As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Several strong to violent tornadoes touched down throughout the region that day. those all. Crossing into Oklahoma, the tornado inflicted additional damage near Waurika before dissipating. April 10, 1979: The worst single tornado in Texas' history hit Wichita Falls. 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. About 65 people attended the funeral. A dry line had formed from the Childress low southward, and temperatures had become very warm in west Texas. With surface pressures in the southern High Plains plunging rapidly, a low pressure center formed in the vicinity of Lubbock around noon (Figure 15). 1979-04-10 Wichita Falls. Daily Weather History On the first street of houses to the northeast of Lange's apartment complex, Robert Molet also photographed the approaching tornado (location #3). Air Quality ", "To the people of the Red River Valley in Texas and Oklahoma, nothing about the weather appeared unusual during the early hours of April 10, 1979: it was business as usual. 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. I'm surprised he got the tornado in the frame. A 368-foot radio antenna and 2 others antennas were blown down, and multiple power lines were downed. The intense damage averaged between one quarter and one half of a mile in width. Total property damage in Wichita Falls was estimated at $400,000,000 (in 1979 dollars). We All NOAA. At Sheppard Air Force Base, winds up to 70 mph tore countless limbs from trees and knocked out windows on some base housing units. Winter Weather 2. In the Wichita Falls area, damage occurred to ~75 homes, 15 trailer homes, high school, and numerous outbuildings. Nationwide, Current Conditions among them is this still life with tornado that can be your partner. Lighter damage occurred outside of the AFB and no hail was observed. Using spotter and radar reports, Lawton officials sounded the siren system to warn the people of the approaching storm. No damage was reported from this small, weak tornado and it was rated F0. Two oil storage tanks were blown away and several homes were unroofed near Farm Road 2650 as the tornado approached Wichita Falls. In addition, the damage paths of all three were wider than normal. April 10, 1979 by James R Mcdonald _ Joseph E. Minor April 20, 1979 . passed away on Thursday, February 23, 2023 in Wichita Falls Texas. Beyond the shopping mall, the tornado crossed a greenbelt area, skirted Midwestern University on its south side, and severely damaged several more housing additions (Colonial Park, Hursh, Southmoor, Southwinds, and Southern Hills). It was roaring down the hill fairly fast and my chase partner was concerned that we couldn't get out of the path. Wayne Collamore, Approaching Harrold, Texas from the southeast on Highway 287 - view is looking west at about 4:05 pm CST. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. 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. (Documented and rated F2 by Grazulis. View looking west-northwest near Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas at wall cloud on the southwestern edge of the thunderstorm. April 3, 1964 - A violent tornado struck the northwest section of Wichita Falls and Sheppard Air Force Base, killing 7 persons and injuring 111 other people. Questions? by Glasstire May 2, 2017. It sped into Clay County, causing no deaths but 40 injuries and damage in the communities of Dean and Petrolia that amounted to $15 million. The Southwest National Bank Building was totally destroyed except for its concrete vault, a proxy for an above-ground shelter. Tornado caused $3,500,000 to the downtown business district in. I had never witnessed anything of this magnitude. Fortunately, the tornado moved through rural areas and did not affect any housing at this stage. Winter Weather 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). Apr 20, 2012 - The April 10, 1979 tornado in Wichita Falls. WICHITA FALLS, Texas (TNN) - April 10th, 1979, a day forever ingrained in the minds of those who lived through it. 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. 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. Several brief touchdowns in Seymour resulted in scattered roof damage and one overturned truck. When was the last time there was a tornado in Wichita? The twister moved east-northeastward across the northern part of the city, and continued into Clay County before lifting at 6:10 pm CST near the town of Dean. The following images and text copyright Gene Moore unless otherwise indicated. A total of 2 homes were completely destroyed with 31 homes and 17 mobile homes being damaged. The collingsworth family is a southern gospel /inspirational group started by phil and kim collingsworth and features their family as the group. The first of dozens of funerals to be held for those killed by the tornado that struck here Tuesday was held today for Terry Mahon, 17 years old, who died while working at a restaurant job she had taken to save money for a marriage she had planned for this summer. Tornado Warnings, Climate and Past Weather Special Weather Statements The second supercell spawned one that moved 74 miles (119km). 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). Brenda Lee Whitehead. There was strong upper level dynamics all coming together to produce strong tornado-producing supercells. A trailer and three barns were destroyed. Further eastward, most houses in the Faith Village Addition were destroyed, and Ben Milam Elementary School was severely damaged (location #6). First indications of tornado damage were near Harrold, which is located approximately 16 miles southwest of Vernon. March 3, 1973 - The Wichita Falls police department reported a small tornado touching down briefly in the vicinity of Midwestern University. During this interval, the tornado was photographed by Professor Joe Henderson of Midwestern State University from the Ligon Coliseum (Tornado Track Figure; Location #7) and by Troy Glover from the roof of the Bethania Hospital (Tornado Track Figure; Location #8). A total of 10 people received injuries due to the high winds. Only 5 of the homes that were left actually incurred damage. Every year in the United States the threat of a catastrophe looms whenever tornadoes approach large gatherings of people. The tornado's worst winds generally missed the Sikes Senter Shopping Mall to the South, but a few of the stores were heavily damaged and >many cars in the mall parking lot were blown some distance and stacked on top of each other. DOC/NOAA, January, 1980: Red River Valley Tornadoes of April 10, 1979. The southern supercell, the Wichita Falls storm, produced its first tornado at 1653 CST (4:53 PM) near Seymour, TX. Gene is a graduate of Oklahoma University who photographed storms when he lived in Norman, Oklahoma during the 1970s. More than 40 died, and about 1,700 were injured. Several apartment complexes and many homes were destroyed, with several of the first deaths occurring in this area. The Harrold tornado was in its formative stages at about the time the Vernon tornado was crossing the Red River. 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. Apr 8, 2009 #1 NWS OUN has put up a nice page for the 30th anniversary of this monster: . About 1540 CST (3:40 PM), a tornado devastated the southeastern portion of Vernon, TX (11 fatalities). #1. . (This tornado was documented and rated F2 by Tom Grazulis in his book, Significant Tornadoes. All of them happened in the first half of April. The mall was on the north side of the tornado path and appeared to escape the most violent winds. Earlier on the same day, several tornadoes hit farther west. See the article in its original context from. Ingredients for a devastating severe weather event were beginning to come together on the morning of April 10. 10. Galvanized roofing and 2x4 rafters from the barn were thrown along a 100-yard path for 3/4 of a mile. Very often, those features of Texas weather having the most import-such as the continuation or cessation of damaging drought, occurrences of flash-flooding rains, sharp changes in temperature, and incidences of tornadoes and hurricanes, cannot be discerned from the volumes of meteorological data that are published periodically. Hail ranged in sizes "from mothballs to pineapples." About $15 million of damage occurred as the tornado destroyed homes immediately south of TX State Highway 79, from Wichita Falls into the Dean and Petrolia areas. 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 . There is no doubt that hundreds of lives were saved by the news media and siren warnings. Continuing at F4 intensity, the now massive wedge tornado, which was at its maximum 1.5 miles (2.4km) wide, cut a 2.5-mile (4.0km) swath of destruction through the south side of town. A destructive and deadly tornado outbreak impacted the Red River Valley on April 10, 1979. Forecasters at the National Severe Storms Forecast Center in Kansas City1 had to decide only how soon tornadoes would develop and how large an area would be threatened. McNeil Junior High school was next in the path of the tornado and the school was severely damaged. He is now self-employed and lives with his family in San Antonio, Texas. The maximum F-scale rating was F1, however most damage was rated F0. Yesterday the President issued a similar declaration for Wichita Falls. In Texas: Clay, Foard, Wichita and Wilbarger; and in Oklahoma: Carter, Cleveland, Comanche, Cotton, Jefferson, Pottawatomie, Stephens and Tillman. 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. A large number of roofs were damaged at the air base, and buildings at the Wichita Valley Airport also suffered roof damage. Science And Nature . Rivers and Lakes Soon thereafter tornadoes were spotted near Crosby ton and Plainview and golfball size hail fell near Tulia, Afton, and Washburn (High Plains). Several strong to violent tornadoes touched down throughout the region that day. Apr 20, 2012 - The April 10, 1979 tornado in Wichita Falls. "It was just a regular old day. 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, The suffering and destruction caused by the Wichita Falls tornado is nearly inconceivable. As it moved north of Southwest Parkway, the tornado destroyed many homes in both the Western Hills Addition and the Faith Village Addition and severely damaged Ben Milam Elementary School. April 10, 2001 - This tornado developed on the south side of Wichita Falls at 11:46 pmCST, a short distance from Lake Wichita. The Norman Doppler radar was used to collect dense data (0.5o azimuth spacing and 150 meter gate spacing) on the Wichita Falls storm during the interval leading to the formation of the violent tornado. To date, it is the most damaging tornado in US history. About the Artist: Frank Gohlke is a leading figure in American landscape photography. The Wichita Falls area has been visited by tornadoes many times over the course of its history. During this period, large hail was occurring in the central and northern portions of Wichita Falls as the tornado devastated the southern portion of the city. Please try another search. Troy Glover. This report summarizes the injuries and deaths associated with these tornadoes based on information from emergency department and hospital records and death certificates. May 30, 2001 - This tornado was observed at 6:30 pm CST by three people over northern portions of Lake Wichita, or 6 miles southwest of Wichita Falls. Rain was beginning to rotate totally around the funnel at this time and the tornado was producing an audible roar so loud it was hard to communicate. ), May 9, 1951 - A supercell thunderstorm produced a small, narrow tornado that moved east-northeastward along a 5-mile path from Iowa Park to near Wichita Falls. Past Weather Events An explanation of both the causes and effects of the many and varied weather systems that affected Texans during the year has been the central objective of this endeavor. This thunderstorm spawned a tornado with a continuous ground track of almost 60 miles. According to the American National Red Cross, 7,759 families suffered losses in the storms (Table 1). Thunderstorm winds blew a sheet metal roof off a horse barn just east of Sheppard Air Force Base, tore off part of the roof of a radio station 6 miles southwest of Wichita Falls, tore a patio roof off a house in Wichita Falls. Most of the destroyed homes had some of these interior walls still standing after the tornado. The Terrible Tuesday video can be viewed via the NWS Norman YouTube Channel or below. There were scattered remains of destroyed structures on either side of the road. The destructive and deadly tornado outbreak impacted the Red River Valley on April 10, 1979. I often read in more general reference books as well as a handful of weather books that a tornado at Wichita Falls, TX, on April 2, 1958 had a wind gust recorded at 280 mph. During this time I was trying to shoot pictures through the window. Small buildings were damaged or destroyed, and roofs, signs, oil field derricks and tanks were damaged. ", "The thunderstorm system that produced the Vernon tornado crossed the Red River and left a 50-mile-long skipping track of tornado damage through Oklahoma. After the tornado left Wichita Falls and travelled northeast, it entered Clay County and changed its appearance. To Known as the Red River Valley tornado outbreak or "Terrible Tuesday," 30 tornadoes ran rampant. Non Precipitation Warnings A woman was injured when her truck rolled into the ditch in which she was taking cover. Please try another search. Wichita Falls has had three major tornado strikes in its history. NWS The tornado was 1.5 miles wide as it passed through 8 miles of residential area in Wichita Falls. The destruction in Wichita Falls resulted in 42 dead, 1,740 injured, over 3,000 homes destroyed and damage of approximately $400 million. (Documented and rated F2 by Grazulis. '", "When the day had ended, the tornadoes had left in their wake a tragically high toll -- 56 dead and 1916 injured. A home was badly damaged, losing a large portion of its front side. Ben Milam Elementary School was heavily damaged, as the cafeteria-auditorium was completely destroyed and exterior class rooms were pummeled by flying debris. As the first violent tornado on record to hit the Wichita Falls area, [18] it left seven dead and more than 100 injured. NWS The tornado continued into Clay County, resulting in no deaths, but 40 additional injuries. 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. We give still life with tornado and numerous ebook collections from fictions to scientific research in any way. This storm appeared insignificant compared to what we had seen so we drifted southwest in search of something better. FAQ 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. Would we have seen the tornado and diverted? ", "When the giant tornado struck Wichita Falls just before 6:00 p.m., most people were not surprised. On April 10, 1979, a devastating tornado struck Wichita Falls in North Texas. Nationwide, Current Conditions (1979-2009) The Red River Valley Tornado. In addition to the tornado, severe thunderstorm winds moved through the Wichita Falls area, downing trees, limbs, and power poles. Witnesses say the several distinct, small vortices were visible during the formative stage of the tornado as it moved along the Fort Worth and Denver railroad into Wichita County. 16 of those 25 vehicle related deaths were from people leaving their homes to escape the. They moved northeastward, and as a trio spawned families of tornadoes. The Wichita Falls area has been visited by tornadoes many times over the course of its history. 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. Home; Exhibits and Displays Perennially the State perseveres through frequent bombardments of hail, high winds, and flash floods, often with the accompaniment of tornadoes-as well as the threat of being struck on its coastal flank by a hurricane or intense tropical cyclone. The course of its history copyright Gene Moore unless otherwise indicated of its history mobile homes damaged. Worst single tornado in Wichita to come together on the north side of the thunderstorm Falls Texas. Most wichita falls tornado 1979 deaths were not surprised by James R Mcdonald _ Joseph E. Minor April 20 1979! 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