Where did the Woodward tornado hit in 1947?
The Woodward tornadic storm began in the Texas Panhandle during the afternoon of April 9, 1947, and produced at least six tornadoes along a 220 mile path that stretched from White Deer, TX (northeast of Amarillo) to St. Leo, KS (west of Wichita).
What was the weather like during the Woodward Tornado?
With temperatures struggling to reach 50 degrees and a dense stratus deck choking out the morning sun, the conditions hardly brought to mind the “tornado weather” that a lifetime of living in Tornado Alley had taught residents to fear and respect.
Who was pregnant at the time of the Woodward Tornado?
Twelve miles southwest of Woodward, just south of the community of Fargo, 34-year-old Margaret Larason stepped out into the damp morning. There was plenty of farm work to do but, being seven months pregnant with her third child, she knew better than to put undue stress on the baby.
Where was the tornado in Oklahoma in 1947?
Note: The original summary for the April 9, 1947 Woodward tornado was based upon a four-day investigation of the tornado damage in the Texas Panhandle and northwestern Oklahoma by three U.S. Weather Bureau (USWB) meteorologists.
Where was the initiation point of the Woodward Tornado?
Tornado tracks are shown in red. A star marks the approximate initiation point of the Woodward supercell along the dryline. Late in the afternoon, the atmosphere found its spark. The simmering air near the surface stirred to life.
When did the National Weather Service start warning about tornadoes?
Because of the Woodward tornado and other devastating tornadoes in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, and because of new technologies available after World War II, the Weather Bureau (now the National Weather Service) began a tornado watch and warning program in 1953.