We are now partners with the Storm Front Freaks. A total of 319 were killed in 148 tornadoes from April 3 through April 4 and 5,484 were injured. Remarkable electrical phenomenon was reported as the tornado passed through Huntsville, with reports of luminous clouds, ball lightning, and multi-colored flashes and glowing areas in the sky as the storm moved through the city. ", "The Super Tornado Outbreak of 1974 Farmers' Almanac", "TORNADO OUTBREAK OPENED EYES ABOUT MYTHS, SCHOOL SAFETY", "4 Apr 1974, Page 7 - The Courier-Journal at Newspapers.com", "The Indefinitive List of the Strongest Tornadoes Ever Recorded (Part IV) |", "April 3, 1974 Xenia Tornado Memorial Marker", "Inflation Calculator | Find US Dollar's Value from 1913 to 2015", "Monticello, Indiana April 3, 1974: Fort Wayne Girl Survives Van's Plunge", "Monticello, Indiana April 3, 1974: 122-year-old Bell Survives", "Our Meade County Heritage: Forward and Dedication", "Tri-State remembers Sayler Park Tornado of 1974", Times Daily pg 66 Google News Archive Search, "Limestone County Damage Pictures on the Ground", "Madison County Damage Pictures on the Ground", "Never Before Seen Aerial Pictures of Tornado Damage Taken by Madison County, AL", "NOAA and the 1974 Tornado Outbreak Alabama", "The April 3rd and 4th 1974 Tornado Outbreak in Alabama", "Alabama Tornado DatabaseYear 1974 Tornadoes", "3/21/01 EIIP Virtual Forum Transcript: The Lawrence County Supercell, the Forgotten F5", "F5 Tornadoes of the United States: 1950present", "Night of April 3, 1974, marked change in severe weather alerts, preparedness", "Alabama Tornado Database (1974 tornadoes)", "Area Residents Begin Clearing Up Tornado Wreckage", "Red Cross Completes Tornado Damage List", "To Pass S.3062, The Disaster Relief Bill", Learn how and when to remove this template message, Natural Disaster Survey Report: The Widespread Tornado Outbreak of April 3-4, 1974, "WHAS Radio Covers the April 3, 1974 Tornado Disaster," excellent-quality recorded coverage of the tornado at LKYRadio.com, The April 3rd and 4th 1974 Tornado Outbreak in Alabama, The Super Outbreak: Outbreak of the Century (Slide show), The 34 April 1974 Super Outbreak: Outbreak of the Century (Slide show Revised), The Super Outbreak: Outbreak of the Century, Revisiting the 34 April 1974 Super Outbreak of Tornadoes, Potential insurance losses from a major tornado outbreak: the 1974 Super Outbreak example, A website dedicated to the Super Outbreak, Super Outbreak 30th Anniversary Special (WHAS Louisville), WHAS April 3, 1974 Live Breaking News Coverage part 1, WHAS April 3, 1974 Live Breaking News Coverage part 2, 1974 Alabama tornado table including tornadoes from the Super Outbreak Courtesy of NWS Birmingham, Alabama, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1974_Super_Outbreak&oldid=1152323950, 4:47p.m. 6:47p.m. April 3 (UTC05:00), This page was last edited on 29 April 2023, at 14:59. Tanner was hit by yet another EF5 tornado during the 2011 Super Outbreak. It was just as much of a total wipeout as you can have. Two more deaths were reported in Franklin County, Indiana. It continued on a path of 32 miles through Xenia and Wilberforce. Three years ago, a tornado outbreak caused unbelievable damage in Trotwood, Northridge, Dayton, and Riverside in Montgomery County before twisters wreaked havoc in the Beavercreek area on Memorial Day. More than 100 tornadoes associated with 33 tornado families. [64], The tornado touched down north of Hartselle and moved northeast toward Huntsville. The Monticello family consists of tornadoes labeled 7 to 14. The tornado continued northeast and struck the south sides of Atwood and Leesburg, with additional severe damage occurring at both locations. There were no fatalities there, a blessing that may be attributed in part to the fact that the Xenia disaster had put residents on high alert. Train cars near the plant blown off the tracks and thrown into the building. WCPO photographer Ron Fischer, who retired in 2017 after 50 years on the job, remembered flying in the station's helicopter with legendary anchorman Al Schottelkotte that day and shooting tornado damage. Despite the apparent connection between La Nia and two of the largest tornado outbreaks in United States history, no definitive linkage exists between La Nia and this outbreak or tornado activity in general. SEE how the Enhanced Fujita Scale, adopted in 2007, measures tornadoes. [18][19], The tornado that struck the city of Xenia, Ohio stands as the deadliest individual tornado of the 1974 Super Outbreak, killing 32 people and destroying a significant portion of the town. Im genuinely proud of my community, she says. [39][40] At a further inland area of Sayler Park, the tornado maintained F5 intensity as numerous homes were swept away at a hilly area near a lake, with only bare slabs remaining. More than 500 homes. While moving into the Mississippi and Ohio Valley areas, a surge of unusually moist air intensified the storm further, while there were sharp temperature contrasts between both sides of the system. [70] President Nixon approved federal aid for Fayette, Greenbriar, Raleigh, and Wyoming Countieson April11. 1979. In comparison, the two tornadoes that hit Xenia and Sayler Park in 1974 were rated F5and the 1999 tornado was an F4. [6] The tornado first moved across the north edge of Hardinsburg, inflicting F3 damage to homes at that location. It flattened the western part of Xenia. John Gilligan said after touring the area. [6][19] The same storm would later produce tornadoes in the Louisville metro area.[6]. Because the middle school lost its roof, 340 students had to cram into the high school to finish the school year. The tornado finally dissipated south of Basham, destroying 546 structures, killing 28 people, and injuring 332 others. [67], In Alderson, West Virginia, "tornado-like winds" caused extensive damage to homes and businesses primarily along WV 3, some of which had their roof torn off. [6] Overall, six were killed by the storm and 86 were injured. The Guin tornado was originally believed by Fujita to have had a 132 miles (212km) long path, that went all the way from Vernon, to the small town of Hytop, just a few miles south of the Tennessee state line. But rebuilding was a tangible goal, and Xenia rebuilt. >> PHOTOS: The 1974 Xenia tornado The Montgomery/Blue Ash tornado tore through Ohio on April 9, 1999. The next occurrence of two F5 tornadoes hitting the same state on the same day happened in March 1990 in Kansas, and then in both Mississippi and Alabama on April 27, 2011. She had five cracked ribs and a collapsed lung. At the same time, a third supercell was crossing the state line near the track of the previous two. By 18:00 UTC, CAPE values in excess of 2,500 J/kg were present over the lower Ohio and the Mississippi Valley. "It lasted about a minute and then I looked and everything was gone the roof, the walls, everything. A bathtub deeply embedded into the ground in Harvest, Alabama. Riddle Elementary School was badly damaged as well. T. These storms formed the second of three convective bands to generate tornadoes. [6][7], Meanwhile, by 00:00 UTC the southern half of the first convective band became indistinguishable from new convection that had formed farther south over Alabama and Tennessee in connection with convective band two. CYCLONIC SWIRLS IN CORN AND BEAN FIELDS, AS WELL AS NUMEROUS SNAPPED AND TWISTED TREES MARKED A DISCONTINUOUS PATH NORTHEAST TOWARD XENIA. As the cluster of thunderstorms was crossing much of the Ohio Valley and northern Indiana, additional strong storms developed much further south just east of the Mississippi River into the Tennessee Valley and Mississippi. [70] The local Red Cross provided $3,000 to victims in Fayette County and assisted residents with acquiring supplies and dealing with medical bills. This tornado produced the longest damage path recorded during the 1974 Super Outbreak, on a southwest to northeast path that nearly crossed the entire state of Indiana. [7] Meanwhile, a large mesoscale convective system (MCS) that had developed overnight in Arkansas continued to strengthen due to strong environmental lapse rates. The first tornado formed at 6:30pm CDT in Lawrence County, Alabama and ended just over 90 minutes later in Madison County, Alabama, killing 28 people. The U.S. [6] Many businesses were also heavily damaged, and numerous trees and power lines were downed throughout the city. More than 100 were injured. But the cataclysmic storm system wasnt done. He told them to get under the couch - just in time. Xenias graduation ceremony at the Nutter Center in May 2018 was interrupted by a tornado warning. 2023 www.cincinnati.com. At one point, the National Weather Service was tracking five funnel clouds on its local radar at the airport. Copyright 2016 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The Xenia tornado tearing through the southeast Pinecrest Garden district. Mom said it was a spring shower, recalls Wilson, then 9. Bob Taft who now lives in Greene County and City Manager Jim Percival declared a state of emergency that night. According to The Weather Channel, on April 3-4 there were 148 tornadoes in 13 states and Canada of which 30 were categorized as violent including six rated F5. And Mays, coping with the uncertainties of the current health crisis points out that hindsight will always be 20/20. [8], By 16:30 UTC, the large MCS began to splinter into two sections: the southern part slowed, lagging into southeast Tennessee, while the northern part accelerated, reaching Pennsylvania by 19:30 UTC. ** The video in the player above details information regarding the deadly tornado in a 2020 newscast ** XENIA, Ohio (WDTN) On Wednesday, April 3, 1974, a dangerous tornado struck the Miami [28] It also struck portions of six other counties, with the hardest hit being White County and its town of Monticello. [69] The National Guard provided four-wheel drive vehicles for search and rescue efforts. Please Contact Us. [48] The tornado crossed into Morgan County, causing additional destruction in rural areas near Hillsboro and Trinity. Summary. It continues to be in the top 10 of costliest tornadoes on record. According to reports, the tornado formed near Bellbrook at approximately 4:30 p.m. As it moved to the northeast at about 50 miles per hour, it intensified in strength. [6], Seven F5 tornadoes were observedone each in Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, three in Alabama and the final one which crossed through parts of Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. Xenia Ohio 1974. I just never seen anything like it," Cooper said afterward. So many trees were snapped in this area that the tornado path was visible from satellite. The tornado quickly became violent as it moved into Meade County, producing F4 damage as it passed north of Irvington, sweeping away numerous homes in this rural area. Xenia Tornado rare footage - YouTube 0:00 / 0:09 Xenia Tornado rare footage 677 views May 20, 2021 Rare footage of the 1974 Xenia, Ohio tornado taken from an old news clip. It was the second-largest tornado outbreak on record for a single 24-hour period and was also the most violent outbreak recorded with 30 F4/F5 tornadoes confirmed. The experience prompted the NWS to adopt the F0F5 Fujita scale as a standard for describing the severity of a tornado; its since been updated as the Enhanced Fujita Scale. 16 people were killed by this second tornado. A total of 315 people died in 11 states died during the two-day outbreak. [9], This tornado outbreak produced the most violent (F4 and F5) tornadoes ever observed in a single tornado outbreak. The F5 category tornado brought winds up to 250 miles an hour, bulldozing a half-mile-wide swath through Xenia. [55] The tornado then reached Monte Sano Mountain, which has an elevation of 1,640 feet (500m), where additional homes were torn apart. [34] A news photographer reported that the tornado "left no grass" as it crossed KY 79 in this area, and canceled checks from near Irvington were later found in Ohio. Ohio News; Nation & World; Election 2021; . It first hit the Redstone Arsenal, damaging or destroying numerous buildings at that location. Then-Governor Wendell Ford commended the station's personnel for their service to the community in the time of crisis, and Dick Gilbert later received a special commendation from then-President Richard Nixon for his tracking of the tornado from his helicopter.[45]. [55], While rescue efforts were underway to look for people under the destroyed structures, few were aware that another violent tornado would strike the area. Audio will be available later today. THE INITIAL TORNADO TOUCHDOWN IN GREENE COUNTY WAS ON A GOLF COURSE APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE GREENE COUNTY AIRPORT. [15], Soon after the Depauw tornado lifted, the Hanover/Madison F4 tornado formed near Henryville and traveled through Jefferson County and leveled many structures in the small towns of Hanover and Madison. Multiple homes and shopping centers were damaged or destroyed in the area, resulting in one death and 36 injuries. Which tornado would you rather go against, as in its coming at you and your in a vehicle (lets just say your in like Kansas) When you make a selection it cannot be changed. XENIA Its an anniversary people would rather not celebrate. The same storm would later strike the Cincinnati area, producing multiple tornadoes, including another F5 tornado. Another lifelong resident, Marsha Bayless, was a first grade teacher in 1974. Formula works for Bellbrook in no-hitter at Carroll, Hill sets school record for Beavercreek Sports Digest: April 5, 2025, Transgender woman not guilty of public indecency, County prosecutor presents Victims Rights Week Awards, Children, children advocates honored at breakfast. A total of 11 tornadoes were reported in those 24 hours. The tornado destroyed several buildings as it passed between Ligonier and Topeka, including Perry School and a Monsanto plant. The Shawnee Indians who occupied many states in the Ohio River Valley including Ohio long ago referred to the area that would become Xenia as the land of the devil wind or land of the crazy wind, depending on which source you trust. The tornado formed near Bellbrook, Ohio, southwest of Xenia, at about 4:30 pm EDT. 75K views 3 years ago The deadliest tornado of the April 3-4 Super Outbreak! The most damaging and deadly touched down in Xenia, Ohio, where the F5 tornado leveled half of the town in just nine minutes. Tornado Distance; 1. A water pump was completely lifted out of a wellhouse along SR 157 in this area. A view of the destroyed Presbyterian Church in Monticello. 6. Cherokee Park, a historic 409-acre (1.66km2) municipal park located at Eastern Parkway and Cherokee Road, had thousands of mature trees destroyed. [46][56] Numerous homes throughout Madison County were swept completely away, with extensive wind-rowing of debris noted once again. It began as a moderate-sized tornado, then intensified while moving northeast at about 50mph (80km/h). It is probably the least-known of the F5 tornadoes in the outbreak as it traveled through rural areas in southern Indiana northwest of Louisville, traversing about 65 miles (105km) through parts of Perry and Harrison Counties. A bathtub from one residence was found deeply embedded into the ground. An F-5 tornado went straight through Xenia, Ohio's downtown. Zelphia Taylor, 45, and her husband, Norman, were in a car that was flipped several times by high winds at Reading and Galbraith. 1989-4-25 - F2 Tornado: 0.3 mi. And while Xenia's death toll was the single largest, it accounted. Earlier in the day, the famous Xenia, Ohio tornado was also an F5 in this outbreak (32 killed). [8] Several of the storms to form between 19:20 and 20:20 UTC became significant, long-lived supercells, producing many strong or violent tornadoes,[6] including three F5s at Depauw; Xenia, Ohio; and Brandenburg, Kentucky. The same system that spawned the Xenia tornado first came through Greater Cincinnati. [6] On Wednesday, April 3, severe weather watches already were issued from the morning from south of the Great Lakes, while in portions of the Upper Midwest, snow was reported, with heavy rain falling across central Michigan and much of Ontario. The Great Tri-State 1925. This is a shot of the tornado taken by H.V. Photograph courtesy of National Weather Service. Nationally, the total reached $600 million. [30] Five others were killed in White County, six in Fulton County and one in Kosciusko County. The fast-moving nighttime tornado that devastated the town of Guin, was the longest-duration F5 tornado recorded in the outbreak, and considered to be one of the most violent ever recorded. Past Harvest, the tornado abruptly dissipated northeast of town, having a peak width of 500 yards. There were no confirmed touchdowns in Greene County, but one reportedly hit Clark County. Fifty-one years ago, on Aug. 9, 1969, a tornado struck near Galbraith and Reading roads in Reading, leaving four dead and more than 200 injured. The images depict the damage caused in Xenia and Wilberforce by the F5 tornado of April 3, 1974. The deadliest tornado of the April 3-4, 1974 outbreak was the F5 that hit Xenia, OH. Many homes were badly damaged or destroyed as the tornado passed through residential areas of the city, and a school was destroyed as well. [54] Trees in town were debarked, ground scouring occurred, and vehicles were thrown and mangled as well. It was also noted for the rarity in that its path was in parts of three states. The Brandenburg tornado is the only tornado to produce F5/EF5 damage in the state of Kentucky. Five hundred buildings were destroyed, with nearly four hundred other buildings severely damaged. It was also the most violent tornado outbreak ever recorded, with 30 F4/F5 tornadoes confirmed. A Fairborn medic assists after a tornado hit Xenia in 2000. Xenias nightmare landscape has long been cleaned up, but Mays notes that there are still reminders of the struggle to revive the city. Tornadoes struck Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and New York. Another funnel cloud formed over Standiford Field Airport, touched down at The Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center, and destroyed the majority of the horse barns at the center and part of Freedom Hall (a multipurpose arena) before it crossed I-65, scattering several vehicles on that busy expressway. Remains of a house that was completely swept away in Brandenburg, with heavily debarked trees and shrubbery in the foreground. She wasnt even born when the 1974 tornado hit, but she was around for the 2000 storm that killed one person, and now shes seen her neighbors respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. They did the best they could, says Bayless. Heard on All Things Considered. [8], While violent tornado activity increased over the warm sector, a third band of convection developed at about 16:00 UTC and extended from near St. Louis into west-central Illinois. According to a WHAS-TV Louisville reporter in a special report about the outbreak, 90% of Hanover was destroyed or severely damaged, including the Hanover College campus. The Tri-State may not be part of "Tornado Alley," but springtime tornadoes and severe storms almost seem like a regular occurrence. A nearby house was lifted from its foundation and thrown into the river. This tornado produced heavy damage in the south end of the city, eventually damaging or destroying nearly 1,000 structures. [41] The tornado took three lives and injured 210 with 190 of the injuries were in Hamilton County, Ohio alone. Many trees and power lines were downed leaving more than 7,000 people without electricity. A massive re-planting effort was undertaken by the community in the aftermath of the tornado. [6][29], After the tornado struck Monticello, the tornado reached peak strength and completely leveled several farms northwest of town. Due to significant moisture advection, destabilization rapidly proceeded apace; the warm front near the Gulf Coast dissipated and then redeveloped northward over the Ohio River valley. Reportedly, only one of the citys five sirens sounded due to power outages. The Brandenburg tornado, which produced F5 damage and took 31 lives, touched down in Breckinridge County around 3:25pm CDT and followed a 32-mile (51km) path. Upon exiting Xenia, the tornado passed through Wilberforce, heavily damaging several campus and residential buildings of Wilberforce University. There were 18 hours of nearly continuous tornado activity that ended in Caldwell County, North Carolina, at about 7:00am on April 4. In fact, it is home to one of the strongest, if not THE strongest, ever recorded, during the Superoutbreak of '74, killing many, and leveling over half the town. >> MIAMI VALLEY TORNADOES: What you need to know now. A total of 23 people were killed in Guin.[54][63]. [11] The first F5 tornado of the day struck the city of Depauw, Indiana, at 3:20pm EDT. 9 On Your Side Meteorologist Jennifer Ketchmark contributed to this report. The F2 tornado spared lives this time but left reportedly $1.22 million of damage to clean up. The highest recorded wind speed was in the. The 1969 tornado was rated F3 on the Fujita scale, which measures the degree of observed damage. Damage was estimated at US$100 million ($471.7 million in 2013 dollars).[26]. Most of the small town of Tanner, west of Huntsville in Limestone County, was destroyed when two F5 tornadoes struck the community 30 minutes apart. It also killed 250 horses in Butler County on its way to Xenia. 9. The storm hit before the disaster warning systems we take for granted today. [70] The Federal Disaster Assistance Administration (later FEMA) indicated that trailers refurbished after the 1972 Buffalo Creek flood would be used to house displaced persons. [51][52], While tornadoes were causing devastation in the northwesternmost corner of the state, another supercell crossing the Mississippi-Alabama state line produced another violent tornado that touched down in Pickens County before heading northeast for nearly 2 hours towards the Jasper area causing major damage to its downtown as the F4 storm struck. I'm definitely feeling lucky. A small tornado, spotted in the field along Fairground Road, struck Xenia at 9:35 p.m. April 25, 1989. He drove back to Xenia with a reporter later that evening. Cars were overturned in the streets. A total of 19 people were killed in this tornado. The season was starting with Hank Aaron one home run away from tying Babe Ruth's career record of 714, and Vice President Gerald Ford was here to honor Aaron if he homered. [31] The National Guard had assisted the residents in the relief and cleanup efforts and then-Governor Otis Bowen visited the area days after the storm. The mid-latitude low-pressure center over Kansas continued to deepen to 980mb (28.94inHg), and wind speeds at the 850-mb level increased to 50kn (58mph) (25.7m/s (93km/h)) over portions of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. [6][65][66] The National Weather Service office at Huntsville Jetplex was briefly "closed and abandoned" due to the severe weather conditions. [citation needed] Meanwhile, the next F5 tornado to hit the state was on April 4, 1977 near Birmingham. Cindy Gorth's aunt, Carol Forste, lived in Moscow on Elizabeth Street near the river. [67], West Virginia Governor Moore declared 14 counties as disaster areas by April5 and requested the assistance of the National Guard. However, a warm temperature plume in the elevated mixed layer kept thunderstorms from initiating at the surface. That EF3-EF4 tornado struck late on a Friday afternoon. Crossing into Winston County, the tornado struck the small community of Delmar, destroying additional homes and killing 5 people. More than 500 homes were damaged along with the death of four people and multiple injuries. But nonetheless, the Shawnee were right. Xenia didnt even have sirens to wail. A large floating restaurant barge at this location was lifted, ripped from its moorings, and flipped by the tornado. Data courtesy of NOAA Severe Weather Database. In addition to the direct fatalities, two Ohio Air National Guardsmen deployed for disaster assistance were killed on April 17 when a fire swept through their temporary barracks in a furniture store. Home destroyed in Piner, Kentucky, in 2012. Readings restaurant row was hit hard. The F5 tornado led to the. Tornado Anniversary. [49] Crossing the Tennessee River into Limestone County as a large waterspout, the tornado flattened a -milewide swath of trees on the opposite bank.
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