"Terrible Tuesday" documentary made available onli

[Thomas Loades]

The NWS Norman site also have a 74-minute tape recording of the SKYWARN radio net made by a radio operator in Nocona, TX listening in; it lasts from the touchdown of a weak tornado at Rocky Point, TX, through the Seymour tornado, up to when the Wichita Falls tornado has just exited the town. It's kind of creepy at times — especially when the tornado shuts off power in Wichita Falls, and everything goes eerily silent . . . and all the spotters dutifully in their positions who radio their last report: "It's headed right this way. I'm going."

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/storms/1979041...arnradionet.wma

 

[John Cameron]

If I could take a moment to "toot" my stations horn. KAUZ took advantage of a rather fortuitous locale by getting two tornadoes on the air, live. The first was in '57 (I think) the second was an F5 in April of '64. I've never seen the footage of the '57 but the '64 was absolutely incredible. They took a studio camera outside and framed up two anchor/reporter types (one smoking a cigarette) with the ominous, broad, black rotating wall cloud in the background as they reported a "large cloud of smoke or dust" at the intersection of FM 369 and the Seymour Highway. They said things like "weather bureau" and "turbulence on radar". That erie wall cloud eventually droped the area's most powerful tornado that went northwest, paralell to the Wichita River. KAUZ continued to broadcast live pictures of the tornado at the height of its deadly maturity while it brought F5 destruction to the SHeppard Air Force Base (KSPS).
You would have been impressed with how well the anchors handled the play by play. Great job even by today's standards.

I may try to see if folks at the Severe Storms workshop year would be willing to show the tape next year. It's fascinating!

 

[Thomas Loades]

The 1957 one might have been that one on April 2, 1958 that allegedly had 280-mph winds (though I've never read anything backing this up).