Even more midwest was everyone in my college's dining hall getting an urgent tornado alert on our phones, but still calmly lining up to hand in our dirty dishes before strolling outta the hall to go find a basement lmao. Everyone chatting casually the whole time.
My mom remembers a story from the Xenia tornado. Her uncle-inlaw and his wife lived next to one of the homes that would be destroyed. They saw the tornado coming. The neighbors house was destroyed. Theirs thankfully was spared. When they were found by people doing a wellness check hours later, they were on their couch eating ice cream. When asked why, they said "we knew we wouldnt live if we got hit. But if we did, the power was going to go out for sure. Be a shame to let the ice cream melt," Amazing how calmly they took everything.
I'm sure there was a bit of shock going on as well. Sometimes you deal with a near miss by taking the distance approach, ignoring some aspects until you're ready and required to deal with them.
Why does it seem so many real people are offended by the love,an name of,GOD? or real people saying GOD? Are we infested with what I'd assume satin,and all along I been worried about communists? Well I thank GOD for the eye opener.. .😮
Fujita is the greatest tornado scientist of all time. His research on tornadoes is still being verified to this day, and his graphics lie somewhere between art and science. Amazing video as always!
@@peterolbrisch8970 That's okay. Still, it was a necessary first step. People needed to start taking tornado damage analysis seriously to advance storm predictions, construction practices, and safety. Somebody had to pick a place to start, and Dr. Fujita did so. The F scale is outdated now, and the EF scale needs improvement, but it was something- and something is generally better than nothing.
2nd this, excellent work. Guy deserves an award. My minor contribution about that time - I lived 1/4 mile from Ireland Army Hospital at Fort Knox, which might be the closest hospital to Brandenburg, KY. I remember lots of Huey medevac chopper runs happening that day. My wife lived in nearby Elizabethtown, KY, and both her parents worked at the county hospital there. She basically didn't see them for a couple days, as they treated tornado casualties.
I recall as a young boy reading reports about the destruction of Xenia in the newspaper in the days following April 3rd 1974. Having forgotten the date of the event, all these years later something drew me on April 3 2024 to search on the Xenia tornado - on the 50th snniversary of the Super Outbreak. What a coincidence. After a few minutes of watching this video, I restarted the video at half speed. The footage, and commentary are top notch. The graphics are so full of detail and significance, I didnt want to miss anything. 6 stars!
I was 10 years old in 1974 and lived SE of Dayton OH. I was home alone that afternoon watching afternoon cartoons when Gil Whitney came on air on WHIO. The storm that hit my neighborhood was, as I learned later, the same storm that dropped the Xenia tornado about 5 miles on. Having lived in Texas and Kansas before moving to Ohio, I knew what tornado weather looked like and this was it--my ears popped, the air was white and the wind ripped and tore the trees and shrubs straight up. Not long after, the Emergency Broadcast System came on about the tornado hitting Xenia. They asked for doctors and nurses, people with trucks and heavy equipment, and clergy to go to a specified location--and for everyone else to stay out of the area. The next fall, we had some new students at our school who had lived in Xenia. A boy in my class had been outside going toward home when he began to get pelted with small debris. His hands, arms and one side of his face were covered with scars, all dots and dashes. He ultimately jumped into a storm sewer and rode it out.
That was my birthday, I have always been super interested in the events of that day. Dad tells me every year how nice a beautiful it was and the. After I was born all hell broke loose. They lived in Columbus at the time and said after they (everyone but mom and me) left the hospital to go get something then the storms started rolling in. At one point the wind was so strong it was hard to walk and doing it without leaning into the wind was impossible. I have been through Xenia only once , on a bike ride from Yellow Springs to Urbana and I was trying to imagine how horrible it was for the residents that day. I was told later if you drive around and look at the architecture, you can see a very clear difference in the building that were rebuilt/build as opposed to the ones that had been there for years.
I love the you were 10 years old and " I was home alone that day..... .". In 1964, that wasn't a problem. Today, your parental would be in jail. Grew up in Kettering. When I was around 13 years old I attended Catholic school and it was closed one day but the public schools were open. I went hunting with my Winchester 22, riding my Schwinn Continental. Was heading home and a Kettering Cop stopped me. He wasn't really concerned about a kid on a bicycle with a rifle. It was fairly obvious with the hunting jacket I was wearing with a license pinned to the back. He was convinced I was skipping school. After he asked me if the rifle was loaded I said no. I opened the receiver and offered to hand him the rifle he said don't worry about it and went on questioning me about skipping school. Told him i attended Catholic School and it was closed. He calls in on the radio, the dispatcher verified that all the Catholic Schools were closed. He kind of apologized, asked me what I was hunting and if it got anything. Today that same incident would have had SWAT teams and helicopters circling. Schools would be on lock down and some stupid group would be screaming for more gun control
@@netwrench6570 I too lived through those storms in 1974 and watched as the sky turned green on and off for days. That was the first I learned about the green sky as an imminent warning of a tornado. Oddly, I saw the same phenomenon almost 30 years later in rural NY. We had gone into a grocery store in Western CT on a beautiful sunny day and when we came out a nasty storm system had developed. The sky was turning from dark gray to black and the wind was shifting strangely. Then the sky and air took on that familiar green hue. We were about 5 miles from our home on the NY side of the NY/CT border. Seven minutes later we were running from our car to the house as violent winds bent the trees and branches and loose soil was stirred up into the air. The first rain drops began to fall just as we got out of the car. They were huge and fell far apart at first but picked up quickly enough that we were soaked in the short distance we ran from the car to the house. Within three minutes the storm was gone. As we turned to the front door to get the abandoned groceries from the car I noticed the room was brighter than usual. Through the windows next to the door I could see clouds breaking up and a late afternoon sun beginning to peak through. But it didn't account for how much brighter the room was or why the view through the windows seemed different. Just as it hit me I shouldn't be able to see the sky through these windows, my fiance said "the tree." We stepped outside to find the 75 ft tree that stood just five feet from our windows (thus shading that side of the house and blocking a view of the sky from those windows) had been picked up and dropped silently next to the house. The only thing remaining above ground was a 9 ft tall mass of roots and earth. Had the tree fallen onto the house it would have crushed us. I'm still in awe of how a tree of this size was ripped from the ground and dropped beside the house and we didn't hear a sound. All within three minutes of us running past it to get inside. We sooned learned that several tornadoes from the storm had struck western CT suburbs causing considerable damage. Though tornadoes are very rare in NY and CT, I knew from having been through the storms in 1974 that when the sky turns green you are in imminent danger. I wish this phenomenon was more widely known or made available especially to those that live in areas prone to tornado activity. Or even for those who don't, beware of sudden, angry thunderstorms and if the sky turns green, look for shelter immediately.
I got to meet Dr. Fujita when I was a geology grad student in the early 90s. His son, "Kaz", was a geophysics prof in our department and invited him to gice a colloquium talk. It was an entertaining talk that I really enjoyed. I parents talk about the Palm Sunday outbreak sometimes, being at a get together at a friend's house which was only a block or two away from being hit!
I was not at that same "talk", and that's probably just as well. I was practically notorious in my university days for spacing out at those events, no matter the subject and no matter the speaker. I usually went in too tired to even be awake, and it was all downhill from there. 😴 But the only two I ever attended for which I can still remember the names of the speakers, were (1) when it was Jerry Buss and (2) when it was Ted Fujita.
28:35-28:40: In addition to that, WHAS-AM had a news helicopter in the air over Louisville while the F4 tore through the city. The pilot, traffic reporter Dick Gilbert; would tell listeners where the Tornado was and where it was going. He would also report on the damage left behind by the Tornado. His warnings would allow Louisville residents to take shelter in advance of the Tornado. Gilbert’s actions that day would earn him praise from Kentucky Governor Wendell Ford and President Richard Nixon.
Dick Gilbert is the reason helicopters in the air for coverage of severe weather events became more common, like Bridge Creek-Moore 1999. A huge impact stretching far beyond his 1974 heroics
@@wubberson4450 He was an unassuming, relaxed person. I used to hear his traffic reports daily. He was clever and lighthearted. People listened even if they were sitting at home. DJ Jeff Douglass often would introduce him as "The lovely and talented Dick Gilbert," then Dick would say something just as cute and they might chit chat for a few more seconds before he got to the traffic. Of course, traffic in Louisville usually wasn't that heavy, giving them time for fun. And Dick never took any kind of map with him. He knew every street on sight.
The 50th anniversary also happens to fall on a Wednesday and Thursday like it did 50 years ago. Thank you for making this most excellent and informative documentary. You are one of my favorite weather UA-camrs.
I was born that morning, my dad said it was nice a clam, birds were chirping, it was beautiful outside and then I was born and all hell broke loose. Lol
What is tragic is that day the monthly Tornado siren test went off at noon and many people thought it was just a test but I remember it went off at least 4 or 5 more times even at bedtime after 11PM By than I was getting tired of it it went off at 4PM 6PM and 11 Just kept taking cover in the small bedroom closet. It as so hot and humid that day.
Very well researched/compiled and edited sir. Decades later, too many people take doppler radar for granted w/o realizing how blind communities were to approaching storms - especially storms after dark. The development of weather sciences after this event have been an incalculable blessing for thousands. Thank you.
I’ve been a tornado fanatic since I was a little kid and this episode is flawless: excellent script, great use of animation, pictures and video, calm and reasonable explanations of complex weather terminology and a well rounded editing. You sir are a legend at this. Thanks for what you do
It's great to have lived in an era to see weather forecasting improve. Before NEXRAD radar, in the 80s our tornado warnings were a lot less specific, usually given to an entire county which resulted in spending nights in storm cellars when nothing happened anywhere near us. In the 90s we'd know the street the tornado was on and could call everyone we knew in the way of it. It made stormy nights a lot less scary.
A couple summers ago a F0 went through the edge of town and the guy on the news was calling out street names and intersections of where it was headed. Crazy we have this level of ability now, and its good to look back on how it used to be to appreciate how we got here.
The best documentary on this day I've seen. I lived through the '74 Xenia tornado. I was 17 at the time and a member of the Track team. We sheltered under the grandstands at Cox Field and emerged to find a very different world. Across the street, people died, and we thought we would. Had nightmares for years.
The radar depicted at 8:19 shows an image from the radar at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on the night of Thursday, May 6, 1965, when we had OUR tornado outbreak. I was 10 years old at the time, and remember it as if it were yesterday. It was the first time in the Twin Cities that the civil defense air raid sirens were used to warn of a tornado. Thank you for another great presentation that delves into the physics of tornado genesis without getting TOO technical.
I live in Xenia (again) and every time I drive around town, I think heavily about the 74 tornado. My dad and uncle lived through it, so I grew up with stories about it every year.
I commented elsewhere but I live in Greene county, and I was once met the poor family who lost a child in that storm. Paper said they were in shelter, Mom was holding on to that child and the wind literally took the child from her arms. Glad Congress stepped up to develop a national radar/ local warning system. I've lived through some F-2s and remnants of hurricanes- and don't ever want to live through an F5 like they did.
I've always wondered what James Spann was referring to on April 27th, 2011 when he mentioned the super outbreak of April 1974 that happened those 50 years ago. What an outbreak of tornadoes that was, and I was blown away at how many strong tornadoes were simultaneously produced from different supercells that day. Amazing Documentary as always!
I often watch the replay of James Spann's coverage from that outbreak. To think that much of that outbreak happened in only one state and two weeks after a violent, but on a lesser scale outbreak in the same state, is absolutely wild. The Tuscaloosa tornado has to be one of the craziest things I've ever seen.
I remember 1974 several tornadoes tore up cullman and cullman County:-( I remember seeing a wooden power pole that was broken in half the half that was still in the ground had pine needles stuck into the pole driven in like nails I remember pulling the needles out of the poke amazed at how they were stuck in the pole
One thing that I really appreciate about your videos is that you frequently talk about the politics of weather. So many of the technological improvements made in forecasting have come as a result of the government realizing that there was a problem and then providing funding to address it. It also reinforces a key theme found within political science: it typically takes a historic disaster or something momentous to happen before a policy is enacted or changed. Thank you for all the work that you put into these videos!
Xenia is right in my college backyard, and as a longtime weather enthusiast, I finally had the chance to go pay my respects. Excellent video as always.
Absolutely superb job. During my years in Dayton I knew a lot of people from Xenia, many of whom lived through that day. My second news director at WHIO was one of the students in that auditorium, and she said she was picking pieces of glass out of her hair for days afterwards. But at least she was alive to tell that tale. It's a weird coincidence that the 50th anniversary will fall just days before Xenia and much of the Miami Valley will experience a total solar eclipse.
@@SurelyLordIt does seem very ironic/coincidental that one day shy of the 50th anniversary we could see another outbreak in Ohio. Had the weather pattern waited just a few days more, the state would be crowded with people visiting to see the eclipse. You must have a good memory - it's been 30 years since I was on WHIO!
Thanks for mentioning kennard Indiana, I was 14 and lived only 4 miles away from kennard and I was on my school bus and I saw this f4 tornado at only a mile away, I had an aunt and uncle that lived in downtown kennard and I jumped from the back of the bus and ran there, the destruction was incredible, it destroyed over half of the town, I helped dig many people out of the debris and I also helped rebuild
Your edit of the Xenia overhead maps going from undamaged to damaged after the tornado moves past is top-class editing. Well done, and I can't wait for your next video.
This documentary was researched so well. I knew people who lived through Xenia, Ohio tornadoes. You taught me more about that tornado then I learned living near there.
I have driven through Xenia with my wife. The first mile or so is old, late 1800's buildings that are three stories tall and quite beautiful. Then, there is the line. And NOTHING old remains. Thank you for this AMAZING look at this history!
The Benner Field House is one exception to that. It was the gym annex building adjacent to the old Xenia HS. It was pretty much in the path of the tornado and survived intact. However, it was very well built. Basically a bunker. The rumor was it was built to serve as a Cold War area bomb shelter if needed but I have no idea if that's actually true.
For someone who watched a couple of the 1974 tornadoes while sitting in stalled traffic on I-75, going home from north of Cincy, then listening to one cut across the other side of the hollow, in the dark, a half mile from my apartment, this video has been extremely interesting and informative.
This deserves millions of views and is one of the best videos about severe weather and tornado analysis I’ve seen on UA-cam. You did a fantastic job explaining many difficult concepts.
Today is the 50th birthday of this outbreak, OMG! It’s April 3rd 2024 and this happened in 1974! This is just crazy! Now we need to wait for the 100th birthday of the tri state tornado next year! And as always, great video!
I was in the 3rd grade in 74.... Indianapolis, Indiana. It became pitch black outside, I'll never forget it. The most scariest sound I've ever heard. We had to get under our desk!
I was born in November 1971 so I wasn't even 3 years old when this outbreak happened. I can remember driving through Guin a few days after they were hit. I still remember seeing all the destruction, houses completely flattened, trees stripped of leaves, limbs, and bark, cars thrown across fields. It was terrifying to say the least. In 1988, I was in a tornado. I couldn't put a name to how I felt, but now I know, I was traumatized. I suffered from PTSD. For a few years, I would fall apart over a heavy rain. I couldn't take my eyes away from the sky for months and months, not even to drive. (That's saying a lot because I had just gotten really comfortable behind the wheel as 16 year old with new driver's license.) My heart goes out to all the people that have been effected by the storms we have been experiencing over the past few years. May they have the strength to just keep putting one step in front of the other and know that you will find a path to make it through it all.
Well done, excellent job explaining severe weather dynamics. I was 15 during the '74 super outbreak. Remember Xenia, Ohio on newspaper cover the next day.
I would consider the Palm Sunday Outbreak of 1965 as a super outbreak if not super it certainly was significant..which included the double tornadoes shown in the photo montage at the beginning of the video.
@@souta95 I do have a family connection to this outbreak as well. My Dad was a meteorologist, a couple of years out of college and working at the Indianapolis NWSFO. When I was a kid, I saw the double tornado picture published in one of his weather magazines. He and my Mom both recounted how stormy it was...it was pretty intense from their recollection.
You know -- you might well have a career, and quite possible a very good career -- as a historical meteorologist. I'm 70, and you're certainly one of the best historical meteorologists I've ever seen.
Great recap! I live in Louisville KY with family in both Brandenburg and Madison In, and have heard the stories of that day. My grandmother lost her trailer, but was luckily visiting my great grandfather up the road, smoking cigarettes in the basement when the storm passed over.
There’s one tornado that’s missing, or the one Hubbard filmed formed slightly northwest. It hit my childhood home and took 12 trees out of the yard. I will never forget getting off the school bus on an ideal spring day; returning something to a neighbor as my mom requested; only to turn around to a glowing olive-colored sky, with all the birds suddenly quiet. I have a lot more to our story, including my brother sleeping in a hammock under one of the trees that fell. I raced back across the road and threw him and his coloring books into his wheelchair and wheeled him around to the side door. He’d just had surgery and was in double casts on his legs. We had trees come down on either side of our house, but they didn’t hit it! But we had to replace the roof. We were later told by a meteorologist friend that that tornado had only just formed perhaps less than a tenth of a mile beyond our house, in a field, and was at treetop level when it hit our small country neighborhood. It gathered strength and hit the ground about half a mile beyond our house. We were told it then went several miles through one of the least-inhabited areas of Indiana. It’s marked as an F2 on the map on Wikipedia.
I grew up north of Monticello, after the tornado dad thought it was a good idea to go see the damage. I'll never forget seeing the railroad bridge that was picked up. Until that point there was 'common wisdom' that a tornado wouldn't cross a river, that was quickly put aside. Thanks for the great video.
My family is from Brandenburg. My grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother’s house was completely flattened. All three survived. If I’m not mistaken, the interview with Mr. Allen occurred at the 50th anniversary memorial at the local church. I attended the service, and everybody in the pews had seen or survived the tornado. Historical downtown Brandenburg (17:54) never really recovered until recently, when a few small businesses started taking over.
This is one of the best put-together and well researched documentaries I've ever seen on pretty much any subject, incredible work. I grew up hearing tales of the 1974 Super Outbreak from my mom, uncles and grandma and grandpa who all lived in Miami County at the time and knew many people who lived in Xenia so it's awesome so see such a well-made documentary about it.
Love hearing someone say 'Worcester' correctly! My dad was three years old when it occurred, and now reviewing things it passed very closely to his home in the north! I will have to drive it someday and see if I can see signs in the younger trees, etc. even after 70 years.
@TJ89741 Yes I did, it was extremely well done and I enjoyed it! If you trace the Springfield EF3 I highly recommend you look up the story of Toto the tornado kitten - he lived a very happy and well loved life after the event.
26:01 I live in the house my dad grew up in and where he watched the Xenia tornado travel less than a mile from his house. I have another friend who was picked up by this tornado. We just commemorated the 50th anniversary, yesterday.
My grandpa saw the f5 sayler park tornado lift from his porch in white oak. Bounced off the ridge at jessup rd and fully lifted. The amount of debris that fell was insane, their yard was littered with things from Sayler Park and Bridgetown, insulation, wood, a doll. His sister got hit by the violent f4 Mason tornado that started from the same supercell that produced the sayler park tornado. Her 2 story house was leveled and slabbed.... the only thing remaining was the fireplace. She moved from the Cincinnati area after. I really think this outbreak and one's in 1999 and 1990 are why cincinnati has remained invested in severe weather warning systems when other Ohio cities like dayton have gotten rid of them. It's crazy how photographed sayler park was but it's hard to find footage of it online. Great video.
@@MrRollercoastersRock Why on earth would they want to do _that?_ Here in the C-bus area, they're still going strong and making dogs frantic. As I told my husband a few weeks ago, I realize the necessity for them, but dang, I wish they didn't drive my poor, traumatized rescue pup so bonzo! Also, I love your screen name. I agree -- coasters rock like the Stones! And I think Millennium Force is the best one on the planet.
Excellent video, my friend! Lots of factual detail, yet you explained the human side of that day so well. I was 15 and lived through this. I grew up in New Albany, Ind., just across the Ohio River from Louisville. Our county, Floyd County, was the only one not hit by a tornado in a radius of about 75 miles in Indiana and Kentucky. We kept getting reports all afternoon and early evening from here and there. It was only at around 9 pm, when film was shown on TV that we saw the scope of the catastrophe from which we were mercifully spared. A fascinating side aspect of the tornadoes: the high pressure caused a small Earthquake, which our family noticed. Those grappling with destruction and death could not possibly have been aware of it. Fast forward 10 years. I was a newspaper reporter in Southern Indiana and led the producing of a special section looking back at that day. The stories people told me moved me powerfully and have stayed with me.
Another interesting story: Freedom Hall was to be the site of game 1 of the ABA semifinals between the New York Nets and the Kentucky Colonels that night, but two holes were blown in the roof of this 17,000-seat arena about 5:30 in the afternoon (imagine if that had happened during the game, OMG!). WAVE-TV news rushed film of the damage onto the air -- how rushed were they? A worker interviewed on film describing the tornado blowing the holes in the roof said: "There were boards and metal and all kinds of shit flying around!" The normal editing and checking had been bypassed, and the check to the FCC was promptly written. Epilogue: The ABA game were moved to a much smaller arena and Julius Erving was at his best, doing to the Colonels what the tornado did to the roof. The Nets won -- I believe it was in four straight -- on their way to the ABA championship.
@@brianarbenz1329Thanks for telling this story! I am enjoying the comments on this documentary in particular. Seems like no one gets to hear these tales after such a major event -- they are boiled down to a "ho-hum" 30 seconds on the news when there is so much more.
This documentary is phenomenal. I really enjoy your narrative style. I have pretty bad storm anxiety, and lately I've been trying to learn more about them so that they feel less like a mysterious, unknowable monster -- even if still scary. It's equally fascinating and reassuring to learn how far storm and tornado science has come. Despite my own background in research, it had never quite clicked with me that all our knowledge on storms had to be meticulously gathered, analyzed, and disseminated until watching videos like this one. I'm beginning to recognize how lucky I am to live in an era of science that can not only predict, but often warn us ahead of time of storms to come.
An exceptional piece of work. I've seen other videos detailing the happenings of that outbreak and they aren't nearly as concise, engaging, or well-crafted as what you've done here. I've actually watched it twice; it's that good. I was particularly impressed at how you handled the technical data, teaching from first principles, as the expression goes, to bring along even those new to meteorology. You actually wove it all into a cohesive story. Lastly, it's also a great homage to Dr. Fujita (*please* consider a video focusing completely on that remarkable man). This is too long - sorry about that. Keep up the great work. Cheers.
Hey man, great video about this historic outbreak and many people don't understand the huge impact that it had on meteorology. My National History Day project this year is on this topic and I made a documentary. In my 8+ month research on this topic, I found something many people don't realize. This outbreak lead to the signing of the disaster relief act of 1974. If you look in congressional records, you can see that representatives are talking about these tornados and backdated the effective date of the legislation to April 1 to ensure that the victems of this outbreak were aided. This also laid the groundwork for FEMA which as we all know is super important. This all happened because of this outbreak. Great job and I am glad to see your channel getting lot's of recognition. I have been and will most certanily continue watching these amazing videos! Congrats man.
I lived in Wilberforce in ‘74. I went to Warner Jr High. In Arrowhead subdivision. I remember the tornado warning, the tornado missed our house by a few blocks I watched one of my friends houses explode just before we went to the basement. My class was the first to graduate from the new Xenia high school
I’m thankful that the 50-75 feet wide tornado that was going NE through the clover field west of the barn my dad, brother and I were milking in in the 1970’s lifted going over the barn and dropped down into the field on the other side of the barn. I remember the roar lasting +/- 20 seconds.
This is the best weather-related history channel on YT. Well put together, weather, history and educational parts. Thank you so much for the dedication and great documentaries.
You’re brilliant at explaining the scientific principals in meteorology. That in combination with the footage and visuals you’ve gathered make for really great content! 5/5 🌪️’s
My dad told me the story of this super outbreak, 1 day before his birthday, he hunkered down with his family in Cincinnati. He remebers looking out the basement window as a tornado raged towards them. Miraculously, the tornado listed off the ground right before it reached his house.
This might be your best video yet. I don't know a whole lot about weather and how all of it works, and I've been wanting to learn more but have been finding it difficult. Just from this video alone I have learned so much and many questions have been answered. Your explanations of what's going on and the technical details of how the storm systems work is so well-done, that I, and absolute layperson, have no issue understanding what is going on. Your storytelling and narration is incredible; it holds attention throughout. You do not shy away from explaining terms or processes and instead weave that into the flow in a way that makes it fit perfectly. It can be incredibly frustrating in other weather content when something goes unexplained that feels like it's important and then there's a hole of understanding, but I never feel that here. That is the difference between okay content that talks about something and content that that can truly _teach_ something. You do a hell of a job. It's not just high-quality, your work is in my opinion outright better than other creators on this platform because of its accessibility and effectiveness.
When I first got into weather as a kid in the early 80s there was a book out about this that was basically new. The amount of post-mortem analysis with today's knowledge is incredible. Things have come such a long way.
I was 10 when the outbreak took place. I lived in Miami Co Ohio. Gill Whitney Meteorologist on channel 7 was on the air giving updates and warnings as fast as he could. It was a day to remember and forget all at the same time
There were about 5 of them from that time who dies from cancer. It seems there was a smoking club in the news room. yes Gil was a demiGod!! he predicted the blizzard of 78. How many weather people can say they did thAT?!@@myidisinhim559
You will enjoy the bike ride. I celebrated my 60th birthday by riding to Xenia from Milford, Ohio (52 miles) and back. My riding buddy and I used the rail station along the path as our turn-around point. This is known as the Little Miami Scenic Trail, and it parallels the Little Miami River, very beautiful. Back to the tornadoes, I was working at the Westinghouse plant on Laidlaw Avenue in Cincinnati that day. The plant was along I-75 in the Bond Hill neighborhood. A tornado developed there, tearing the back wall off of our warehouse as we watched. Most of the cars in our parking lot sustained bad hail damage that day. The tornado went north from there into the Elmwood Place neighborhood, doing a lot of damage there. I have many other stories about that day, and other tornados in that area.
In theory that sounds good, but not every state is able to do that. I live in Charleston, SC, we don't have basements, or underground anything- basically because we are below sea level. We get tornados here and we have plenty of trailer parks. I agree with you- there needs to be a safe area for everyone to seek emergency shelter.
I agree it would be good. However currently many cities allow builders to build new neighborhoods FOR the city instead of the city building expansions themselves. So for this case it would mean that the builder would pay the cost and then pass it to the residents. Making homes less affordable. I guarantee you'd have a majority of residents refusing these shelters IF they had to share cost for it. So your hope has to be legislation to require it AND come with funding. I'm a realist and I don't see that passing anytime soon. Sorry. 😢
This is easily one of the most thorough and best researched videos on this event that I have seen, I was 3 at the time and so only remember accounts of it after the fact (well, that and the fact that I lived in Upstate NY) but it was one of the things that spurred my interest in severe weather. To the creator of the video, I also offer a heartfelt "Thank you!" as until I watched this video and heard you mention the papers of the late Dr. Fujita, I had no clue that a repository of them existed online. I have since begun reading through some of them and even with the relatively small amount I can understand (Damn it, Jim, I'm an EMT, not a meteorologist!), it's enough to see that he was, indeed, an incredible man. Well done on all counts.
I was 8 years old, my mom and our teenage babysitter and a bunch of her teenage friends went door to door collecting donations. We gathered enough food, clothes,furniture, and household items to fill a semi sized uhaul. We drove it to Xenia and it was a heartbreaking site. I'll never forget that experience.
Absolutely. It's a very sobering, heart-breaking, and heart-wrenching, sorrowful experience. May God continue to continue to comfort you, and help you to stay mindful of the memory of the people impacted by this devastating event.
I originally subscribed to this channel to support a fellow Ohioan making content on a topic that interests me (at the time, it was the video on the blizzards of '77 and '78, which I remember from my childhood), and I am so glad that I did. Excellent work at making complex meteorologic concepts understandable to lay people. You do the Buckeye State proud, and this Cleveland native is happy to follow your content.
I’ve been fascinated by storms and tornadoes all my life and I’ve watched many many videos from storm chasers, meteorologists, and other weather enthusiasts. This is the first video that made it all click for me. You explained the setup so clearly and gave us a real grasp of the challenges of forecasting tornadoes 50 years ago. Absolutely outstanding video, I can’t imagine the vast amount of time and effort you must have invested in this masterpiece, and it is greatly appreciated!
Truly incredible video. As someone who closely follows the weather and watches videos like this often but never go out of my way to research meteorology I’m blown away by how simply and effectively you explained things like dry line and outflow boundaries. It greatly added to my understanding of these things and enhanced the rest of the video
I'd argue that the Xenia tornado isn't just the most infamous tornado in Ohio history. Considering that Ted Fujita gave it an F6 rating before he decided that F6 tornadoes were impossible, how much it contributed to severe weather forecasting by itself, what it did to help develop Xenia, how it rattled up Ohio residents to this very day, and how it stands as such a commonly discussed tornado? The Xenia tornado isn't just the most infamous tornado in Ohio. It's one of the most infamous tornadoes in the WORLD. I think it stands up there with Moore, El Reno, Joplin, and Greensburg, undoubtedly.
Steve, this is an absolutely incredible piece of work. I was 11 and living in Marne Ohio that day, and spent most of the afternoon terrified, and thankfully, the worst of the storms didn't hit near us (Licking County), but watching the coverage of Xenia (and CHannel 10 Columbus' scary weather bulletins, heh heh) have been forever seared into my mind. While I was always fearful of the weather when I lived in central Ohio, I became an amateur weather nerd because of April 3 1974, and I remain one to this day. I've been a long time fan of Weatherbox, and your presentations never fail to blow my mind. And while your first piece on this outbreak was terrific, this one was WAAAAY abovee that one. Well done, my man! WELL DONE!
The Cincy RAOB that evening, launched between two F5 producing supercells, is something to behold (if its low lvl flow was possibly augmented by supercell 2).
The May 31, 1985, tornado outbreak meets some of the criteria for a super-outbreak. It resulted in 44 tornadoes, of which 21 were rated at F3 or higher, 90 deaths, and at least 874 injuries. It would have been much worse if it had not hit mostly rural areas. One tornado rated at F4 was over two miles wide and on the ground for 69 miles, but it was mostly on the ground in Moshannon National Forest and killed nobody. It was almost certainly an F5, but it didn't destroy structures except those near where it touched down, so it was rated at F4. The damage path was visible for years on satellite images as a lighter shade of green where new trees grew in the forest to replace the ones it mowed down, like a two mile wide lawn mower.
Fyi the 2011 outbreak hit the same trailer park in Tanner Al. I was a small child in 74. When the 2011 outbreak happened my family went to my uncles storm cellar. After the tornado went by we all walked out to see it go. My uncle said the last tornado he had in that field was 1974.
I blinked and forty minutes passed. This documentary was absolutely enthralling. Technical yet completely approachable to someone who isn't familiar with meteorology. And the production quality is through the roof! Thanks for making this.
Fujita is not only the greatest tornado scientist but he's the reason we have the F/EF scale. Also I just found this channel and I love it. The scientific explanation behind each tornadic event is brilliantly researched and very well explained.
I've always been fascinated by the old time 1940-1990 tornado outbreaks, and this video here talks about one of the most insane days I've ever heard of. Something about 4/3 is so absurd compared to 4/27. Midwest through the southeast, a lot of the tornadoes in the north were multi vortex (I find it interesting how this is a common phenomenon with the Midwest also). And the Deep South seeings it grungy night time wedges. Great video man!
Its unbelievable how widespread and catastrophic this day was. So many extremely powerful tornadoes hitting so many towns simultaneously. Id imagine there were probably dozens of weak brief tornadoes that didnt get tracked. Plus Fujita's incredible detailed analysis is truly something special. He was a revolutionary man.
28:35 as well as the coverage by Dick Gilbert. He was actually in the air in his station’s helicopter to report on the traffic. On that day, from his vantage point, he was to tell people exactly where the tornado was and where it was headed.
What a wonderful niche you've hit. The best of both worlds and something I've been so looking for on UA-cam: weather, history, and a little bit of snark. Keep up the amazing work!
This by far was the most detailed and researched video ever made on the super Tornado Outbreak of 1974. Great Job and thank you for your hard work and dedication!
I'm from one of the towns that had one or two F4's in Michigan in '65. Evidently, my childhood home - built in the late 60s - was not far from the streets where a school was seriously damaged by one of the F4s that struck that day. I had vaguely heard about the tornado... thanks for getting me to inadvertently research it, WB!
Were you by Devils Lake? The new book on that event is amazing. I'm from Ann Arbor but lived in Manchester for a little while. I remember seeing the damage paths still being visible in the 80s.
Excellent report. Your research was stellar. And what an amazing story of Fujita and his work, which the outbreak, as tragic as it was, provided the opportunity Fujita needed. He didn't let it go to waste and the science of tornadoes took a quantum leap as a result.
Great video, and I especially appreciate the focus on the storms that occurred that evening down here in the South. So many times when discussing this outbreak,what happened in Alabama is far overshadowed by the storms in Xenia and the Midwest that day. I grew up and became a storm chaser in my Teens here in Dixie Alley and experienced 4/27/11 from chasing the Ohatchee tornado, which personally changed me and the reason I do chase and how I do it, and I see how you hit the nail on the head about how these generational super outbreaks change everything. While that was my personal experience, I grew up hearing the story from my mom about 1974 and how my entire family sheltered in my grandparents basement in North GA that night with my mom’s car radio on listening to the reports about Xenia getting wiped off the map, and how my great grandad stood outside the whole time (despite them begging him to come inside to safety) reading the clouds. Watching this video has helped me understand a little more about what they experienced in 1974 as compared to what I experienced in 2011 and today as I continue to storm chase.
What excellent, detailed coverage of April 3, 1974. This is the most thorough description I've heard and I've lived West of Xenia for 40 years of my adult life. (As a kid on the actual day in '74 we were in our family's basement in Cleveland. ) Here in SW Ohio everyone just calls it "The Tornado," or the "Xenia Tornado;" and you know what they mean -- as if you are talking about 9/11 or Gettysburg. Like clockwork, the top story every night (no joke) IS the weather forecast -- every single night no matter who's in town. And when conditions are just right in springtime, the news will give heads up in the morning. But you will never hear a local say the word "tornado" or "warnings" on that kind of day. They'll just lean in towards you, the newcomer, and say, "it looks like we're in for some weather tonight." Thanks so much. Liked and subscribed.
This is a great detailed analysis of this outbreak and probably one of the best documentaries on this event. This is the best video of yours. Keep up the good work my friend!
Great in-depth analysis. I kept having to rewind the video to fully take in some portions - which is totally great, it just means it's information rich. Super job.
Thank you for this People today have no idea about this I lived thru tornados of 74 I I live in Nashville TN I was 17 We lived in a Ranch House no where to go We Neiver ! Had a Warning ! Ever ! I had got home from school & power was out for almost 3 Weeks schools closed 3 weeks we couldn't go to hospital for my arm for over a week 😢as stormy but Then Tornado hit Our Roof was ripped Off ! I had a Broken Arm , We had power Lines Down right in Front of our House all of our Neighborhood so much Damage houses in our neighborhood & injuries It was the Scariest Day of my & family Life still is always there every day In my mind Every time we have Tornadoes we have a lot ! 1 in 1998 was so bad It Hit Downtown Nashville !! All of Nashville suberbers We are in Tornado Alley It's just began for Tornado Season & Neighborhoods Another was in 2019 destroy my Son daughter in law House Completely destroyed thank God for Tornado Warnings Sirens ! ! He had a basement thank God lost everything President Trump Came Of course then Now We have Tornado Sirens We just had Tornado Watches few warnings last Friday Our Sirens are all over Tn when we hear them we know coming & TV now has Of course for yrs Give us Warnings where tornado is coming cover the Streets Neighbor hoods
As someone who has been fascinated by this outbreak ever since I was a kid in the 70’s; thank you for putting together one of the most informative and easy to understand explanations of this event I have ever seen. Keep up the great work!
I will never understand the national weather forecast mentality that says, "We *deliberately* didn't want to say anything because we didn't want people to panic." Specifically, the "Children's Blizzard" of 12 Jan 1888 (235 deaths), the tornado mentioned in the beginning of this video, and the Galveston Hurricane of 8 Sep 1900, which resulted in an absolute minimum of 6,000 deaths.
"Y'all wanna see a tornado?" Is so midwest
i was a theatre kid at a midwest high school, this would definitely be on brand for someone to ask
Even more midwest was everyone in my college's dining hall getting an urgent tornado alert on our phones, but still calmly lining up to hand in our dirty dishes before strolling outta the hall to go find a basement lmao. Everyone chatting casually the whole time.
I wanna see a tornado... ahhh I'm gonna die
Can confirm
We don't say y'all in Midwest, but yes tornadoes are a form of entertainment for us.
My mom remembers a story from the Xenia tornado. Her uncle-inlaw and his wife lived next to one of the homes that would be destroyed. They saw the tornado coming. The neighbors house was destroyed. Theirs thankfully was spared. When they were found by people doing a wellness check hours later, they were on their couch eating ice cream. When asked why, they said "we knew we wouldnt live if we got hit. But if we did, the power was going to go out for sure. Be a shame to let the ice cream melt,"
Amazing how calmly they took everything.
that’s such a midwestern thing to say oh my god
It sure is! 🤗
I'm sure there was a bit of shock going on as well. Sometimes you deal with a near miss by taking the distance approach, ignoring some aspects until you're ready and required to deal with them.
Why does it seem so many real people are offended by the love,an name of,GOD? or real people saying GOD? Are we infested with what I'd assume satin,and all along I been worried about communists? Well I thank GOD for the eye opener.. .😮
How many times was the energy equivalent of “Czar Bomba” expended in these storms?
Fujita is the greatest tornado scientist of all time. His research on tornadoes is still being verified to this day, and his graphics lie somewhere between art and science. Amazing video as always!
Hi highriskchris Im a fan of yours
I don't like the F scale. It doesn't make any sense.
@TJ89741 we almost didn't have him as he was at the city the second atomic bomb was suppose to hit but was spared due to bad weather
@@peterolbrisch8970 That's okay. Still, it was a necessary first step. People needed to start taking tornado damage analysis seriously to advance storm predictions, construction practices, and safety. Somebody had to pick a place to start, and Dr. Fujita did so. The F scale is outdated now, and the EF scale needs improvement, but it was something- and something is generally better than nothing.
@@hauntedshadowslegacy2826 I'm pretty sure Europe uses a different scale. Thanks for your reply!
By far the most detailed analysis of the 1974 Super Outbreak I’ve ever seen. This is a legit masterpiece of weather history coverage.
I agree. I've watched many weather videos, and this one might be one the best. It was incredibly rivetting, while also being very informational.
100 per cent. If there was an Oscar for weather documentaries. He put a lot of time into getting those clips. Felt like he was a local- maybe he is. 😊
2nd this, excellent work. Guy deserves an award.
My minor contribution about that time - I lived 1/4 mile from Ireland Army Hospital at Fort Knox, which might be the closest hospital to Brandenburg, KY. I remember lots of Huey medevac chopper runs happening that day. My wife lived in nearby Elizabethtown, KY, and both her parents worked at the county hospital there. She basically didn't see them for a couple days, as they treated tornado casualties.
This video had to require hundreds of hours of research and gathering video and photo footage --- hats off to this kind of dedication
I recall as a young boy reading reports about the destruction of Xenia in the newspaper in the days following April 3rd 1974.
Having forgotten the date of the event, all these years later something drew me on April 3 2024 to search on the Xenia tornado - on the 50th snniversary of the Super Outbreak. What a coincidence.
After a few minutes of watching this video, I restarted the video at half speed. The footage, and commentary are top notch. The graphics are so full of detail and significance, I didnt want to miss anything.
6 stars!
I was 10 years old in 1974 and lived SE of Dayton OH. I was home alone that afternoon watching afternoon cartoons when Gil Whitney came on air on WHIO. The storm that hit my neighborhood was, as I learned later, the same storm that dropped the Xenia tornado about 5 miles on. Having lived in Texas and Kansas before moving to Ohio, I knew what tornado weather looked like and this was it--my ears popped, the air was white and the wind ripped and tore the trees and shrubs straight up. Not long after, the Emergency Broadcast System came on about the tornado hitting Xenia. They asked for doctors and nurses, people with trucks and heavy equipment, and clergy to go to a specified location--and for everyone else to stay out of the area.
The next fall, we had some new students at our school who had lived in Xenia. A boy in my class had been outside going toward home when he began to get pelted with small debris. His hands, arms and one side of his face were covered with scars, all dots and dashes. He ultimately jumped into a storm sewer and rode it out.
That was my birthday, I have always been super interested in the events of that day. Dad tells me every year how nice a beautiful it was and the. After I was born all hell broke loose. They lived in Columbus at the time and said after they (everyone but mom and me) left the hospital to go get something then the storms started rolling in. At one point the wind was so strong it was hard to walk and doing it without leaning into the wind was impossible.
I have been through Xenia only once , on a bike ride from Yellow Springs to Urbana and I was trying to imagine how horrible it was for the residents that day. I was told later if you drive around and look at the architecture, you can see a very clear difference in the building that were rebuilt/build as opposed to the ones that had been there for years.
I was near Fairborn and remember seeing the sky turn green. I had never seen that before and it was stunning. I went in as the winds picked up.
Does he a actually work for NWS in Cleveland Ohio?
I love the you were 10 years old and " I was home alone that day..... .". In 1964, that wasn't a problem. Today, your parental would be in jail.
Grew up in Kettering. When I was around 13 years old I attended Catholic school and it was closed one day but the public schools were open. I went hunting with my Winchester 22, riding my Schwinn Continental. Was heading home and a Kettering Cop stopped me.
He wasn't really concerned about a kid on a bicycle with a rifle. It was fairly obvious with the hunting jacket I was wearing with a license pinned to the back. He was convinced I was skipping school. After he asked me if the rifle was loaded I said no. I opened the receiver and offered to hand him the rifle he said don't worry about it and went on questioning me about skipping school. Told him i attended Catholic School and it was closed. He calls in on the radio, the dispatcher verified that all the Catholic Schools were closed.
He kind of apologized, asked me what I was hunting and if it got anything.
Today that same incident would have had SWAT teams and helicopters circling. Schools would be on lock down and some stupid group would be screaming for more gun control
@@netwrench6570 I too lived through those storms in 1974 and watched as the sky turned green on and off for days. That was the first I learned about the green sky as an imminent warning of a tornado. Oddly, I saw the same phenomenon almost 30 years later in rural NY. We had gone into a grocery store in Western CT on a beautiful sunny day and when we came out a nasty storm system had developed. The sky was turning from dark gray to black and the wind was shifting strangely. Then the sky and air took on that familiar green hue. We were about 5 miles from our home on the NY side of the NY/CT border. Seven minutes later we were running from our car to the house as violent winds bent the trees and branches and loose soil was stirred up into the air. The first rain drops began to fall just as we got out of the car. They were huge and fell far apart at first but picked up quickly enough that we were soaked in the short distance we ran from the car to the house. Within three minutes the storm was gone. As we turned to the front door to get the abandoned groceries from the car I noticed the room was brighter than usual. Through the windows next to the door I could see clouds breaking up and a late afternoon sun beginning to peak through. But it didn't account for how much brighter the room was or why the view through the windows seemed different. Just as it hit me I shouldn't be able to see the sky through these windows, my fiance said "the tree." We stepped outside to find the 75 ft tree that stood just five feet from our windows (thus shading that side of the house and blocking a view of the sky from those windows) had been picked up and dropped silently next to the house. The only thing remaining above ground was a 9 ft tall mass of roots and earth. Had the tree fallen onto the house it would have crushed us. I'm still in awe of how a tree of this size was ripped from the ground and dropped beside the house and we didn't hear a sound. All within three minutes of us running past it to get inside. We sooned learned that several tornadoes from the storm had struck western CT suburbs causing considerable damage. Though tornadoes are very rare in NY and CT, I knew from having been through the storms in 1974 that when the sky turns green you are in imminent danger. I wish this phenomenon was more widely known or made available especially to those that live in areas prone to tornado activity. Or even for those who don't, beware of sudden, angry thunderstorms and if the sky turns green, look for shelter immediately.
I got to meet Dr. Fujita when I was a geology grad student in the early 90s. His son, "Kaz", was a geophysics prof in our department and invited him to gice a colloquium talk. It was an entertaining talk that I really enjoyed. I parents talk about the Palm Sunday outbreak sometimes, being at a get together at a friend's house which was only a block or two away from being hit!
I was not at that same "talk", and that's probably just as well. I was practically notorious in my university days for spacing out at those events, no matter the subject and no matter the speaker. I usually went in too tired to even be awake, and it was all downhill from there. 😴 But the only two I ever attended for which I can still remember the names of the speakers, were (1) when it was Jerry Buss and (2) when it was Ted Fujita.
My history teacher in high school was one of the National Guardsmen they got sent to Xenia after it was flattened in the super outbreak 1974.
28:35-28:40: In addition to that, WHAS-AM had a news helicopter in the air over Louisville while the F4 tore through the city. The pilot, traffic reporter Dick Gilbert; would tell listeners where the Tornado was and where it was going. He would also report on the damage left behind by the Tornado. His warnings would allow Louisville residents to take shelter in advance of the Tornado. Gilbert’s actions that day would earn him praise from Kentucky Governor Wendell Ford and President Richard Nixon.
Dick Gilbert saved lives that day.
So glad someone mentioned Dick Gilbert!
Dick Gilbert is the reason helicopters in the air for coverage of severe weather events became more common, like Bridge Creek-Moore 1999. A huge impact stretching far beyond his 1974 heroics
What a god
@@wubberson4450 He was an unassuming, relaxed person. I used to hear his traffic reports daily. He was clever and lighthearted. People listened even if they were sitting at home. DJ Jeff Douglass often would introduce him as "The lovely and talented Dick Gilbert," then Dick would say something just as cute and they might chit chat for a few more seconds before he got to the traffic. Of course, traffic in Louisville usually wasn't that heavy, giving them time for fun.
And Dick never took any kind of map with him. He knew every street on sight.
The 50th anniversary also happens to fall on a Wednesday and Thursday like it did 50 years ago. Thank you for making this most excellent and informative documentary. You are one of my favorite weather UA-camrs.
I was born that morning, my dad said it was nice a clam, birds were chirping, it was beautiful outside and then I was born and all hell broke loose. Lol
What is tragic is that day the monthly Tornado siren test went off at noon and many people thought it was just a test but I remember it went off at least 4 or 5 more times even at bedtime after 11PM By than I was getting tired of it it went off at 4PM 6PM and 11 Just kept taking cover in the small bedroom closet. It as so hot and humid that day.
Prophetic, isn't it?🤔🤔
Very well researched/compiled and edited sir. Decades later, too many people take doppler radar for granted w/o realizing how blind communities were to approaching storms - especially storms after dark. The development of weather sciences after this event have been an incalculable blessing for thousands. Thank you.
Absolutely. And look! Proof that 50 years ago Congress passed a bill. I thought I remembered old timers talk about Congress doing that.
I’ve been a tornado fanatic since I was a little kid and this episode is flawless: excellent script, great use of animation, pictures and video, calm and reasonable explanations of complex weather terminology and a well rounded editing. You sir are a legend at this. Thanks for what you do
It's great to have lived in an era to see weather forecasting improve. Before NEXRAD radar, in the 80s our tornado warnings were a lot less specific, usually given to an entire county which resulted in spending nights in storm cellars when nothing happened anywhere near us. In the 90s we'd know the street the tornado was on and could call everyone we knew in the way of it. It made stormy nights a lot less scary.
A couple summers ago a F0 went through the edge of town and the guy on the news was calling out street names and intersections of where it was headed. Crazy we have this level of ability now, and its good to look back on how it used to be to appreciate how we got here.
The best documentary on this day I've seen. I lived through the '74 Xenia tornado. I was 17 at the time and a member of the Track team. We sheltered under the grandstands at Cox Field and emerged to find a very different world. Across the street, people died, and we thought we would. Had nightmares for years.
Golly, I'll bet you _did_ have nightmares! Yeah, living through tornadoes is definitely trauma-inducing.
The radar depicted at 8:19 shows an image from the radar at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on the night of Thursday, May 6, 1965, when we had OUR tornado outbreak. I was 10 years old at the time, and remember it as if it were yesterday. It was the first time in the Twin Cities that the civil defense air raid sirens were used to warn of a tornado.
Thank you for another great presentation that delves into the physics of tornado genesis without getting TOO technical.
I live near Xenia Ohio... drove thru there once a while back and couldn't help think about how much of the town was obliterated in 74.
I live in Xenia (again) and every time I drive around town, I think heavily about the 74 tornado. My dad and uncle lived through it, so I grew up with stories about it every year.
I commented elsewhere but I live in Greene county, and I was once met the poor family who lost a child in that storm. Paper said they were in shelter, Mom was holding on to that child and the wind literally took the child from her arms. Glad Congress stepped up to develop a national radar/ local warning system. I've lived through some F-2s and remnants of hurricanes- and don't ever want to live through an F5 like they did.
Every time I meet someone from Xenia --- all they can do is talk about the stupid tornado --- bores me to death
@@fredwerza3478 congratulation. you are officially a prick.
@@fredwerza3478 I bet you're fun at parties
I've always wondered what James Spann was referring to on April 27th, 2011 when he mentioned the super outbreak of April 1974 that happened those 50 years ago.
What an outbreak of tornadoes that was, and I was blown away at how many strong tornadoes were simultaneously produced from different supercells that day. Amazing Documentary as always!
Spann is a legend
I often watch the replay of James Spann's coverage from that outbreak. To think that much of that outbreak happened in only one state and two weeks after a violent, but on a lesser scale outbreak in the same state, is absolutely wild. The Tuscaloosa tornado has to be one of the craziest things I've ever seen.
I remember 1974 several tornadoes tore up cullman and cullman County:-( I remember seeing a wooden power pole that was broken in half the half that was still in the ground had pine needles stuck into the pole driven in like nails I remember pulling the needles out of the poke amazed at how they were stuck in the pole
One thing that I really appreciate about your videos is that you frequently talk about the politics of weather. So many of the technological improvements made in forecasting have come as a result of the government realizing that there was a problem and then providing funding to address it. It also reinforces a key theme found within political science: it typically takes a historic disaster or something momentous to happen before a policy is enacted or changed. Thank you for all the work that you put into these videos!
Xenia is right in my college backyard, and as a longtime weather enthusiast, I finally had the chance to go pay my respects. Excellent video as always.
There was a tornado documentary that brought up Xenia and I cannot fathom the fear people felt April 3 1974--
Antioch?
Absolutely superb job. During my years in Dayton I knew a lot of people from Xenia, many of whom lived through that day. My second news director at WHIO was one of the students in that auditorium, and she said she was picking pieces of glass out of her hair for days afterwards. But at least she was alive to tell that tale. It's a weird coincidence that the 50th anniversary will fall just days before Xenia and much of the Miami Valley will experience a total solar eclipse.
...and now according to forecasts - a possible outbreak tomorrow April 2nd. 😮 And I think I remember you on WHIO, Warren!
@@SurelyLordIt does seem very ironic/coincidental that one day shy of the 50th anniversary we could see another outbreak in Ohio. Had the weather pattern waited just a few days more, the state would be crowded with people visiting to see the eclipse.
You must have a good memory - it's been 30 years since I was on WHIO!
Thanks for mentioning kennard Indiana, I was 14 and lived only 4 miles away from kennard and I was on my school bus and I saw this f4 tornado at only a mile away, I had an aunt and uncle that lived in downtown kennard and I jumped from the back of the bus and ran there, the destruction was incredible, it destroyed over half of the town, I helped dig many people out of the debris and I also helped rebuild
Your edit of the Xenia overhead maps going from undamaged to damaged after the tornado moves past is top-class editing. Well done, and I can't wait for your next video.
Yeah I was kinda wondering how he did that --- must be a whiz kid at Adobe After Effects or something
This documentary was researched so well. I knew people who lived through Xenia, Ohio tornadoes. You taught me more about that tornado then I learned living near there.
I have driven through Xenia with my wife. The first mile or so is old, late 1800's buildings that are three stories tall and quite beautiful.
Then, there is the line.
And NOTHING old remains.
Thank you for this AMAZING look at this history!
The Benner Field House is one exception to that. It was the gym annex building adjacent to the old Xenia HS. It was pretty much in the path of the tornado and survived intact. However, it was very well built. Basically a bunker. The rumor was it was built to serve as a Cold War area bomb shelter if needed but I have no idea if that's actually true.
For someone who watched a couple of the 1974 tornadoes while sitting in stalled traffic on I-75, going home from north of Cincy, then listening to one cut across the other side of the hollow, in the dark, a half mile from my apartment, this video has been extremely interesting and informative.
This deserves millions of views and is one of the best videos about severe weather and tornado analysis I’ve seen on UA-cam. You did a fantastic job explaining many difficult concepts.
Today is the 50th birthday of this outbreak, OMG! It’s April 3rd 2024 and this happened in 1974! This is just crazy! Now we need to wait for the 100th birthday of the tri state tornado next year! And as always, great video!
I'd replace "birthday" with "anniversary" personally.
It's neat having two videos covering this today, by both you and June First
Not complaining, more content to watch!
I was in the 3rd grade in 74.... Indianapolis, Indiana. It became pitch black outside, I'll never forget it. The most scariest sound I've ever heard. We had to get under our desk!
That wouldnt do any good
Welp. Glad you didn't die cuz that's not going to protect anyone😅
I was born in November 1971 so I wasn't even 3 years old when this outbreak happened. I can remember driving through Guin a few days after they were hit. I still remember seeing all the destruction, houses completely flattened, trees stripped of leaves, limbs, and bark, cars thrown across fields. It was terrifying to say the least.
In 1988, I was in a tornado. I couldn't put a name to how I felt, but now I know, I was traumatized. I suffered from PTSD. For a few years, I would fall apart over a heavy rain. I couldn't take my eyes away from the sky for months and months, not even to drive. (That's saying a lot because I had just gotten really comfortable behind the wheel as 16 year old with new driver's license.)
My heart goes out to all the people that have been effected by the storms we have been experiencing over the past few years. May they have the strength to just keep putting one step in front of the other and know that you will find a path to make it through it all.
Well done, excellent job explaining severe weather dynamics. I was 15 during the '74 super outbreak. Remember Xenia, Ohio on newspaper cover the next day.
I would consider the Palm Sunday Outbreak of 1965 as a super outbreak if not super it certainly was significant..which included the double tornadoes shown in the photo montage at the beginning of the video.
The double tornadoes photographed by a reported for the Elkhart Truth newspaper. Coincidentally, I drove through Elkhart today.
@@souta95 I do have a family connection to this outbreak as well. My Dad was a meteorologist, a couple of years out of college and working at the Indianapolis NWSFO. When I was a kid, I saw the double tornado picture published in one of his weather magazines. He and my Mom both recounted how stormy it was...it was pretty intense from their recollection.
Id also give a nod to 3/31-4/1 2023 and the 2020 Easter outbreak as contenders for super outbreaks given their sheer quantity of tornadoes.
palm sunday is in my eyes 110% a super outbreak. the shear number of violent tornadoes should classify it as one in my opinion.
Throw the 1884 Enigma Outbreak in there, too.
You know -- you might well have a career, and quite possible a very good career -- as a historical meteorologist.
I'm 70, and you're certainly one of the best historical meteorologists I've ever seen.
Great recap! I live in Louisville KY with family in both Brandenburg and Madison In, and have heard the stories of that day. My grandmother lost her trailer, but was luckily visiting my great grandfather up the road, smoking cigarettes in the basement when the storm passed over.
as one does. 😅
There’s one tornado that’s missing, or the one Hubbard filmed formed slightly northwest. It hit my childhood home and took 12 trees out of the yard. I will never forget getting off the school bus on an ideal spring day; returning something to a neighbor as my mom requested; only to turn around to a glowing olive-colored sky, with all the birds suddenly quiet. I have a lot more to our story, including my brother sleeping in a hammock under one of the trees that fell. I raced back across the road and threw him and his coloring books into his wheelchair and wheeled him around to the side door. He’d just had surgery and was in double casts on his legs. We had trees come down on either side of our house, but they didn’t hit it! But we had to replace the roof.
We were later told by a meteorologist friend that that tornado had only just formed perhaps less than a tenth of a mile beyond our house, in a field, and was at treetop level when it hit our small country neighborhood. It gathered strength and hit the ground about half a mile beyond our house. We were told it then went several miles through one of the least-inhabited areas of Indiana. It’s marked as an F2 on the map on Wikipedia.
I grew up north of Monticello, after the tornado dad thought it was a good idea to go see the damage. I'll never forget seeing the railroad bridge that was picked up. Until that point there was 'common wisdom' that a tornado wouldn't cross a river, that was quickly put aside.
Thanks for the great video.
My family is from Brandenburg. My grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother’s house was completely flattened. All three survived. If I’m not mistaken, the interview with Mr. Allen occurred at the 50th anniversary memorial at the local church. I attended the service, and everybody in the pews had seen or survived the tornado. Historical downtown Brandenburg (17:54) never really recovered until recently, when a few small businesses started taking over.
I grew up in xenia, the 74 tornado is talked about almost mythically. Very surreal.
This is one of the best put-together and well researched documentaries I've ever seen on pretty much any subject, incredible work. I grew up hearing tales of the 1974 Super Outbreak from my mom, uncles and grandma and grandpa who all lived in Miami County at the time and knew many people who lived in Xenia so it's awesome so see such a well-made documentary about it.
Love hearing someone say 'Worcester' correctly! My dad was three years old when it occurred, and now reviewing things it passed very closely to his home in the north! I will have to drive it someday and see if I can see signs in the younger trees, etc. even after 70 years.
@TJ89741 Yes I did, it was extremely well done and I enjoyed it! If you trace the Springfield EF3 I highly recommend you look up the story of Toto the tornado kitten - he lived a very happy and well loved life after the event.
Grenwitch?
But he can’t pronounce Greenwich properly. Irony I think
My dad was born and raised in Wooooosta Ma ! 😀👍🏻
26:01 I live in the house my dad grew up in and where he watched the Xenia tornado travel less than a mile from his house. I have another friend who was picked up by this tornado. We just commemorated the 50th anniversary, yesterday.
My grandpa saw the f5 sayler park tornado lift from his porch in white oak. Bounced off the ridge at jessup rd and fully lifted. The amount of debris that fell was insane, their yard was littered with things from Sayler Park and Bridgetown, insulation, wood, a doll.
His sister got hit by the violent f4 Mason tornado that started from the same supercell that produced the sayler park tornado. Her 2 story house was leveled and slabbed.... the only thing remaining was the fireplace. She moved from the Cincinnati area after.
I really think this outbreak and one's in 1999 and 1990 are why cincinnati has remained invested in severe weather warning systems when other Ohio cities like dayton have gotten rid of them.
It's crazy how photographed sayler park was but it's hard to find footage of it online.
Great video.
We still have tons of sirens in Dayton and the whole area...
@@suburbanbanshee the city of dayton itself got rid of many of their sirens pre 2019
@@MrRollercoastersRock Why on earth would they want to do _that?_ Here in the C-bus area, they're still going strong and making dogs frantic. As I told my husband a few weeks ago, I realize the necessity for them, but dang, I wish they didn't drive my poor, traumatized rescue pup so bonzo!
Also, I love your screen name. I agree -- coasters rock like the Stones! And I think Millennium Force is the best one on the planet.
my mom was a kid when this went down. she saw the F4 of monicello, IN in person, right across the field on the farm she lived on!
Excellent video, my friend! Lots of factual detail, yet you explained the human side of that day so well. I was 15 and lived through this. I grew up in New Albany, Ind., just across the Ohio River from Louisville. Our county, Floyd County, was the only one not hit by a tornado in a radius of about 75 miles in Indiana and Kentucky.
We kept getting reports all afternoon and early evening from here and there. It was only at around 9 pm, when film was shown on TV that we saw the scope of the catastrophe from which we were mercifully spared.
A fascinating side aspect of the tornadoes: the high pressure caused a small Earthquake, which our family noticed. Those grappling with destruction and death could not possibly have been aware of it.
Fast forward 10 years. I was a newspaper reporter in Southern Indiana and led the producing of a special section looking back at that day.
The stories people told me moved me powerfully and have stayed with me.
Another interesting story: Freedom Hall was to be the site of game 1 of the ABA semifinals between the New York Nets and the Kentucky Colonels that night, but two holes were blown in the roof of this 17,000-seat arena about 5:30 in the afternoon (imagine if that had happened during the game, OMG!). WAVE-TV news rushed film of the damage onto the air -- how rushed were they? A worker interviewed on film describing the tornado blowing the holes in the roof said: "There were boards and metal and all kinds of shit flying around!" The normal editing and checking had been bypassed, and the check to the FCC was promptly written.
Epilogue: The ABA game were moved to a much smaller arena and Julius Erving was at his best, doing to the Colonels what the tornado did to the roof. The Nets won -- I believe it was in four straight -- on their way to the ABA championship.
@@brianarbenz1329Thanks for telling this story! I am enjoying the comments on this documentary in particular. Seems like no one gets to hear these tales after such a major event -- they are boiled down to a "ho-hum" 30 seconds on the news when there is so much more.
This documentary is phenomenal. I really enjoy your narrative style. I have pretty bad storm anxiety, and lately I've been trying to learn more about them so that they feel less like a mysterious, unknowable monster -- even if still scary. It's equally fascinating and reassuring to learn how far storm and tornado science has come. Despite my own background in research, it had never quite clicked with me that all our knowledge on storms had to be meticulously gathered, analyzed, and disseminated until watching videos like this one. I'm beginning to recognize how lucky I am to live in an era of science that can not only predict, but often warn us ahead of time of storms to come.
An exceptional piece of work. I've seen other videos detailing the happenings of that outbreak and they aren't nearly as concise, engaging, or well-crafted as what you've done here. I've actually watched it twice; it's that good. I was particularly impressed at how you handled the technical data, teaching from first principles, as the expression goes, to bring along even those new to meteorology. You actually wove it all into a cohesive story. Lastly, it's also a great homage to Dr. Fujita (*please* consider a video focusing completely on that remarkable man). This is too long - sorry about that. Keep up the great work. Cheers.
Hey man, great video about this historic outbreak and many people don't understand the huge impact that it had on meteorology. My National History Day project this year is on this topic and I made a documentary. In my 8+ month research on this topic, I found something many people don't realize. This outbreak lead to the signing of the disaster relief act of 1974. If you look in congressional records, you can see that representatives are talking about these tornados and backdated the effective date of the legislation to April 1 to ensure that the victems of this outbreak were aided. This also laid the groundwork for FEMA which as we all know is super important. This all happened because of this outbreak. Great job and I am glad to see your channel getting lot's of recognition. I have been and will most certanily continue watching these amazing videos! Congrats man.
When I hear the phrase "standing on the shoulders of giants", Mr. Fujita is one of the first that comes to my mind. Incredible work.
I lived in Wilberforce in ‘74. I went to Warner Jr High. In Arrowhead subdivision. I remember the tornado warning, the tornado missed our house by a few blocks I watched one of my friends houses explode just before we went to the basement. My class was the first to graduate from the new Xenia high school
I’m thankful that the 50-75 feet wide tornado that was going NE through the clover field west of the barn my dad, brother and I were milking in in the 1970’s lifted going over the barn and dropped down into the field on the other side of the barn. I remember the roar lasting +/- 20 seconds.
This is the best weather-related history channel on YT. Well put together, weather, history and educational parts. Thank you so much for the dedication and great documentaries.
You’re brilliant at explaining the scientific principals in meteorology. That in combination with the footage and visuals you’ve gathered make for really great content! 5/5 🌪️’s
My dad told me the story of this super outbreak, 1 day before his birthday, he hunkered down with his family in Cincinnati. He remebers looking out the basement window as a tornado raged towards them. Miraculously, the tornado listed off the ground right before it reached his house.
This might be your best video yet. I don't know a whole lot about weather and how all of it works, and I've been wanting to learn more but have been finding it difficult. Just from this video alone I have learned so much and many questions have been answered. Your explanations of what's going on and the technical details of how the storm systems work is so well-done, that I, and absolute layperson, have no issue understanding what is going on. Your storytelling and narration is incredible; it holds attention throughout. You do not shy away from explaining terms or processes and instead weave that into the flow in a way that makes it fit perfectly. It can be incredibly frustrating in other weather content when something goes unexplained that feels like it's important and then there's a hole of understanding, but I never feel that here. That is the difference between okay content that talks about something and content that that can truly _teach_ something.
You do a hell of a job. It's not just high-quality, your work is in my opinion outright better than other creators on this platform because of its accessibility and effectiveness.
When I first got into weather as a kid in the early 80s there was a book out about this that was basically new. The amount of post-mortem analysis with today's knowledge is incredible. Things have come such a long way.
one of the few channels i have notifications on. very good quality on your videos. keep it up brotha!
Fact
Cant agree more
I was 10 when the outbreak took place. I lived in Miami Co Ohio. Gill Whitney Meteorologist on channel 7 was on the air giving updates and warnings as fast as he could. It was a day to remember and forget all at the same time
Gil was a legend. It's tragic that cancer took his life only a few years later.
There were about 5 of them from that time who dies from cancer. It seems there was a smoking club in the news room. yes Gil was a demiGod!! he predicted the blizzard of 78. How many weather people can say they did thAT?!@@myidisinhim559
Incredible work with this one, its impossible to fathom just how massive this outbreak truly was.
That was a very interesting video! You explained the outflow, etc in a way that made me totally understand it now!!!!
Keep up the great work!
You will enjoy the bike ride. I celebrated my 60th birthday by riding to Xenia from Milford, Ohio (52 miles) and back. My riding buddy and I used the rail station along the path as our turn-around point. This is known as the Little Miami Scenic Trail, and it parallels the Little Miami River, very beautiful. Back to the tornadoes, I was working at the Westinghouse plant on Laidlaw Avenue in Cincinnati that day. The plant was along I-75 in the Bond Hill neighborhood. A tornado developed there, tearing the back wall off of our warehouse as we watched. Most of the cars in our parking lot sustained bad hail damage that day. The tornado went north from there into the Elmwood Place neighborhood, doing a lot of damage there. I have many other stories about that day, and other tornados in that area.
You really out did yourself with this video. All your videos are incredible but this is next level.
We need to get a law passed that every trailer park has to have a communal underground shelter or bunker!
In theory that sounds good, but not every state is able to do that. I live in Charleston, SC, we don't have basements, or underground anything- basically because we are below sea level. We get tornados here and we have plenty of trailer parks.
I agree with you- there needs to be a safe area for everyone to seek emergency shelter.
I always wondered where people in trailers go when that happens 😢
My mobile home park has 2 large shelters. I'm in Minnesota...
I agree it would be good. However currently many cities allow builders to build new neighborhoods FOR the city instead of the city building expansions themselves. So for this case it would mean that the builder would pay the cost and then pass it to the residents. Making homes less affordable. I guarantee you'd have a majority of residents refusing these shelters IF they had to share cost for it. So your hope has to be legislation to require it AND come with funding. I'm a realist and I don't see that passing anytime soon. Sorry. 😢
Shoutout to your proper Appalachian pronunciation.
It gets messed up so often online that it's genuinely refreshing to hear it said properly.
A really outstanding account. It intertwines the fundamental physics and the human tragedy.
This is easily one of the most thorough and best researched videos on this event that I have seen, I was 3 at the time and so only remember accounts of it after the fact (well, that and the fact that I lived in Upstate NY) but it was one of the things that spurred my interest in severe weather. To the creator of the video, I also offer a heartfelt "Thank you!" as until I watched this video and heard you mention the papers of the late Dr. Fujita, I had no clue that a repository of them existed online. I have since begun reading through some of them and even with the relatively small amount I can understand (Damn it, Jim, I'm an EMT, not a meteorologist!), it's enough to see that he was, indeed, an incredible man. Well done on all counts.
Well placed reference to ST, Sir.
@@SurelyLord (Tips hat) Thank you, sir 🙂
I was 8 years old, my mom and our teenage babysitter and a bunch of her teenage friends went door to door collecting donations. We gathered enough food, clothes,furniture, and household items to fill a semi sized uhaul. We drove it to Xenia and it was a heartbreaking site. I'll never forget that experience.
Absolutely. It's a very sobering, heart-breaking, and heart-wrenching, sorrowful experience. May God continue to continue to comfort you, and help you to stay mindful of the memory of the people impacted by this devastating event.
I originally subscribed to this channel to support a fellow Ohioan making content on a topic that interests me (at the time, it was the video on the blizzards of '77 and '78, which I remember from my childhood), and I am so glad that I did. Excellent work at making complex meteorologic concepts understandable to lay people. You do the Buckeye State proud, and this Cleveland native is happy to follow your content.
I agree with you Linda I started hearing about these natural disasters from the Wrath Of God Series from the History Channel.
I’ve been fascinated by storms and tornadoes all my life and I’ve watched many many videos from storm chasers, meteorologists, and other weather enthusiasts. This is the first video that made it all click for me. You explained the setup so clearly and gave us a real grasp of the challenges of forecasting tornadoes 50 years ago. Absolutely outstanding video, I can’t imagine the vast amount of time and effort you must have invested in this masterpiece, and it is greatly appreciated!
Bruce Boyd's 📷 footage is absolutely incredible, clear-cut. That is the clearest footage of the Xenia 🌪 I've ever seen.
Truly incredible video. As someone who closely follows the weather and watches videos like this often but never go out of my way to research meteorology I’m blown away by how simply and effectively you explained things like dry line and outflow boundaries. It greatly added to my understanding of these things and enhanced the rest of the video
I'd argue that the Xenia tornado isn't just the most infamous tornado in Ohio history. Considering that Ted Fujita gave it an F6 rating before he decided that F6 tornadoes were impossible, how much it contributed to severe weather forecasting by itself, what it did to help develop Xenia, how it rattled up Ohio residents to this very day, and how it stands as such a commonly discussed tornado? The Xenia tornado isn't just the most infamous tornado in Ohio. It's one of the most infamous tornadoes in the WORLD. I think it stands up there with Moore, El Reno, Joplin, and Greensburg, undoubtedly.
Steve, this is an absolutely incredible piece of work. I was 11 and living in Marne Ohio that day, and spent most of the afternoon terrified, and thankfully, the worst of the storms didn't hit near us (Licking County), but watching the coverage of Xenia (and CHannel 10 Columbus' scary weather bulletins, heh heh) have been forever seared into my mind. While I was always fearful of the weather when I lived in central Ohio, I became an amateur weather nerd because of April 3 1974, and I remain one to this day. I've been a long time fan of Weatherbox, and your presentations never fail to blow my mind. And while your first piece on this outbreak was terrific, this one was WAAAAY abovee that one. Well done, my man! WELL DONE!
The Cincy RAOB that evening, launched between two F5 producing supercells, is something to behold (if its low lvl flow was possibly augmented by supercell 2).
The May 31, 1985, tornado outbreak meets some of the criteria for a super-outbreak. It resulted in 44 tornadoes, of which 21 were rated at F3 or higher, 90 deaths, and at least 874 injuries. It would have been much worse if it had not hit mostly rural areas. One tornado rated at F4 was over two miles wide and on the ground for 69 miles, but it was mostly on the ground in Moshannon National Forest and killed nobody. It was almost certainly an F5, but it didn't destroy structures except those near where it touched down, so it was rated at F4. The damage path was visible for years on satellite images as a lighter shade of green where new trees grew in the forest to replace the ones it mowed down, like a two mile wide lawn mower.
Wow, what state / area was this in again?
@@SurelyLord Mostly in Ontario, Canada; Pennsylvania; and Ohio. There were two in New York state. Pennsylvania was hit hardest.
I'm from Cincinnati. My dad was 9 and my mom was 7 when this happened. I've met many people who were affected by those tornadoes in my area.
Fyi the 2011 outbreak hit the same trailer park in Tanner Al. I was a small child in 74. When the 2011 outbreak happened my family went to my uncles storm cellar. After the tornado went by we all walked out to see it go. My uncle said the last tornado he had in that field was 1974.
I blinked and forty minutes passed. This documentary was absolutely enthralling. Technical yet completely approachable to someone who isn't familiar with meteorology. And the production quality is through the roof! Thanks for making this.
Fujita is not only the greatest tornado scientist but he's the reason we have the F/EF scale. Also I just found this channel and I love it. The scientific explanation behind each tornadic event is brilliantly researched and very well explained.
It's been 84 long years...a new weatherbox video. I'm ready.
I've always been fascinated by the old time 1940-1990 tornado outbreaks, and this video here talks about one of the most insane days I've ever heard of. Something about 4/3 is so absurd compared to 4/27.
Midwest through the southeast, a lot of the tornadoes in the north were multi vortex (I find it interesting how this is a common phenomenon with the Midwest also). And the Deep South seeings it grungy night time wedges.
Great video man!
Its unbelievable how widespread and catastrophic this day was. So many extremely powerful tornadoes hitting so many towns simultaneously. Id imagine there were probably dozens of weak brief tornadoes that didnt get tracked.
Plus Fujita's incredible detailed analysis is truly something special. He was a revolutionary man.
This was an absolutely incredibly put together documentary. Fantastic job. Professionally done. Subbed.
28:35 as well as the coverage by Dick Gilbert. He was actually in the air in his station’s helicopter to report on the traffic. On that day, from his vantage point, he was to tell people exactly where the tornado was and where it was headed.
What a wonderful niche you've hit. The best of both worlds and something I've been so looking for on UA-cam: weather, history, and a little bit of snark. Keep up the amazing work!
This by far was the most detailed and researched video ever made on the super Tornado Outbreak of 1974. Great Job and thank you for your hard work and dedication!
I'm from one of the towns that had one or two F4's in Michigan in '65. Evidently, my childhood home - built in the late 60s - was not far from the streets where a school was seriously damaged by one of the F4s that struck that day. I had vaguely heard about the tornado... thanks for getting me to inadvertently research it, WB!
Were you by Devils Lake? The new book on that event is amazing. I'm from Ann Arbor but lived in Manchester for a little while. I remember seeing the damage paths still being visible in the 80s.
Excellent report. Your research was stellar. And what an amazing story of Fujita and his work, which the outbreak, as tragic as it was, provided the opportunity Fujita needed. He didn't let it go to waste and the science of tornadoes took a quantum leap as a result.
Great video, and I especially appreciate the focus on the storms that occurred that evening down here in the South.
So many times when discussing this outbreak,what happened in Alabama is far overshadowed by the storms in Xenia and the Midwest that day.
I grew up and became a storm chaser in my Teens here in Dixie Alley and experienced 4/27/11 from chasing the Ohatchee tornado, which personally changed me and the reason I do chase and how I do it, and I see how you hit the nail on the head about how these generational super outbreaks change everything.
While that was my personal experience, I grew up hearing the story from my mom about 1974 and how my entire family sheltered in my grandparents basement in North GA that night with my mom’s car radio on listening to the reports about Xenia getting wiped off the map, and how my great grandad stood outside the whole time (despite them begging him to come inside to safety) reading the clouds.
Watching this video has helped me understand a little more about what they experienced in 1974 as compared to what I experienced in 2011 and today as I continue to storm chase.
As a resident of Xenia, I very much appreciate this. Note: 35 wasn't there yet when the tornado came through
What excellent, detailed coverage of April 3, 1974. This is the most thorough description I've heard and I've lived West of Xenia for 40 years of my adult life. (As a kid on the actual day in '74 we were in our family's basement in Cleveland. ) Here in SW Ohio everyone just calls it "The Tornado," or the "Xenia Tornado;" and you know what they mean -- as if you are talking about 9/11 or Gettysburg. Like clockwork, the top story every night (no joke) IS the weather forecast -- every single night no matter who's in town. And when conditions are just right in springtime, the news will give heads up in the morning. But you will never hear a local say the word "tornado" or "warnings" on that kind of day. They'll just lean in towards you, the newcomer, and say, "it looks like we're in for some weather tonight."
Thanks so much. Liked and subscribed.
Can’t thank you enough for documenting this without mentioning “you-know-what” even ONCE. Very refreshing!
This is an amazingly researched piece of content, and you should be proud of it. Absolutely top-notch stuff.
This is a great detailed analysis of this outbreak and probably one of the best documentaries on this event. This is the best video of yours. Keep up the good work my friend!
I’m a simple man.
I see new weatherbox videos.
I watch. I like. I already subscribed. 10/10 brilliant work again, Steve!! Keep it up bro.
Great in-depth analysis. I kept having to rewind the video to fully take in some portions - which is totally great, it just means it's information rich. Super job.
This is sublime work. You've smashed it completely out of the park. Incredible 👏
Thank you for this People today have no idea about this I lived thru tornados of 74 I I live in Nashville TN I was 17 We lived in a Ranch House no where to go We Neiver ! Had a Warning ! Ever ! I had got home from school & power was out for almost 3 Weeks schools closed 3 weeks we couldn't go to hospital for my arm for over a week 😢as stormy but Then Tornado hit Our Roof was ripped Off ! I had a Broken Arm , We had power Lines Down right in Front of our House all of our Neighborhood so much Damage houses in our neighborhood & injuries
It was the Scariest Day of my & family Life still is always there every day In my mind Every time we have Tornadoes we have a lot ! 1 in 1998 was so bad It Hit Downtown Nashville !! All of Nashville suberbers We are in Tornado Alley It's just began for Tornado Season & Neighborhoods Another was in 2019 destroy my Son daughter in law House Completely destroyed thank God for Tornado Warnings Sirens ! ! He had a basement thank God lost everything President Trump Came Of course then Now We have Tornado Sirens We just had Tornado Watches few warnings last Friday Our Sirens are all over Tn when we hear them we know coming & TV now has Of course for yrs Give us Warnings where tornado is coming cover the Streets Neighbor hoods
Wow, I'm suprised! A nearly 45 minute weatherbox special! Looking forward to this!
As someone who has been fascinated by this outbreak ever since I was a kid in the 70’s; thank you for putting together one of the most informative and easy to understand explanations of this event I have ever seen. Keep up the great work!
I will never understand the national weather forecast mentality that says, "We *deliberately* didn't want to say anything because we didn't want people to panic." Specifically, the "Children's Blizzard" of 12 Jan 1888 (235 deaths), the tornado mentioned in the beginning of this video, and the Galveston Hurricane of 8 Sep 1900, which resulted in an absolute minimum of 6,000 deaths.
7:03 I thought WSR stood for Weather *Surveillance* Radar, but I could be wrong.