• After witnessing the continued decrease of involvement in the SpotterNetwork staff in serving SN members with troubleshooting issues recently, I have unilaterally decided to terminate the relationship between SpotterNetwork's support and Stormtrack. I have witnessed multiple users unable to receive support weeks after initiating help threads on the forum. I find this lack of response from SpotterNetwork officials disappointing and a failure to hold up their end of the agreement that was made years ago, before I took over management of this site. In my opinion, having Stormtrack users sit and wait for so long to receive help on SpotterNetwork issues on the Stormtrack forums reflects poorly not only on SpotterNetwork, but on Stormtrack and (by association) me as well. Since the issue has not been satisfactorily addressed, I no longer wish for the Stormtrack forum to be associated with SpotterNetwork.

    I apologize to those who continue to have issues with the service and continue to see their issues left unaddressed. Please understand that the connection between ST and SN was put in place long before I had any say over it. But now that I am the "captain of this ship," it is within my right (nay, duty) to make adjustments as I see necessary. Ending this relationship is such an adjustment.

    For those who continue to need help, I recommend navigating a web browswer to SpotterNetwork's About page, and seeking the individuals listed on that page for all further inquiries about SpotterNetwork.

    From this moment forward, the SpotterNetwork sub-forum has been hidden/deleted and there will be no assurance that any SpotterNetwork issues brought up in any of Stormtrack's other sub-forums will be addressed. Do not rely on Stormtrack for help with SpotterNetwork issues.

    Sincerely, Jeff D.

Today is the 75th Anniversary of Fawbush & Miller's Tinker AFB Tornado Forecast

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The events of 75 years ago today changed the course of the science of meteorology: It was the first successful tornado forecast (watch) of the modern era. I have a piece here: 75 Years Ago Today...

If this amazing coincidence had not occurred, there is no telling how long it would have taken for tornado forecasting to take root. The Weather Bureau had absolutely no interested in being in the tornado business. In 1948, use of the word "tornado" was forbidden. While the USWB set up SELS in KC in the early 1950's, their meteorologists were still forbidden to issue tornado warnings. That changed in 1957 when WB meteorologists Bob Babb and Joe Audsley issued what we would call tornado warnings for the Ruskin Heights Tornado. They genuinely thought they would be fired the next day!

Francis Reichelderfer, who had become Chief of the Weather Bureau in 1938 and lasted until 1963, was opposed to tornado warnings. I suspect he would have had to retire before civilian tornado warnings would have begun, absent Fawbush and Miller.
 
I read about this in a book called ”Storm Kings”. For those that like to read, this book goes all the way back to the 1700’s (if I remember correctly), when they were trying to figure out what a tornado was to the modern era of forecasting. The chapter on the Tinker AFB was one of my favorites!
 
Yes, I read this - it was interesting. I think one of the first episodes is about Benjamin Franklin chasing a tornado on a horse.
 
I read about this in a book called ”Storm Kings”.
I don't know how I missed this at the time, but here goes: Use caution when reading Storm Kings. There are many errors of fact in that book. To take just one -- the tiny Joplin TV market did not have helicopters let alone following the May 22, 2011, tornado.
 
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