Mike Smith
EF5
Today is the 75th anniversary of one of the most terrifying events in tornado history: the "Woodward" Tornado. I put Woodward in quotes because, while the initial Weather Bureau investigation said it was a single tornado, more modern evidence indicates that it was more likely at least three and, possibly, as many as six storms from a single supercell.
The storm carved a 221-path from northeast of Amarillo to St. Leo, Kansas (45 mi WSW of ICT). During all this time there was never a forecast or warning that it was coming. One hundred eight-one people died. It was the last super-tornado (strong F-5) of the pre-tornado forecast era. The next March was the time of Fawbush and Miller's famous forecasts.
There is a thread of damage pictures here: It includes a photo of the tornado while in Texas that I had not seen before. I devote a chapter to the tornado in my book Warnings.
The storm carved a 221-path from northeast of Amarillo to St. Leo, Kansas (45 mi WSW of ICT). During all this time there was never a forecast or warning that it was coming. One hundred eight-one people died. It was the last super-tornado (strong F-5) of the pre-tornado forecast era. The next March was the time of Fawbush and Miller's famous forecasts.
There is a thread of damage pictures here: It includes a photo of the tornado while in Texas that I had not seen before. I devote a chapter to the tornado in my book Warnings.
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