Pottawatomie, Stephens and Tillman. All who have looked at and studied the event agree that the death toll would have been much larger had there not been not been such systems in place and functioning on April 10. A tool shed was blown away, trees uprooted, and utility poles damaged, and the Pontiac Company building was destroyed. In the Wichita Falls area, damage occurred to ~75 homes, 15 trailer homes, high school, and numerous outbuildings. The tornado finally ended near Waurika, OK after traveling 47 miles. Six cross-country steel transmission towers were destroyed just east of Farm Road 2650. Extensive wind damage to about 100 homes and outbuildings occurred in Burkburnett where two 40-foot smoke stacks were also toppled. Property damage in the affected areas included 225 homes destroyed, with 50 homes suffering major damage, 200 homes incurring minor damage, and 16 other building receiving major damage. However, several small communities, among them Harrold, Texas and Grandfield, Oklahoma, were hit by the storm. On September 25th, 2000, 11 year old Christopher Morris was found in the dishwasher of his family home which was in Sheppard Air Force Base base housing. As the tornado crossed Kemp Boulevard., several commercial businesses, including a restaurant, were destroyed with several additional fatalities. While photographing this shot I began to feel vibration in the camera. [7] It is the principal city of the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Archer, Clay, and Wichita counties. Submit a Spot Forecast 38 On April 10, 1979, a series of deadly tornadoes broke out near the Texas-Oklahoma border. The Terrible Tuesday video can be viewed via the NWS Norman YouTube Channel or below. On that day, at least 13 separate tornadoes touched down in the Texas/Oklahoma area, striking Wichita Falls, Vernon, Seymour, and a number of other towns. Wichita Falls has had three major tornado strikes in its history. Pat Blacklock. A second severe thunderstorm pounded the area just north of Brownwood with hail having a diameter of 3 to 3 1/2 inches. I had a good full frame shot of the suction spots rotating about the base of the funnel. On April 10, 1979, a devastating tornado struck Wichita Falls in North Texas. By afternoon, the warm front had lifted to the vicinity of the Red River, and a new low pressure area had formed near Childress. Had we gotten stuck in the damage of the town the chase would have been over. Severe Weather Safety Despite city officials' contentions that security measures were adequate, some survivors armed themselves and slept in their cars or makeshift shelters to protect their property. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration A large number of roofs were damaged at the air base, and buildings at the Wichita Valley Airport also suffered roof damage. The Wichita Falls tornado formed in Archer County and moved northeast and damaged a few rural homes and high voltage towers at F1-F2 intensity. Forty-two people were killed outright by the storm and 3 others died as a result of heart attacks. 5) The Wichita Falls Tornado - April 10, 1979. For. Some or all of the walls remained for well-built homes (photos 4-6 on the damage photo tab) and bathrooms in particular provided good protection. Overall, mobile homes and permanent homes lead fatality location totals with 44.8% and 26.2% of all deaths occurring in these structures, respectively. Home; Exhibits and Displays those all. The tornado first touched down at 2:35 pm CST north of the intersection of Farm Road 369 and Seymour Highway. He later moved to Oklahoma City where he worked in TV weather before working for the federal government. Still at F4 intensity as it moved east-northeastward, the tornado moved over a greenbelt area, passing just barely south of Midwestern State University as it severely damaged several more housing additions. Jeanine V. Wolff. One piece of farm equipment was destroyed and damage occurred to fences and trees. Prior to its touchdown, a funnel was first observed about 10 miles to the west-southwest. Graphical Forecasts Flood/Flash Flood Safety It is estimated that 5,000 families, consisting of almost 20,000 people, were left homeless in Wichita Falls. Thus, the tornado damage/intensity was officially rated as a strong F4 tornado. In this stage, the tornado did extensive damage just south of Dean and near Byars, destroying a large number of rural homes, but causing no more fatalities, The suffering and destruction caused by the Wichita Falls tornado is nearly inconceivable. This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1979, primarily in the United States. The northern supercell, the Vernon-Lawton storm, produced its first tornado at 1505 CST (3:05 PM) south of Crowell, TX. Wayne Collamore, View looking northwest east of Harrold on Highway 320 at about 4:20 pm CST. April 26, 1962 - This tornado initially touched down at 10:45 pmCST on the Sheppard Access Road near Sheppard AFB, damaging several cars, and destroying a a 100 x 30 foot metal building at a motor company. We received the following letter from Joel Manes, who was living in Wichita Falls, Texas on April 10, 1979. 5. North Texas County DA to seek death penalty for Tanner Horner, man accused of killing Athena Strand. Some of these people had stopped their cars under an overpass on the highway, seeking shelter from the storm. Three homes were destroyed and others were damaged. Wichita Falls Tornado. This route took us in front of the advancing vortex and provided a pretty exciting ride. 3.64K subscribers Kory King and SkyWarn 6 weather forecaster John Cameron talk about the national weather historical significance of the 1979 Terrible Tuesday tornado outbreak in Texoma. More. Most of the destroyed homes had some of these interior walls still standing after the tornado. The following images and text have been provided by permission of the author are to be used for informational purposes only. A total of 10 people received injuries due to the high winds. Over 100 commercial businesses, some of them large manufacturing concerns, were destroyed. Additionally, the tornado caused roughly $15 million in property damage with about 225 homes destroyed and another 250 damaged. Crossing into Oklahoma, the tornado inflicted additional damage near Waurika before dissipating. Cool Pictures. April 26, 1991. Per the SPC Database, 25 tornadoes occurred mainly in TX and OK with one lone tornado in KS. During its life, radar-derived storm tops exceeded 50,000 feet and reflectivities were higher than 50 dBZ. A total of 2 homes were completely destroyed with 31 homes and 17 mobile homes being damaged. With surface pressures in the southern High Plains plunging rapidly, a low pressure center formed in the vicinity of Lubbock around noon (Figure 15). The warnings were being broadcast repeatedly by two local TV stations and three local radio stations which were receiving continuously updated information over the emergency hotline connecting them with the Wichita Falls WSO. Hail to 1.75 inches was also reported south of the city. April 10, 1979: The worst single tornado in Texas' history hit Wichita Falls. Mr. Carter also dispatched a special assistant, Jack H. Watson Jr., to this city of 125,000 people in northern Texas to survey the tornado damage. Pat Blacklock, View looking north-northwest from south shore of Lake Wichita at the tornado approaching Wichita Falls, Texas. Severe Thunderstorm Warnings Wolfgang Lange, View looking southwest near Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas at wall cloud on the southwestern edge of the thunderstorm. The powerful vortex, although rated only F-2, had winds of over 200 MPH. It is interesting to note that the Seymour and Wichita Falls tornadoes both formed during periods of relative decline in storm-top height and reflectivity values, a characteristic that has been noted for a number of supercell storms that have produced several cycles of tornadoes. This report summarizes the injuries and deaths associated with these tornadoes based on information from emergency department and hospital records and death certificates. Unsolved Death in Wichita Falls, TX. While only on the ground for 35 minutes, the 800-foot-wide twister killed seven people, injured 111, and destroyed 225 homes. These are 40 before/after pairings, as he shot dramatically injured locations . Skywarn Storm Spotters Tornado statistics for older years like this often appear significantly lower than modern years due to fewer reports or confirmed tornadoes. 1970s. ), April 20, 1951 - A small, brief tornado touched down near Wichita Falls and was accompanied by light hail. The tornado continued into Clay County, resulting in no deaths, but 40 additional injuries. Weather Radio, About Us In addition, the damage paths of all three were wider than normal. Additional tornadoes were reported across the Southern Plains as well as in the Mississippi River Valley on April 1112. Museum of the Kansas National Guard . Such a total would mean that between 10% and 20% of the population of the city was displaced by the tornado. National Weather Service Miss Mahon's parents and five brothers and sisters wept as the Rev. The tornado then moved east-northeast into the Western hills neighborhood, south of Southwest Parkway. - May 31st, 2010 . According to the American National Red Cross, 7,759 families suffered losses in the storms (Table 1). wichita falls tornado 1979 deathsare there really purple owls "The damage path was one of the widest I have ever seen, and its intensity was almost equal to that of the giant . The maximum F-scale rating was F1, however most damage was rated F0. McNiel Junior High School is shown in the middle left of this and all of the following photos. Approximately 30 houses in the addition were damage with some houses suffering extensive damage. Would we have seen the tornado and diverted? In the upper atmosphere, the nose of an extremely strong jet stream wind maximum was moving eastward through northern Mexico, preparing to turn northeastward and take aim on Texas and Oklahoma. (1 death) April 10 - Texas, Oklahoma (11 deaths) April 10 - Texas, . The tornado killed 42 Wichita Falls residents and caused over $200 million in damages, leaving 20 percent of the city's population homeless. Please select one of the following: Local Enhanced Radar (Central Oklahoma-KTLX), Local Standard Radar (KTLX-low bandwidth), Local Enhanced Radar (Southwest OK/Western North TX-KFDR), Local Standard Radar (KFDR-low bandwidth), Local Standard Radar (KVNX-low bandwidth), Averages and Records for OKC, Wichita Falls & Lawton, NOAA Tech Memo NWS SR-209 (Speheger, D., 2001: "Corrections to the Historic Tornado Database"), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Near Kamay - Wichita Valley Airport - Sheppard AFB, NW Wichita Falls (FM-369/ Seymour Highway)- Sheppard AFB, Wichita Falls (near Midwestern University), 3 ENE Holliday- Wichita Falls- 4 E Byers- NNE of Waurika OK, Wichita Falls (4 SSW - 1 E center of town). NOAA Disaster Survey Report 80-1, Chapter 1. When was the last time there was a tornado in Wichita? Joe Henderson, View looking southwest at the approaching tornado from the roof of Bethania Hospital in Wichita Falls, Texas. It then became calm before the winds began to pick up. Published In . Galvanized roofing and 2x4 rafters from the barn were thrown along a 100-yard path for 3/4 of a mile. The tornado's first fatalities were recorded in the apartment complex and adjoining housing area. At Sheppard Air Force Base, winds up to 70 mph tore countless limbs from trees and knocked out windows on some base housing units. This image was taken as the tornado widened and approached our position. The tornado leveled a mobile home park on the north side of U.S. Highway 287, but residents had evacuated that area and no fatalities occurred in the park. Three isolated supercells, forming in mid afternoon, moved northeastward as a trio and were responsible for the worst part of the outbreak. A furniture warehouse was also destroyed when severe winds tore the back wall and roof off of the building. Also, the second story of the press box at the high school football stadium was blown off and scattered across the playing field. Storm Pictures. April 10, 2001 - This tornado developed on the south side of Wichita Falls at 11:46 pmCST, a short distance from Lake Wichita. Lawton was as ready as a community could be for the tornado. Although his house was completely destroyed, Mr. Molet escaped with only minor injuries as his pickup truck was blown over him, protecting him from the worst winds and debris. This was the most spectacular event I had ever witnessed to date. Severe damage in the Pruitt City area. Ashley found that 69.2% of all tornado fatalities from 1985 to 2005 occurred in either mobile or permanent homes, illustrating the enhanced vulnerability of these particular housing structures. The awesome "freight train like sound" was audible from the Weather Bureau Airport Station. People from the shopping center took shelter in refrigerator vaults, in restrooms, and under closets. The atmosphere in the Low Rolling Plains was highly unstable (with a Totals Index above 50 and a strong positive K Index extending southward out of western Oklahoma); very vigorous lifting of such unsettled air by the advancing dry line seemed sure to trigger violence (Figure 14). Today. A number of people were also killed or injured in the parking lot of Sikes Senter (sic) Mall, also on Kemp Boulevard. Further statistics reveal that 25 of the deaths were auto-related. 1 A tornado struck Waco and McLennan County on May 11, 1953, inflicting 114 deaths, 597 injuries, and damages of $4i.2 million. Dallas Times Herald photo by Mark Perlstein Almost 40 years ago, a massive F4 tornado tore through Wichita Falls, in an event that the Dallas Times Herald and Wichita Falls Times labeled Terrible Tuesday. In addition, 93 mobile homes were devastated. Several trailers were destroyed. No damage was reported from this small, weak tornado and it was rated F0. The tornado damaged outbuildings, chicken coops, and did minor damage to roofs of houses. The majority of the fatalities were in vehicles, and a number of those victims left homes that were undamaged by the tornado only to be caught in its deadly path as they tried to flee. Historic tornado in Wichita KS McConnell AFB 1991. Please Contact Us. Several strong to violent tornadoes touched down throughout the region that day. As the storm bore down, those who sought the safest refuge in their immediate surroundings generally fared well. Storm Spotter Training As the tornado crossed Kemp Boulevard in Wichita Falls, several commercial businesses, including a restaurant, were destroyed with several additional fatalities. Three thousand and 95 homes were destroyed while roofs of many other buildings were sheared away. Norman, OKNational Weather Center120 David L. Boren Blvd. Tornado tore a large section of roof from an elementary school near. Just minutes later all counties included in Watch Area #67 were being alerted through statements by the NWS Forecast Offices (WSFOs) at Fort Worth and Oklahoma City. Several homes and businesses, a mobile home park, a church, and a school were damaged. Dissipation of the tornado occurred northwest of Waurika, Oklahoma, bringing the path length to 36 miles in Texas, and 11 miles in Oklahoma. We examined the circumstances of death and injury among victims of the tornado that struck Wichita Falls, Texas, on 10 April 1979. Composed of three funnels fused into one and powerful winds exceeding 250 mph, this F4-rated tornado remained on the ground for an hour, destroying over a fifth of the city, lifting cars into the air, tearing buildings apart, and destroying 2,000 homes. age through the southern half of tne city. One F4 tornado impacted Vernon, Texas. Radar warnings and alerts from the Weather Bureau office were credited with saving many lives. Historical weather events. Several strong to violent tornadoes touched down throughout the region that day. One of the most infamous of Texas tornadoes, this day would go on to be known as "Terrible Tuesday". (Documented and rated F2 by Grazulis. Multiple locations were found. Although high numbers of deaths have occurred in vehicles during tornadoes, the occurrences are rare. 2 All times in Central Standard Time. The night time tornadoes, although strong, were not as devastating as the ones that occurred in the Red River Valley during the afternoon. Storm Data, Weather Safety The trees on the southwest edge of the city were denuded of limbs and bark. The twister cut a swath through one-third of the city and killed. The giant tornado was a massive black column extending from the low striated base of the inky clouds to the ground. We continued south passing a damage path across the highway from the Harrold tornado. Along the 5.6-mile-long tornado path, the area of total destruction was 100 to 200 yards wide with lesser damage occurring up to 500 yards in width. Lawton had been alerted by Tornado Watch #67 and had received a tornado warning issued by WSFO Oklahoma City. Beyond the shopping mall, the tornado crossed a greenbelt area, skirted Midwestern State University on its south side, and severely damaged several more housing additions (Colonial Park, Hursh, Southmoor, Southwinds, and Southern Hills). A killer tornado, which spread death and destruction through Wilbarger County and the city of Vernon during the mid afternoon on Tuesday, April 10, 1979, is pictured here as it formed near the Five-In-One Community. As the tornado neared the road it began to shrink in size and slowed a little, aiding our hasty retreat. The Wichita Falls storm produced its first tornado at 1653 CST (4:53 PM) near Seymour, TX. 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