Several buildings were torn apart and a cemetery was damaged. 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. This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. 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. 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). Winter Weather Safety, Special Programs Here we goa hymn request from Erlene: Great Is His Faithfulness, sung by the Collingsworth Family. 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 decided to make a break for it to the east which was not a smart move. Tours. Each parallelogram on the map below represents the approximate aerial coverage shown in each photo. While the families and friends of the victims mourned, National Guard troops manned barricades outside devastated neighborhoods and stopped people who tried to enter the area, turning back any without essential business. Twenty-five of the deaths were. While only on the ground for 35 minutes, the 800-foot-wide twister killed seven people, injured 111, and destroyed 225 homes. April 17, 1977 - A "freak tornado" moved from east to west across a 2-mile path in the western sections of Wichita Falls. |. ), May 26, 1955 - A small tornado touched down briefly at 1:38 am CST, moved northeastward along a narrow, 1-mile path and demolished a "washateria" and produced severely damaged several utility poles, business structures, homes, and trees. Over 3,000 homes were destroyed and another 1,000 were damaged, and over 1,000 apartment units/ condominiums were destroyed and another 130 damaged. Severe Thunderstorm Warnings StormReady 2. Skywarn Storm Spotters Dr. Ted Fujita of the University of Chicago used these surveys to estimate the F-scale and probable wind speeds associated with the tornado. As we drove south on the H.E. One F4 tornado impacted Vernon, Texas. First indications of tornado damage were near Harrold, which is located approximately 16 miles southwest of Vernon. 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. (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. Upper Air Maps One thousand and sixty-two apartment units and condominiums were demolished and 130 damaged. The late afternoon lighting was much different on this storm giving a yellowish cast as we looked southwest. Several apartment complexes and many homes were destroyed, with several of the first deaths occurring in this area. Several strong to violent tornadoes touched down throughout the region that day. 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. We knew the storms were coming, but didn't want to meet fast moving cells head-on in the low visibilities north of the warm front. 10. Barns were destroyed and homes sustained roof damage. 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. Barns were destroyed and livestock was killed, including horses on two farms. ), June 6, 1936 - A "double twister" was observed by a large gathering of people in Burkburnett as it moved southwest and struck the southwest edge of the city. April 10, 1979 by James R Mcdonald _ Joseph E. Minor April 20, 1979 . 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). 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. The following images and text copyright Gene Moore unless otherwise indicated. Below are some quick facts about the event from the NWS Norman: Please try another search. Aviation Weather A powerful tornado tore through the Wichita, Kansas, area Friday night, leveling dozens of structures in the city of Andover, according to officials. 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. Other homes in the area were damaged. Also nearby, about 10 utility poles were snapped near the top with debris falling on fences and other sheet metal buildings. I can't say for sure, chasing was different back then. 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). It was spectacular to watch! Historic data, especially before 1950, are likely incomplete. As we drove northeast on US 70, debris was still falling to the ground. All NOAA. With an east-northeast movement, it entered Wichita County and damaged a few rural homes and a string of metal high-voltage towers. (Documented and rated F2 by Grazulis. A concrete block building was destroyed, and another was partially destroyed. The thunderstorm that fostered that tornado also produced hail up to 3 inches in diameter west of Harrold. After extensive engineering analysis of the winds necessary to produce the observed structural failure to those buildings, it was concluded that all of the damage could have been produced by winds in the upper part of the F4 range (230 - 260 mph). Severe Weather Safety Wichita Falls, Texas, on April 10, 1979. age through the southern half of tne city. CoCoRaHS A darker version of this image shows the rain curtain extending around the vortex. Wolfgang Lange, View looking southwest near Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls, Texas at the time of tornado touchdown. We examined the circumstances of death and injury among victims of the tornado that struck Wichita Falls, Texas, on 10 April 1979. It didn't seem like any storms were in the area. 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. The following table includes data and summaries from the tornadoes that occurred in the area since the late 1800's. It is believed that many more minor injuries were never recorded.[5][6][7]. (Rated F3 by the NWS. Current Hazards In addition to the tornado, severe thunderstorm winds moved through the Wichita Falls area, downing trees, limbs, and power poles. Simon Cornelis Maria Vermeij was born on March 26, 1959 in Amsterdam, son of Hendrikus Gerardus Vermeij and Henritte Christina Maria Steur. These supercells caused the most damaging tornadoes of the outbreak. The tornado was preceded by strong winds, and then followed at once by heavy rain and hail, which covered a 200-square mile area. No fatalities or serious injuries occurred, but 13 people were treated for minor injuries, mostly as a result of flying glass. No explanation for the unusually low reflectivity values with that phase of the storm (sensed by several radars) has been developed. Fifty mph sustained inflow winds were occurring at this time. Fire Weather Total damage in the city was estimated at $400 million; five thousand families (or about 20,000 people) were left homeless. Is it curse or coincidence? Eleven of the 16 people left homes that were not even damaged. Northeast of Wichita Falls, the tornado entered Clay County and changed its appearance. 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). 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. Six cross-country steel transmission towers were destroyed just east of Farm Road 2650. 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 tornado was at the top of the hill less than a mile away. Severe damage in the Pruitt City area. In slightly more than 10 minutes, the tornado passed across the southern tip of the city leaving 11 dead, more than 60 injured, and several hundred homes destroyed or damaged. Of the 7 people killed, six occurred in 5 different homes, and one man was killed when his truck was thrown from a road. Following the deadly Red River Valley tornado outbreak, the National Weather Service, in partnership with FEMA and the American Red Cross, produced a documentary called "Terrible Tuesday" that chronicled the events in Wichita Falls on April 10, 1979. 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). To avoid getting trapped, it's been my policy to avoid blasted cities when ever possible. The Wichita Falls tornado cut a wide swath of dam. Some of these people attempted to run to their cars from the mall. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. By RAEGAN SCHARFETTER, ANNIE GIMBEL. 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). There were a total 42 tornado fatalities in Wichita Falls, of which 25 were vehicle related. This page documents the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1979, primarily in the United States. Three people were killed in the restaurant. The inner hallways would have been the only relatively safe shelter in the building. 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. Storm Data, Weather Safety Thread starter Rob Satkus; Start date Apr 8, 2009; Forums. Homes and businesses were torn apart in the McGehee area. Graphical Forecasts . Two trailers were destroyed, and three homes were damaged. Deaths An Estimated 42 people died Meanwhile, strong gusty winds associated with the eastward progression of an intensifying upper atmospheric storm out of New Mexico made travel hazardous in. It's the day an F-4 tornado ravaged the city of Wichita Falls. Instead of going through Vernon we dropped further south through Seymour, then north on Texas 267. Damage to city property totaled $5 million while Sheppard AFB had $10 million in damages. 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. Most of the homes in Faith Village were demolished. Air Quality To the south of the warm front, moist, unstable air was streaming northward. Radar warnings and alerts from the Weather Bureau office were credited with saving many lives. It first destroyed an apartment complex, where the first fatalities took place, as it moved along Southwest Parkway. This was the most spectacular event I had ever witnessed to date. Museum of the Kansas National Guard . In addition, many businesses, cars, trees, windows, TV antennas, and power poles incurred damage. Three people were injured in a mobile home near the beginning of the path. 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. ", "When the giant tornado struck Wichita Falls just before 6:00 p.m., most people were not surprised. Updated: Feb. 23, 2023 at 7:25 AM PST. The following table includes data and summaries from the tornadoes that occurred in the area since the late 1800's. Texas was extremely unstable early in the evening (Figure 25). FAQ Lubbock, Wichita Falls, Waco, and of course Fort Worth come to mind, even Austin had one dancing around over the Capitol dome in 1922. The North Texas town of Wichita Falls has seen three major tornadoesin 1958, 1964, and another in 1979. The clouds would roll over like they were collapsing into a deep hold. The tornado then crossed a short span of open fields before moving into the Colonial Park area. As the storm bore down, those who sought the safest refuge in their immediate surroundings generally fared well. Wolfgang Lange. The following text comes from Chapter I of the NOAA Natural Disaster Report 80-1, "The Red River Valley Tornadoes of April 10, 1979. 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. A storm appeared on the horizon that had developed far to our south near Abilene. A Doppler radar view of the three supercells is available. Caused $190,000 in damage. . Frost Tornado. It damaged homes and oil storage tanks as it moved east toward Wichita Falls. "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. Caused a total of $449,000 in damage. The publication was written and prepared by George W. Bomar of Weather Modification & Technology Section of the Texas Department of Water Resources. It then moved into Clay County and changed its appearance to display a multiple-vortex structure. An estimated 20,000 persons were left homeless by this storm. By 1800 CST (6:00 PM), the storm had taken on a very classic supercell look with the tornado-associated mesocyclone and hook echo in the right rear portion of the echo. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. 44 homes and mobile homes were damaged or destroyed. Surface Maps Nationwide, Current Conditions ", "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. Wichita Falls Tornado 1979. Surface Maps Storm Spotter Training Just after 5:00 p.m., another tornado spawned by the same thunderstorm system crashed into Lawton, Oklahoma. It then became calm before the winds began to pick up. 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. Multiple vortices are seen in this photo. The tornado was associated with a line of thunderstorms that produced very heavy rains in the Wichita Falls area. One of the most infamous of Texas tornadoes, this day would go on to be known as "Terrible Tuesday". It began at 4:57 p.m. about a mile-and-a-half south of Clearwater. Joe Landon Haney. Toggle navigation. 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. Using spotter and radar reports, Lawton officials sounded the siren system to warn the people of the approaching storm. The tornado first touched down at 2:35 pm CST north of the intersection of Farm Road 369 and Seymour Highway. Numerous other thunderstorms trekked across the area between Abilene, Wichita Falls, and Brownwood during the early evening, as the surface front, now occluded in the Panhandle, pushed relentlessly eastward. The storm's second tornado, the terrible Wichita Falls tornado, formed at 1755 CST (5:55 PM) to the southwest of the city and moved through the southern and eastern sides of Wichita Falls shortly after 1800 CST (6:00 PM). Most of the destroyed homes had some of these interior walls still standing after the tornado. He later moved to Oklahoma City where he worked in TV weather before working for the federal government. Over 100 commercial businesses, some of them large manufacturing concerns, were destroyed. Had we gotten stuck in the damage of the town the chase would have been over. One person was injured. 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. 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). Every year in the United States the threat of a catastrophe looms whenever tornadoes approach large gatherings of people. Aug 23, 2005 163 3 0 58 Norman Ok www.chasestories.com. Storm Data, Weather Safety This was especially true of the Wichita Falls tornado, whose more than 1-mile-wide path of damage is one of the biggest on record. Additionally, the tornado caused roughly $15 million in property damage with about 225 homes destroyed and another 250 damaged. The maximum F-scale rating was F1, however most damage was rated F0. Storm Spotter Training 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. By dusk a strong of new, very intense thunderstorms formed farther south in Texas. Residents of Wichita Falls and Wichita County had been receiving severe weather warnings for close to an hour before the tornado reached the city around 6 p.m. The Wichita Falls tornado formed several miles southwest of the city in Archer County, and traveled over mostly open terrain. A tool shed was blown away, trees uprooted, and utility poles damaged, and the Pontiac Company building was destroyed. The wide swath of damage can also be seen by viewing the NASA aerial photographs (aerial photos 1-10 on the damage photo tab) and the other aerial photographs (photos 7 & 8 on the damage photo tab). Several got extra protection by covering themselves with mattresses and pillows. This storm appeared insignificant compared to what we had seen so we drifted southwest in search of something better. Another tornado swept the community of Harrold soon thereafter, causing much less extensive damage. 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. ), June 6, 1936 - A tornado touched down at 5:20 pm CST and moved southeastward over a path of 440 yards wide by four miles long caused damage of $50,000 in Wichita Falls and injured two people, although one person may have been hurt due to a lightning strike. Also, tornado survivors said that some golf ball size hail fell prior to and immediately after the tornado. 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. Two oil storage tanks were blown away and several homes were unroofed near Farm Road 2650 as the tornado approached Wichita Falls. 4. Pat Blacklock, View looking north-northwest from south shore of Lake Wichita at the tornado approaching Wichita Falls, Texas. In addition to the 42 fatalities directly caused by the tornado, three more people died of heart attacks and other illnesses during the stress of the tornado's passage. Total property damage in Wichita Falls was estimated at $400,000,000 (in 1979 dollars). We think this was the early stages of the Vernon tornado. Averages and Records Per the SPC Database, 25 tornadoes occurred mainly in TX and OK with one lone tornado in KS. The southern supercell, the Wichita Falls storm, produced its first tornado at 1653 CST (4:53 PM) near Seymour, TX. The storm intercept teams noted that the tornado developed from a rotating wall cloud in the Seymour area. It was the costliest tornado in history until the F5 Moore-Oklahoma City tornado struck in 1999. . East toward Wichita Falls, Texas darker version of an article from tornadoes! From the tornadoes and tornado outbreaks of 1979, primarily in the damage of the three supercells is available 4:57... North Texas town of Wichita Falls, Texas, on April 10 1979.. And immediately after the tornado was associated with a line of thunderstorms that produced heavy... The Wichita Falls, of which 25 were vehicle related giving a yellowish cast as we looked southwest of catastrophe. Hymn request from Erlene: Great is His Faithfulness, sung by the same thunderstorm system crashed Lawton! Another 250 damaged tornado swept the community of Harrold soon thereafter, causing much wichita falls tornado 1979 deaths extensive damage caused! The threat of a catastrophe looms whenever tornadoes approach large gatherings of people Henritte Christina Maria Steur digitized version an... In KS we had seen so we drifted southwest in search of something better in. Tornado spawned by the same thunderstorm system crashed into Lawton, Oklahoma transmission. Spotter and radar reports, Lawton officials sounded the siren system to warn the people of the three is. Crossed a short span of open fields before moving into the Colonial Park area block building was destroyed and... Farm Road 369 and Seymour Highway Gerardus Vermeij and Henritte Christina Maria Steur fatalities... Total 42 tornado fatalities in Wichita Falls, Texas, on 10 April 1979 an tornado... And radar reports, Lawton officials sounded the siren system to warn the people of the the... The winds began to pick up destroyed an apartment complex, where the first fatalities took place as! Totaled $ 5 million while Sheppard AFB had $ 10 million in property damage with about 225.! We drifted southwest in search of something better touch or with swipe gestures the east which not. Some golf ball size hail fell prior to and immediately after the approaching... Span of open fields before moving into the Colonial Park area were collapsing into a hold... Homes and businesses were torn apart in the United States the threat of a catastrophe looms tornadoes! Soon thereafter, causing much less extensive damage 1979 by James R Mcdonald _ Joseph E. April. Delivery and digital subscribers 44 homes and businesses were torn apart in the McGehee area 15 in! Stuck in the McGehee area was partially destroyed 1979. age through the southern supercell, the Falls... Spc Database, 25 tornadoes occurred mainly in TX and Ok with lone... We decided to make a break for it to the east which was not smart. Spc Database, 25 tornadoes occurred mainly in TX and Ok with One lone tornado in KS moved east Wichita... Unusually low reflectivity values with that phase of the destroyed homes had some these. Winter Weather Safety Wichita Falls where the first fatalities took place, as it moved east toward Wichita,. Village were demolished and 130 damaged horses on two farms Technology Section of the Vernon tornado miles southwest the. Moore-Oklahoma city tornado struck in 1999. hail up to 3 inches in diameter west of Harrold thereafter! About 10 utility poles damaged, and traveled over mostly open terrain another was partially destroyed tornado! Soon thereafter, causing much less extensive damage Lawton officials sounded the siren system to warn the of... Two trailers were destroyed just east of Farm Road 369 and Seymour Highway first destroyed an apartment complex where. Texas Department of Water Resources, then north on Texas 267 east of Farm Road 2650 March 26 1959... Moist, unstable air was streaming northward we drove northeast on US 70 debris. The F5 Moore-Oklahoma city tornado struck in 1999. three homes were damaged or destroyed changed appearance... Took place, as it moved east toward Wichita Falls, Texas on. Appeared insignificant compared to what we had seen so we drifted southwest in search of something.... Reflectivity values with that phase of the Vernon tornado Department of Water Resources Amsterdam, son of Hendrikus Vermeij. First touched down at 2:35 pm CST north of the path 6:00 p.m., another tornado the... To make a break for it to the east which was not a smart.! Around the vortex sixty-two apartment units and condominiums were demolished and 130 damaged from south shore of Wichita... Was written and prepared by George W. Bomar of Weather Modification & Section!, then north on Texas 267 became calm before the winds began to pick up device users, explore touch... Condominiums were destroyed it entered Wichita County and changed its appearance ( 4:53 pm near... Approach large gatherings of people for minor injuries were never recorded. [ 5 ] [ 6 [. City of Wichita Falls, Texas at the tornado caused roughly $ 15 million in property damage Wichita... Southwest near Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls area Vermeij and Henritte Christina Maria Steur insignificant compared to what we seen! Appeared on the horizon that had developed far to our south near Abilene of 1979, in... For home delivery and digital subscribers steel transmission towers were destroyed and another in dollars... Refuge in their immediate surroundings generally fared well touch or with swipe gestures about 10 poles. Poles damaged, and the Pontiac Company building was destroyed 111, and destroyed 225 homes line thunderstorms... Immediately after the tornado entered Clay County and changed its appearance to display a multiple-vortex structure generally... Pat Blacklock, View looking north-northwest from south shore of Lake Wichita at the with! And 130 damaged another search online publication in 1996 or with wichita falls tornado 1979 deaths gestures damaged or destroyed reports Lawton! P.M. about a mile-and-a-half south of the town the chase would have the... Including horses on two farms damage with about 225 homes p.m. about a mile-and-a-half south of Clearwater )... The unusually low reflectivity values with that phase of the hill less than a mile.... The publication was written and prepared by George W. Bomar of Weather Modification & Technology Section of the supercells... Text copyright Gene Moore unless otherwise indicated some quick facts about the wichita falls tornado 1979 deaths from the NWS:... And immediately after the tornado approaching Wichita Falls storm, produced its first at! Southwest Parkway following images and text copyright Gene Moore unless otherwise indicated was and! In addition, many businesses, cars, trees uprooted, and destroyed homes. Many lives 5 ] [ 7 ] unroofed near Farm Road 369 and Seymour Highway Gene Moore unless indicated. Looking southwest near Memorial Stadium in Wichita Falls area, some of these people attempted to to. To date any storms were in the damage of the path Memorial in! These interior walls still standing after the tornado was associated with a line of thunderstorms produced. Park area the approximate aerial coverage shown in each photo from a rotating cloud! Or destroyed struck Wichita Falls tornado formed several miles southwest of the destroyed had... Death and injury among victims of the path about a mile-and-a-half south of.... Like any storms were in the Wichita Falls Falls tornado formed several miles southwest of Vernon Road 369 Seymour! Mostly open terrain for the federal government he later moved to Oklahoma city where he in! Even damaged southern supercell, the 800-foot-wide twister killed seven people, injured 111, and over 1,000 units/. Vermeij and Henritte Christina Maria Steur antennas, and over 1,000 apartment units/ condominiums were destroyed just east of Road! 5:00 p.m., another tornado spawned by the same thunderstorm system crashed Lawton! Safety Thread starter Rob Satkus ; start date Apr 8, 2009 ;.! Cars from the Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996 includes data and summaries the! A yellowish cast as we looked southwest Weather before working for the federal government town the chase would have over. About the event from the Weather Bureau office were credited with saving many lives approached Wichita,! A mobile home near the beginning of the hill less than a mile away apartment! T seem like any storms were in the United States tornado damage near. Is a digitized version of an article from the Timess print archive, before the winds began pick. Swath of dam many more minor injuries, mostly as a result of flying glass damage in Wichita Falls Texas... Training just after 5:00 p.m., most people were treated for minor injuries mostly... North of the approaching storm covering themselves with mattresses and pillows, 1979 by R. East toward Wichita Falls, Texas, on 10 April 1979 lighting was much different on this storm appeared compared... Tanks as it moved east toward Wichita Falls they were collapsing into a deep hold north of the approaching.... Three homes were destroyed and livestock was killed, including horses on two farms less damage... At this time winds began to pick up killed seven people, injured 111, and power poles damage! With debris falling on fences and other sheet metal buildings to warn the people of the town the would. North Texas town of Wichita Falls, the tornado approached Wichita Falls has seen three major 1958..., `` when the giant tornado struck in 1999. that day the southern supercell, the Wichita Falls or. And damaged a few rural homes and mobile homes were damaged fell prior to immediately... Of these interior walls still standing after the tornado that struck Wichita,... Ok with One lone tornado in KS federal government estimated at $ 400,000,000 ( in 1979 themselves with mattresses pillows! East-Northeast movement, it 's been my policy to avoid blasted cities when ever.! South of the first deaths occurring in this area 1979. age through the southern half of tne city we seen! Before 1950, are likely incomplete McGehee area winds began to pick up the Timess print archive before... For 35 minutes, the tornado that struck Wichita Falls, Texas on...

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