Satellite Imagery, Forecasts Sirens blew as the tornado bore down on Vernon. Eleven of the 16 people left homes that were not even damaged. In the early afternoon hours, three supercell thunderstorms formed. It then became calm before the winds began to pick up. At the Iowa Park Fairgrounds, wind damage covered a 4-block area. Wrecked cars were smashed against bridge abutments, a power plant was knocked out, and part of a high school was destroyed. The tornado expanded in size as it crossed Southwest Parkway, throwing automobiles about and leveling a number of businesses, including a bank and a fire station. We were rushed to get into position. Submit a Spot Forecast 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 were on our own. Small buildings were damaged or destroyed, and roofs, signs, oil field derricks and tanks were damaged. The injury count for this tornado was 1,740, the most injuries ever recorded for an F4/EF4 tornado. A small home was swept away in the affected area, and factories and warehouses were unroofed. Frank Gohlke's portfolio of 40 black and white photographs, which capture the devastation of the 1979 Wichita Falls Tornado and the landscape a year later, will be on exhibition to mark the anniversary of Terrible Tuesday, April 10, 1979. Select western north Texas tornado statistics by decade, county or city from the menus or maps below. The inner hallways would have been the only relatively safe shelter in the building. A large number of roofs were damaged at the air base, and buildings at the Wichita Valley Airport also suffered roof damage. Within 30 minutes the tornado, with a track that varied between 1/2 and 1 1/2 miles wide and 8 miles long, had sped across the southern portion of Wichita Falls. Gene is a graduate of Oklahoma University who photographed storms when he lived in Norman, Oklahoma during the 1970s. 2. T. T. Fujita, noted tornado researcher from the University of Chicago, said, 'The damage path was one of the widest I have ever seen, and its intensity was almost equal to that of the giant storm that leveled Xenia, Ohio, in the 1974 tornado outbreak. have just been raked by debris from rear flank downdraft surge wrapping around the tornado - tornado now in a sunlit position relative to us - getting really spectacular! StormReady At about the time the tornado was developing at Harrold, 1.5 to 3 inch diameter hailstones were reported 7 miles west of Harrold. People from the shopping center took shelter in refrigerator vaults, in restrooms, and under closets. All of them happened in the first half of April. Wolfgang Lange, View looking southwest near Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas at the approaching tornado. He died on July 16, 1979 in El Arenal, Spanje (Palma de Mallorca). Severe damage in the Pruitt City area. Galvanized roofing and 2x4 rafters from the barn were thrown along a 100-yard path for 3/4 of a mile. We also assessed the protective measures taken by a representative sample of community residents who suffered no major injury in order to estimate the relative risk of injury to people directly in the tornado's path . ), August 11, 1953 - This summertime tornado touched down at 7:00 pm CST in Wichita Falls and moved northeastward through the suburbs of the city. As we drove south on the H.E. 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. According the Weather Bureau from the time, "The large funnel alternately dipped and soared, and was followed by trailer funnel, 2 funnels touched ground; witnesses reported spotting a third." Most tornadoes form in the U.S., although some events may take place internationally. The Ohio National Guard was dispatched to the scene within nine hours to help with rescue work, caring for . The formation of the tornado and its movement toward the stadium and junior high were captured by Wolfgang Lange from the front of his apartment complex which was located across the street from the junior high (location #2). Wildfire Safety The Terrible Tuesday video can be viewed via the NWS Norman YouTube Channel or below. . 128 followers. WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) . Local Climate Data 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. 38 On April 10, 1979, a series of deadly tornadoes broke out near the Texas-Oklahoma border. (Documented and rated F2 by Grazulis. This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 02:48. . There was much scientific discussion and debate concerning the possibility that the some of the damage was severe enough, and wind speeds high enough, for the tornado to be rated F5. After moving northeast of Seymour, the tornado intensified. Precipitation was to our west through southwest and wrapped around the tornado. #1. A second severe thunderstorm pounded the area just north of Brownwood with hail having a diameter of 3 to 3 1/2 inches. The tornado was photographed from the south during this period by Pat Blacklock, who was located on the southern shore of Lake Wichita (Tornado Track Figure; location #5). National Weather Service Two trailers were destroyed, and three homes were damaged. The messages were fanned out by NOAA Weather Wire, NOAA Weather Radio, and by direct phone calls to media outlets for radio and TV broadcasters to the public. The damage was quite hit and miss. Earlier in the day around daybreak, low-level moisture from the Gulf was observed pouring northward through the heart of the State while much drier air was surging eastward across the Pecos River (Figure 10). The tornado killed 42 Wichita Falls residents and caused over $200 million in damages, leaving 20 percent of the city's population homeless. Three thousand and 95 homes were destroyed while roofs of many other buildings were sheared away. The Red River Valley Tornado Outbreak, one of the most significant outbreaks on record for this region, occurred on April 10, 1979. The Wichita Falls tornado of April 10, 1979 was one of thirteen tornadoes which rampaged across parts of north Texas and Oklahoma that "Terrible Tuesday." This over one mile-wide beast. Three people were injured. Wichita Falls Tornado. The publication was written and prepared by George W. Bomar of Weather Modification & Technology Section of the Texas Department of Water Resources. Read More. April 8, 1961 - A small tornado formed near Kamay at 4:00 pmCST, moved northeast across the Wichita Valley Airport, and then moved into Sheppard AFB. Pinterest. Interview She and her family couldn't find their dog. We continued to drive east on a dirt road from Mabelle, Texas which is basically an intersection with a couple of old buildings. The tornado has widened and intensified at this stage. The reason for the death toll being as high is that the twister struck many poorly constructed homes that provided little safety. A destructive and deadly tornado outbreak impacted the Red River Valley on April 10, 1979. The following table includes data and summaries from the tornadoes that occurred in the area since the late 1800's. Please Contact Us. Storm Data, Weather Safety TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. At the time we passed in front of the funnel the mud road had become slick enough that the car was not going very fast anymore. Several strong to violent tornadoes touched down throughout the region that day. Questions? Seventeen hundred injuries were reported in Wichita Falls. 5) The Wichita Falls Tornado - April 10, 1979. The most notable tornado was another F4 tornado that destroyed most of the southern part of Wichita Falls, Texas, and is commonly referred to as "Terrible Tuesday" by many . Rivers and Lakes A Doppler radar view of the three supercells is available. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Also, tornado survivors said that some golf ball size hail fell prior to and immediately after the tornado. There were a total 42 tornado fatalities in Wichita Falls, of which 25 were vehicle related. Other data were supplied by the American National Red Cross. With surface pressures in the southern High Plains plunging rapidly, a low pressure center formed in the vicinity of Lubbock around noon (Figure 15). One F4 tornado impacted Vernon, Texas.The most notable tornado was another F4 tornado that destroyed most of the southern part of Wichita Falls, Texas, and is commonly referred to as "Terrible Tuesday" by many meteorologists. If I had the opportunity to chase this one over I certainly would do it differently, but considering we were on visual back then we didn't do too bad. June 16, 1997 - A survey conducted by a National Weather Service meteorologist confirmed that an F1 tornado touched down briefly about 5 miles southeast of Burkburnett (or 1.5 miles north of the north end of Sheppard AFB). Those who were caught in automobiles and trucks made up a high percentage of the fatalities. The Wichita Falls tornado cut a wide swath of dam. '", "When the day had ended, the tornadoes had left in their wake a tragically high toll -- 56 dead and 1916 injured. About the time the tornado entered town, it changed appearance, becoming one large black cloud of condensation and debris. Upper Air Maps April 20, 1974 - A small tornado touched down briefly 5 miles northeast of the National Weather Service office in Wichita Falls. Watch on. Elizabeth was born on January. The tornado was also captured on film by Troy Glover from the roof of the Bethania hospital (location #8). It is believed that many more minor injuries were never recorded.[5][6][7]. A deepening low pressure system formed in Colorado as a warm front lifted north pulling warm, moist, unstable air. Winter Weather Sep 18, 2004. One thousand and sixty-two apartment units and condominiums were demolished and 130 damaged. Six barns and two homes were destroyed. Tornado F-scale ratings prior to 1950, as well as most tornado data are referenced from Significant Tornadoes, 1680-1991 by T. P. Grazulis. Further statistics reveal that 25 of the deaths were auto-related. A tool shed was blown away, trees uprooted, and utility poles damaged, and the Pontiac Company building was destroyed. This information is part of Stamboom Vermeij by Truus Vermeij on Genealogy Online. Severe Thunderstorm Warnings April 10, 1979 by James R Mcdonald _ Joseph E. Minor April 20, 1979 . Wayne Collamore, Approaching Harrold, Texas from the southeast on Highway 287 - view is looking west at about 4:05 pm CST. Winds gusted the 93 miles per hour (mph) in Guadalupe Mountain National Park at mid-afternoon, while wind gusts of 60 mph or more stirred up dust and sand that reduced visibilities at many points from El Paso to Midland to 3 miles; at Lubbock visibilities dropped to 1 1/2 miles by late afternoon. The last siren from the city's warning system sounded around 5:50 p.m. the same time that storm spotters reported seeing the tornado . The twister, which had a wide funnel, shrouded the community in darkness as it swept eastward south of Vernon and along the east side of the city, resulting in millions of dollars in damage and 11 directly killed by the tornado (10 in Vernon and 1 in Lockett, TX). April 10, 1979 - The tornado, which was part of a tornado outbreak in the Red River valley area, began at 5:50 pmCST on the southwest flank of its parent supercell thunderstorm about 3 miles east-northeast of Holliday. Elizabeth Burk Newton. The President decided last night to send Mr. Watson to express his personal concern about the disaster, in which at least 58 persons were killed in four communities along the TexasOklahoma border 44 in Wichita Falls, 11 in nearby Vernon and Harrold, Tex., and three others in Lawton, Okla., 60 miles north of here. Multiple locations were found. Lawton had been alerted by Tornado Watch #67 and had received a tornado warning issued by WSFO Oklahoma City. During the morning, closely monitored air mass movements, temperatures, dew points, and winds had all been shifting towards critical values indicative of severe thunderstorms and potential tornadoes. Tuesday, April 10, 1979 seemed like a perfect spring day - right up until a tornado appeared seemingly out of nowhere, cutting a path through Wilbarger County and Vernon that left 11 dead, dozens injured and millions of dollars of property destroyed. The path length was 9 miles in Texas and 55 miles in Oklahoma. Using the Fujita Scale, a system that measures the intensity of tornadoes much the same way the Richter Scale measures earthquakes, Dr. McDonald rated the Wichita Falls tornado as a high F4 . The tornado blew many of those vehicles off those roadways, inflicting numerous fatalities. Around 3:05 in the afternoon, the first tornado formed near Crowell, Texas. The storm that produced an EF-4 tornado a mile wide would ultimately leave over fifty people dead, displace one fifth of Wichita Falls' population, and change the landscape of our city forever. The Wichita Falls storm produced its first tornado at 1653 CST (4:53 PM) near Seymour, TX. The moonlight felt like a reminder of the pain and sorrow that awaited him as he stared at its yellow haze. The third supercell was the one that formed the Seymour and Wichita Falls tornadoes as part of a three-member tornado family. On Saturday, June 28, 1924, a deadly F4 tornado struck the Lake Erie shoreline communities of Sandusky and Lorain, Ohio. As the tornado crossed Kemp Boulevard., several commercial businesses, including a restaurant, were destroyed with several additional fatalities. Barely one week later, phenomenally great amounts of rainfall poured on the southeastern sector of the State, taking 4 lives and inundating parts of numerous communities. A 368-foot radio antenna and 2 others antennas were blown down, and multiple power lines were downed. (Rated F2 by the NWS. Tornado Watch #67 was issued at 1:55 p.m. Central Standard Time (CST)2 calling for tornadoes, large hail, and damaging thunderstorm winds in portions of a 30,000-square-mile area in north central Texas and southwest Oklahoma. Excerpts from the Texas Department of Water Resources publication, "A Review of Texas' Weather in 1979: The Year of Devastating Tornadoes and Flash Floods," is also available. The electrical power to local stations was down from the storm which prevented the gas pumps from operating and us from getting more gas. Total damage in Wichita Falls was estimated at $400 million (in 1979 dollars). Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. Mr. Molet continued to take photographs until the wind blew him into his garage. By the end of the day we had seen four tornadoes, Thalia, Vernon (although not well), Lake Kemp, and Seymour. Still other tornadoes struck the communities of Lockett and Seymour a short time later, killing one inhabitant in Lockett. Here we goa hymn request from Erlene: Great Is His Faithfulness, sung by the Collingsworth Family. Other homes in the area were damaged. They were flying by faster than I thought any bird could go; I wonder what they thought After this scene the tornado became wrapped in the rain and difficult to photograph. Mr. Molet continued to take photographs until the wind blew him into his garage. Wichita Falls Tornado 1979. The passage of a violent tornado through an 8-mile section of a city is an almost unheard-of natural disaster. Wayne Collamore, View looking northwest east of Harrold on Highway 320 at about 4:20 pm CST. The storm spawned a second tornado that moved through the south and east sides of Wichita Falls at around 6:00 pm. In addition to the tornado, severe thunderstorm winds moved through the Wichita Falls area, downing trees, limbs, and power poles. Other data was found using U.S. The school building was totally destroyed by the tornado. 10. The tornado then crossed over Kemp Boulevard and destroyed several commercial businesses, including a restaurant, resulting in several additional fatalities. In the latter Blacklock photographs, the gust front and associated strong west winds to the south of the tornado can be seen producing waves on Lake Wichita and kicking up spray from the lake. Hazardous Weather Outlook 1979-04-10 Wichita Falls. Had we gotten stuck in the damage of the town the chase would have been over. Anyone can read what you share. Tornado Pictures. The huge thunderstorm that yielded the Seymour tornado also pounded Holliday with baseball-size hail and an area west of Iowa Park with golfball-size hail. Major damage in the. The tornado slung mud across the inside of the windshield which made it difficult to drive. Total property damage in Wichita Falls was estimated at $400,000,000 (in 1979 dollars). One piece of farm equipment was destroyed and damage occurred to fences and trees. The Vernon tornado destroyed a restaurant, motel, a farm implement store, and more than a dozen homes; damage totaled $27 million. As seen in the photographs by Winston Wells (Tornado Track Figure; Location #10), the tornado became multi-vortex, displaying as many as five satellite vortices rotating around the center of circulation. The siren system for the city was sounded three times, the last around 5:50 p.m., just as the storm spotters reported the tornado approaching Memorial Stadium in the southwestern suburbs of Wichita Falls. The North Texas town of Wichita Falls has seen three major tornadoesin 1958, 1964, and another in 1979. The mall was on the north side of the tornado path and appeared to escape the most violent winds. Science And Nature . Several deaths in the Vernon tornado occurred because persons were caucht in autcmobiles that were tossed Continuing east-northeastward, the violent tornado destroyed a large portion of a residential neighborhood before heavily damaging a commercial building along Southwest Parkway. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. The tornadoes pictured here were part of the Red River Valley Outbreak, the biggest event of that year. Losses eligible for Federal disaster relief totaled $63 million, but Federal disaster assistance did not cover additional millions in damages. 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. He shot these images one handed while driving down a dirt road. The following text comes from Chapter I of the NOAA Natural Disaster Report 80-1, "The Red River Valley Tornadoes of April 10, 1979. Approximately 30 houses in the addition were damage with some houses suffering extensive damage. There were 59 reported tornados on the ground in the . The long, slender tornado was milky white in appearance and was accompanied by a loud roar. National Severe Storms Laboratory storm chasers photographed the tornado, which formed beneath the southwest flank of the severe thunderstorm. There we hoped the dryline and warm front would intersect with a strong jet stream. Evan got up, the moonlight bouncing off his not so wicked blue eyes. auto-related; 16 of that total died while in their autos trying to flee the storm, and 11 of that number abandoned homes not touched by the tornado. The large Wichita Falls F4 tornado moving through town. ", "Despite excellent warning lead-time and multiple soundings of the sirens, some people of Wichita Falls either did not hear the warnings or failed to take prescribed lifesaving actions. As it turned out we would have driven into Vernon just before a major tragedy unfolded with injuries and death. One group of violent thunderstorms roared across the northern Low Rolling Plains late that afternoon and spawned a series of tornadoes that ripped through four Texas communities. Meteorologists still refer to that day as Terrible Tuesday because of the immense devastation and the sheer numbers. 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