wichita falls tornado 1979 deaths

Beyond that point, three more tornadoes were spawned with the fifth and last tornado doing severe damage to the southern portion of Lawton, OK (three fatalities). The clouds would roll over like they were collapsing into a deep hold. Still other tornadoes struck the communities of Lockett and Seymour a short time later, killing one inhabitant in Lockett. Updated: Feb. 23, 2023 at 7:25 AM PST. Upper Air Maps The tornado cut through a field and went into a housing addition on the southwest edge of Sheppard AFB. It looked killer from the beginning. 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. Unlike Mr. Lange, Mr. Molet did not have an unobstructed view of the western horizon and did not immediately recognize that the threatening cloud was a tornado. The formation of the tornado and its movement toward the Memorial Stadium and McNiel Junior High School were captured by Wolfgang Lange from the front of his apartment complex which was across the street from school building (Tornado Track Figure; Location #2). More Observations Norman, OKNational Weather Center120 David L. Boren Blvd. 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. This route took us in front of the advancing vortex and provided a pretty exciting ride. The tornado then weakened slightly, but remained at F3 intensity, destroying the Sun Valley housing area, the Sunnyside Heights Mobile Home Park, and several large commercial businesses, including the Levi Strauss Plant, before exiting the east side of town. Several apartment complexes and many homes were destroyed, with several of the first deaths occurring in this area. those all. Rivers and Lakes 1970s. Damage also occurred to machinery, homes, and outbuildings. Just after 5:00 p.m., another tornado spawned by the same thunderstorm system crashed into Lawton, Oklahoma. Elizabeth was born on January. 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. Wildfire Safety 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. (Colonial Park, Hursh, Southmoor, Southwinds, and Southern Hills) A number of people tried to flee as the tornado moved along US 281 and 287 by driving east on Southwest Parkway. . Terrible Tuesday - Wichita Falls, Texas Tornado 1979 ILovestorms 705 subscribers 713 40K views 2 years ago This is a documentary that focused on the Wichita Falls, Texas F4 tornado of April. Daily Weather History Hazardous Weather Outlook Overall, the outbreak produced nearly 30 tornadoes and a large number of damaging wind and severe hail reports. The tornado's first fatalities were recorded in the apartment complex and adjoining housing area. All NOAA. The other times were outbreaks on June 8, 1974 and May 3, 1999. The tornado then moved east-northeast into the Western hills neighborhood, south of Southwest Parkway. To put the deaths and property damage in perspective, it should be noted that as many as 42 people have not been killed in the United States by a single tornado in the 20 years since the event, and the total property damage of $400,000,000 still stands as the most costly tornado in American history. Two oil storage tanks were blown away and several homes were unroofed near Farm Road 2650 as the tornado approached Wichita Falls. All Nature. Galvanized roofing and 2x4 rafters from the barn were thrown along a 100-yard path for 3/4 of a mile. Below are some quick facts about the event from the NWS Norman: This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. These supercells caused the most damaging tornadoes of the outbreak. A large number of roofs were damaged at the air base, and buildings at the Wichita Valley Airport also suffered roof damage. Although high numbers of deaths have occurred in vehicles during tornadoes, the occurrences are rare. Around 3:05 in the afternoon, the first tornado formed near Crowell, Texas. The tornado then crossed over Kemp Boulevard and destroyed several commercial businesses, including a restaurant, resulting in several additional fatalities. A few hours earlier that day, another tornado tore through Vernon, killing 10 residents and injuring more than 60 others. Interview She and her family couldn't find their dog. The night time tornadoes, although strong, were not as devastating as the ones that occurred in the Red River Valley during the afternoon. Five bus passengers were injured when they took shelter in a ditch, only to have the bus roll onto them. The Wichita Falls tornado formed several miles southwest of the city in Archer County, and traveled over mostly open terrain. The width of the F4 damage in the Wichita Falls tornado approached 0.5 miles in the area of Faith Village and Ben Milam Elementary School (location #6). 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. 5) The Wichita Falls Tornado - April 10, 1979. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. Only three times in my chase career have I seen vertical storm tower velocities this strong. Flash Flood Warnings FAQ Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. Approximately 30 houses in the addition were damage with some houses suffering extensive damage. This information is part of Stamboom Vermeij by Truus Vermeij on Genealogy Online. Over 100 commercial businesses, some of them large manufacturing concerns, were destroyed. The destructive and deadly tornado outbreak impacted the Red River Valley on April 10, 1979. April 17, 1977 - A "freak tornado" moved from east to west across a 2-mile path in the western sections of Wichita Falls. No fatalities or serious injuries occurred, but 13 people were treated for minor injuries, mostly as a result of flying glass. By RAEGAN SCHARFETTER, ANNIE GIMBEL. The sun had set, and the moon was now a crescent. The first tornado formed near Seymour at around 4:53 pm. NOAA Disaster Survey Report 80-1, Chapter 1. Then, a second vicious tornado formed near Thalia and moved into Lockett, where a driver of an auto was killed when her vehicle was thrown 200 yards off the highway. About Our Office 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. Evan got up, the moonlight bouncing off his not so wicked blue eyes. Thread starter Rob Satkus; Start date Apr 8, 2009; Forums. . After dark, another jet stream wind maximum moved northeastward into west central and northern Texas, sparking a second round of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. A detailed mapping of each house and public/commercial building in the city led to the construction of an F-scale map. "The common notion, born in the aftermath of the 1979 Wichita Falls tornado, that being in a vehicle during a tornado warning is synonymous with injury and death can no longer be assumed or promoted. Hail to 1.75 inches was also reported south of the city. On April 3, 1964, a devastating F5 tornado hit the northern region of Wichita Falls and Sheppard Air Force Base. Some of these people had stopped their cars under an overpass on the highway, seeking shelter from the storm. The reason for the death toll being as high is that the twister struck many poorly constructed homes that provided little safety. Tornado left suction vortex marks in open fields. 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 . That supercell was in progress just to our northeast, although there was no direct route to catch the fast moving storm. Golfball-size hail fell prior to and immediately after the tornado passed along a track that took it into Oklahoma (where it dissipated near Waurika). The tornado slung mud across the inside of the windshield which made it difficult to drive. Witnesses saw several small twisters during the formation. The lights of wichita shone bright now. DOC/NOAA, January, 1980: Red River Valley Tornadoes of April 10, 1979. Large tornado destroyed several barns and scattered debris over a large area. Two reports can be found on this web site. The powerful vortex, although rated only F-2, had winds of over 200 MPH. 25 of those deaths were vehicle related. By dusk a strong of new, very intense thunderstorms formed farther south in Texas. 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. While the tornado was passing, it sounded like a train was coming directly through the house. They went back inside before it was too late, and all took shelter in the master bedroom closet. Surface Maps By the end of the day we had seen four tornadoes, Thalia, Vernon (although not well), Lake Kemp, and Seymour. A small home was swept away in the affected area, and factories and warehouses were unroofed. Winter Weather Safety, Special Programs In addition, approximately 140 mobile homes were destroyed, two schools were demolished and 11 others sustained serious damage. It was spectacular to watch! The following table includes data and summaries from the tornadoes that occurred in the area since the late 1800's. As bad as the tornado was, it could have been worse. 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. This tornado was part of a widespread outbreak of tornadoes that occurred in the Great Plains area including the states of Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. Please select one of the following: Table 1 -- Casualty and Property Losses -, GOES Visible Satellite Images (1530Z 4/10/1979 - 0014Z 4/11/1979), GOES Infrared Satellite Images (0000Z - 0600Z 4/11/1979). Wolfgang Lange, View looking southwest near Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas at approaching tornado. The spring of 1979 was a very active tornado period for the plains states. Very large groups of people gathered in tornado-vulnerable places, such as schools, stadiums (such as Memorial Stadium), and outdoor events, are disasters waiting to happen. Aviation Weather It was produced in 1984 and has a run time of 19 minutes, 30 seconds. The Vernon tornado destroyed a restaurant, motel, a farm implement store, and more than a dozen homes; damage totaled $27 million. The Wichita Falls storm produced a third and final tornado about 2000 CST (8:00 PM) near Pruitt, OK. The Red River Valley Tornado Outbreak of 10 April 1979 Location Help Wintry and Cold Conditions Continue Across Much of the U.S. 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. The most recent exceptionally destructive storm to hit the Wichita Falls area occurred on April 3, 1964, when a tornado killed 7 people, injured 111, and caused $15 million in damages, including 225 homes that were completely destroyed. Overall, mobile homes and permanent homes lead fatality location totals with 44.8% and 26.2% of all deaths occurring in these structures, respectively. Wolfgang Lange, View looking southwest near Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas at wall cloud on the southwestern edge of the thunderstorm. As it turned out we would have driven into Vernon just before a major tragedy unfolded with injuries and death. One tree near a house fell onto a power line, causing an electrical surge that set the kitchen of the house on fire. This line raced northeastward, spilling heavy rains, hail and high winds on numerous communities. The tornado moved to the north-northwest during its life before lifting 2 miles from Burkburnett. It is believed that many more minor injuries were never recorded.[5][6][7]. The trees on the southwest edge of the city were denuded of limbs and bark. Radio and TV stations aired the Tornado Watch so that most people were alerted to the threat and ready for warning messages and sirens that were to come later. While only on the ground for 35 minutes, the 800-foot-wide twister killed seven people, injured 111, and destroyed 225 homes. Stones as large as two inches were reported further to our northeast. 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. The police chief and sheriff later said the approaching storm did not look like a normal twister, but appeared as a thick, dark mass of clouds low to the ground and difficult to see because of the heavy rain, hail, and low cloud base. Other ingredients for a volatile weather situation were also present: a major upper-air trough extending from the southern Rockies into northern Mexico, migrating eastward into western Texas and deepening significantly at the same time (Figure 11); a strong wind shear from the surface to 500 millibars and a thin layer of very moist air at the surface with rapid drying immediately above at about 700 mb (Figure 12 and Figure 13). The school building was totally destroyed by the tornado. It was roaring down the hill fairly fast and my chase partner was concerned that we couldn't get out of the path. Questions? We were worried that the rain would get worse before we set up the cameras which was not desirable considering we were on 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. much of the Trans-Pecos region. 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). 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. Unlike Mr. Lange, Mr. Molet did not have an unobstructed view of the western horizon and did not immediately recognize that the threatening cloud was a tornado. Watch. Using spotter and radar reports, Lawton officials sounded the siren system to warn the people of the approaching storm. Anyone can read what you share. 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). Childress lay in the path of the advancing low pressure center, as surface pressure fell drastically and winds backed during the afternoon before the much drier continental air enveloped the region in the evening (Figure 17). The width of the F1 damage was generally as wide as one mile, and the extent of the F0 damage was even wider, but so widespread that it was not mapped. He shot these images one handed while driving down a dirt road. Joe Henderson, View looking southwest at the approaching tornado from the roof of Bethania Hospital in Wichita Falls, Texas. It damaged homes and oil storage tanks as it moved east toward Wichita Falls. Winter Weather Warnings Fortunately, no one was killed or injured by the tornado. McNiel Junior High School is shown in the middle left of this and all of the following photos. The Terrible Tuesday video can be viewed via the NWS Norman YouTube Channel or below. May 23, 1888 - A tornado moved northeastward and passed 6 miles west of Wichita Falls during the evening of May 23, 1888. On April 10, 1979, a huge F4 tornado touched down just outside of Wichita Falls. As we drove northeast on US 70, debris was still falling to the ground. A furniture warehouse was also destroyed when severe winds tore the back wall and roof off of the building. Inside the mall, portions of the JC Penney store collapsed while other stores sustained light to moderate damage. To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. As the storm bore down, those who sought the safest refuge in their immediate surroundings generally fared well. Several strong to violent tornadoes touched down throughout the region that day. Fortunately, the strong and wide Harrold-Grandfield tornado spent its entire life in rural areas not striking any towns, but coming close to Harrold, TX (one fatality) and Grandfield, OK. The Wichita Falls tornado alone killed 42 people and caused $400 million in damage ($1.93billion in today's dollars). TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. The path length was 9 miles in Texas and 55 miles in Oklahoma. Summer Weather Safety ", "At Vernon, reports of earlier damage to the southwest of the city had alerted spotters and city officials. After moving out of Faith Village, the tornado flattened several businesses, including a restaurant, on Kemp Boulevard. Strong inflow winds associated with the tornado and the larger-scale mesocyclonic winds rotating around the tornado produced light damage over almost all of the city. View looking west-northwest from south shore of Lake Wichita at the tornado approaching Wichita Falls, Texas. (For instance, this was in a 1964 edition of The Guinness Book of Records .) With an east-northeast movement, it entered Wichita County and damaged a few rural homes and a string of metal high-voltage towers. The heaviest damage in the apartments occurred in the second story of two-story buildings. 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. The twister cut a swath through one-third of the city and killed. Explore. -56 NWS WFO, Norman, OK. age through the southern half of tne city. Fifty mph sustained inflow winds were occurring at this time. FAQ The tornado was eventually rated F5 and was the first violent tornado on record to strike the Wichita Falls area. One thousand and sixty-two apartment units and condominiums were demolished and 130 damaged. By this time teams from NSSL and the University of Oklahoma had arrived. View looking southwest at the approaching tornado northeast of Wichita Falls, Texas. 10. Surface Maps Flood Warnings The tornado then destroyed several industrial plants before moving into Clay County just south of TX State Highway 79. A powerful tornado tore through the Wichita, Kansas, area Friday night, leveling dozens of structures in the city of Andover, according to officials. The inner hallways would have been the only relatively safe shelter in the building. 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. This image was taken as the tornado widened and approached our position. Minor wind damage and hail to 2 inches in diameter occurred north of the tornado track in Wichita Falls, in conjunction with its parent supercell. Those who were caught in automobiles and trucks made up a high percentage of the fatalities. 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. 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. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Such a total would mean that between 10% and 20% of the population of the city was displaced by the tornado. Additional tornadoes were reported across the Southern Plains as well as in the Mississippi River Valley on April 1112. 4. (Rated F2 by the NWS. A wind maximum gusting to 65 knots moved over Guadalupe Peak recording station in far southwest Texas; this triggered our departure. Three people were injured in a mobile home near the beginning of the path. Select western north Texas tornado statistics by decade, county or city from the menus or maps below. I can't say for sure, chasing was different back then. Historic tornado in Wichita KS McConnell AFB 1991. About the time the tornado entered town, it changed appearance, becoming one large black cloud of condensation and debris. These figures include 12 counties. Elizabeth Burk Newton. Near the center of the tornado and about a half mile south of the mall, a church was demolished with one person killed inside the building. Pat Blacklock. It rapidly intensified to F4 intensity as it entered the city near Memorial Stadium by McNiel Jr. High School on Southwest Parkway, which was located to the west of Wichita Falls at approximately 6:07p.m., damaging both structures severely. Sorry, the location you searched for was not found. A mattress fell beside the vehicle and I looked out to see a woman standing in what appeared to be a junk yard. We examined the circumstances of death and injury among victims of the tornado that struck Wichita Falls, Texas, on 10 April 1979. Eddie was trying to tell me something; finally with some tugging, he got my attention. In addition, the damage paths of all three were wider than normal. Please try another search. (Rated F3 by the NWS. 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. Simon Cornelis Maria Vermeij was born on March 26, 1959 in Amsterdam, son of Hendrikus Gerardus Vermeij and Henritte Christina Maria Steur. By noon, all doubt was gone. Approaching Harrold, Texas from the southeast on Highway 287 - view is looking west at 4:00 pm CST. We sat up to photograph to the east of the tornado and shot back west and north as it passed. There were at times five separate vortices visible within the tornado. 2. A woman was injured when her truck rolled into the ditch in which she was taking cover. StormReady One of the most infamous of Texas tornadoes, this day would go on to be known as "Terrible Tuesday". WICHITA FALLS, Tex., April 13 (UPI) Survivors of the tornado that devastated the southern part of this oil and agriculture center began burying their dead today while city officials tried to keep sightseers and looters away. A fourth tornado touched down just outside of Seymour an hour later, but again damage was comparatively minor. Multiple vortices are seen in this photo. NWS Why the Red River Valley between Childress and Bowie received the most severe outbreak of thunderstorms is explained by Figures 19-26. Most of the destroyed homes had some of these interior walls still standing after the tornado. 128 followers. Fortunately, on April 10, 1979, McNiel Junior High was almost totally unoccupied when the tornado struck and a worse catastrophe was avoided. ), March 27, 1939 - This tornado touched down north-northwest of Wichita Falls and moved northeastward into Clay County. It didn't seem like any storms were in the area. In addition, the author hopes that the analyses will serve as a handy source of reference to those who seek to recall the past and those whose research work attempts to relate the weather to other aspects of human existence. A total of 10 people received injuries due to the high winds. Tornado data and F-scale ratings for tornadoes from 1950 to the present are referenced from NWS records. Thus, he stood in his backyard driveway and photographed the destruction of the apartment complex and the beginning of destruction in his neighborhood. Stones as large as two inches were reported across the southern half of tne city area the... Huge F4 tornado touched down throughout the region that day, another tornado tore through Vernon, one., mostly as a result of flying glass time teams from NSSL and University! Of an F-scale map damage was comparatively minor condensation and debris that yielded the Seymour tornado pounded! The heaviest damage in the area took us in front of the Penney... ( $ 1.93billion in today 's dollars ) destroyed when severe winds tore the back and... Woman standing in what appeared to be a junk yard strike the Wichita Falls of destruction his! Of Stamboom Vermeij by Truus Vermeij on Genealogy Online mcniel Junior high school is wichita falls tornado 1979 deaths in the apartment complex the. Miles from Burkburnett me something ; finally with some tugging, he stood in his neighborhood trees on the.. Some houses suffering extensive damage the inner hallways would have been worse being as is! 3, 1964, a huge F4 tornado touched down north-northwest of Wichita Falls and Sheppard Force... 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