107 –181-185

lornajarrettblanchard April 9, 1947

–185 Blanchard compilation based on State breakouts below.
–181 Brooks and Doswell 2000.
–181 Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, pp. 504, 926.
–181 (Glazier & Higgins TX and OK). Grazulis. The Tornado, 2001, p. 292.
–181 OK Climatological Survey. Oklahoma’s Top 10 Weather Events…
–181 NOAA Storm Prediction Center. “25 Deadliest Tornadoes.”
–169 Cornell, James. The Great International Disaster Book (Third Edition). 1982, p. 222.
–169 Ludlum. The American Weather Book. 1982, 71.
–169 NWS. “Woodward Tornado of April 9, 1947.” Climatological Data, April 1947, p. 25.

Kansas
— 00 (Property damage.)

Oklahoma (113-116)
–116 NOAA Storm Prediction Center. 25 Deadliest Tornadoes.
–116 NWS WFO Norman, OK. Top Ten Deadliest OK Tornadoes (1882-2009).
–116 NWS WFO Norman, OK. The Woodward Tornado of 9 April 1947.
–113 Grazulis 1993, p. 927. Ellis/Woodward/Woods counties; 18:05, F5.
— 6 Shattuck area, Ellis County.
–>107 Woodward, Woodward County, mostly in norther half of town.
–101 NWS. “Woodward Tornado of April 9, 1947.” Climatological Data: OK Sect., Apr 1947, p. 25.
Woodward OK.
— 107 Grazulis. “Descriptions…Top Ten US Killer Tornadoes #6…Woodward…”
— 107 NWS WFO Norman, OK. The Woodward Tornado of 9 April 1947.
— 101 Ludlum. The American Weather Book. 1982, 71.
—<100 History.com. This Day in History, Disasters, April 9, 1947. Tornado. Texas ( 68-69) --69 NWS WFO Norman, OK. The Woodward Tornado of 9 April 1947. --68 Grazulis. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991. 1993, p. 926. --68 Grazulis. The Tornado, 2001, p. 292. --68 Gray/Roberts/Hemphill/Lipscomb counties; 18:05, F5. Grazulis 1993, p. 927. --17 Glazier --51 Higgins --68 NWS. “Woodward Tornado of April 9, 1947.” Climatological Data: OK Sect., Apr 1947, p. 25. Narrative Information Grazulis: TX-OK-KS APR 9, 1947 1805 181k 970inj 1500y f170m F5. GRAY/ROBERTS/ HEMPHILL/ LIPSCOMB, TX / ELLIS / WOODWARD/WOODS, OK / BARBER / KINGMAN, KS--What is now considered as clearly a family of tornadoes moved NE and NNE from about 5m NW of Pampa to near St. Leo, Kansas. After the White Deer Tornado turned to the north and dissipated, this event formed 5m NW of Pampa and cut a historic path of destruction across three states…. Along much of its path in Texas and Oklahoma, it was reported to have been from one to two miles wide. The entire town of Glazier, and much of Higgins were destroyed. The generally accepted death totals are 17 at Glazier and 51 at Higgins. Injury totals were 40 and 232, respectively. According to dubious national press reports, two people reportedly together at Glazier were found three miles apart. The property damage in Texas was $1,500,000. “Passing into Ellis County, Oklahoma, the tornado killed six more people as it passed 4m SE of Shattuck, 4m NW of Arnett, 3m SE of Gage and 2m SE of Fargo, destroying dozens of farms and ranches. Ellis County losses were put at $1,264,000. At Woodward, the tornado killed at least 107 people, mostly in the northern half of town, where about 1,000 people were injured, over 100 city blocks were devastated, and over 1000 homes were damaged or destroyed. The damage was two miles wide and losses totaled over $6,000,000. Cleanup at Woodward was made even more miserable by cold and…snow. The rain immediately after the tornado did suppress fires. Moving into Woods County, the tornado began turning to the NNE, passing about 10m W of Alva. Due west of Alva, at White Horse, 30 people were injured as 36 homes were destroyed. The official death toll at Woodward is 95, but historical research by Dr. Donald Burgess, of the National Severe Storms Laboratory, clearly shows that the 95 total is too low. His total of 107 is used here. “In Barber County, Kansas, the storm passed just west of Hardtner and continued to the NNE. West of Medicine Lodge, and as far to the north as St. Leo, no single damage track is in evidence. Fl and F2 damage is scattered in a zone about 10 miles wide through "Gerlane," Pixley, Hazelton, Sharon, Zenda, Nashville and several other small communities. Paper debris from Woodward, and from homes north of Arnett, fell "in quantity" in SW Barber County, about 15 miles west of this damage area. Kansas losses were $200,000. Most of the Kansas damage may be downburst-related. The path in Oklahoma may have been made up of five or more distinct tornadoes.” (Grazulis 1993, 927.) History.com: “The town of Woodward, Oklahoma, is nearly wiped off the map by a powerful tornado on this day in 1947. More than 100 people died in Woodward, and 80 more lost their lives elsewhere in the series of twisters that hit the U.S. heartland that day. “The storm occurred when a cold front from Siberia met a warm and moist stream of air from the Gulf of Mexico. In the late afternoon, the first tornado struck in White Deer, Texas. In Glazier, Texas, only a gas station survived the twister. In Higgins, Texas, 30 people were killed as the tornado grew to nearly a mile-and-a-half wide. “As the tornado traveled on in its nearly 100-mile-long trip, it got even wider. By the time it reached Woodward it was reportedly as big as two miles wide. Fierce lightning and hail preceded the twister and drove the residents to seek shelter. At about nine in the evening, the town’s gas and electric plants were destroyed and the residents were left in complete darkness. “As the storm moved through Woodward, 200 residential blocks were completely leveled and nearly 1,000 homes were razed. Fires broke out in several spots but the heavy rains kept them under control. In all, 107 people were killed in Woodward and many more were injured. The devastating tornado then continued on to Kansas, where significant damage was done but no one was killed. “As looting was reported in the areas hit by the tornado, the National Guard was called in to restore order. Army barracks were used to house the homeless until their homes could be rebuilt.” (History.com. Disasters, Apr 9, 1947. “Tornado Reduces Oklahoma Town to Rubble.”) NWS WFO Norman, OK: “The most deadly tornado to ever strike within the borders of the state of Oklahoma occurred on Wednesday, April 9, 1947 in the city of Woodward. The Woodward tornadic storm began in the Texas Panhandle during the afternoon of April 9, 1947, and produced at least six tornadoes along a 220 mile path that stretched from White Deer, TX (northeast of Amarillo) to St. Leo, KS (west of Wichita). “The tornado that would strike Woodward began near Canadian, TX. Moving northeast, it continued on the ground continuously for about 100 miles, ending in Woods County, Oklahoma, west of Alva. The tornado was massive, up to 1.8 miles wide, and traveled at forward speeds of about 50 miles per hour. It first struck Glazier and Higgins in the Texas Panhandle, devastating both towns and producing at least 69 fatalities in Texas before crossing into Oklahoma. In Ellis County, Oklahoma, the tornado did not strike any towns, passing to the southeast of Shattuck, Gage, and Fargo. Even though no towns were struck, nearly 60 farms and ranches were destroyed and 8 people were killed with 42 more injured. Moving into Woodward County, one death was reported near Tangier. “The violent tornado (F5 on the Fujita Scale) unleashed its worst destruction on Woodward, striking the city without warning at 8:42 pm. Over 100 city blocks on the west and north sides of the city were destroyed with lesser damage in the southeast portion of the town. Confusion and fires reigned in the aftermath with over 1000 homes and businesses destroyed, at least 107 people killed in and around Woodward, and nearly 1000 additional injuries. Normal communications between Woodward and the outside world were not restored for some time and there was great uncertainty as to victim status. In fact, the bodies of three children were never identified, and one child who survived the tornado was lost and never reunited with her family. Help for Woodward came from many places, including units from as far away as Oklahoma City and Wichita. Beyond Woodward, the tornado lost some intensity, but still destroyed 36 homes and injured 30 people in Woods County before ending. “In all, at least 116 lives were lost in Oklahoma on that fateful night. Never before or since has a tornado been so costly to human life in the Sooner State. Because of the Woodward tornado and other devastating tornadoes in the late 1940's and early 1950's, and because of new technologies available after World War II, the Weather Bureau (now the National Weather Service) began a tornado watch and warning program in 1953. During the last five decades, the warning system composed of the National Weather Service, local civil preparedness agencies, and the media has continued to mature and provide better and better information to citizens to help them protect themselves from tornadoes. Because of the strengths of the warning system, tornado death tolls in Oklahoma, and nationwide, have dropped considerably with each passing decade and, hopefully, will continue to decrease".” (NWS WFO Norman, OK. The Woodward Tornado of 9 April 1947.) Sources Brooks, Harold E. and Charles A Doswell III. “Deaths in the 3 May 1999 Oklahoma City Tornado from a Historical Perspective.” Weather and Forecasting, Vol. 17, June 2002, pp. 354-361. Accessed at: http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/users/brooks/public_html/papers/deathhist.pdf Cornell, James. The Great International Disaster Book (Third Edition). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1982. Grazulis, Thomas P. Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. St. Johnsbury, VE: Environmental Films, 1993, 1,326 pages. Grazulis, Thomas P. The Tornado: Nature’s Ultimate Windstorm. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2001, 324 pages. History.com. This Day in History, Disaster, April 9, 1947. “Tornado reduces Oklahoma town to rubble.” Accessed 12-6-2008 at: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=tdihArticleCategory&displayDate=04/09&categoryId=disaster Ludlum, David M. The American Weather Book. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1982. National Weather Service. “Woodward Tornado of April 9, 1947.” Climatological Data: Oklahoma Section, April 1947, p. 25. Accessed 5-5-2020 at: https://www.weather.gov/media/oun/wxevents/19470409/ok194704cd-summary.pdf National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Norman, OK. The Woodward Tornado of 9 April 1947. 1-29-2009 update. Accessed at: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/wxevents/19470409/ National Weather Service Weather Forecast Office, Norman, OK. Top Ten Deadliest Oklahoma Tornadoes (1882-2009). NWS, NOAA, 12-22-2008 modification. Accessed at: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/tornadodata/ok/deadliest.php Oklahoma Climatological Survey and National Weather Service Forecast Offices, Norman and Tulsa, OK. Oklahoma's Top 10 Weather Events of the 20th Century. No Date. Accessed 9-28-2008 at: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/news/toptenweather.php Storm Prediction Center. The 25 Deadliest U.S. Tornadoes. Norman, OK: SPC, National Weather Service. NOAA. Accessed 10-12-2008 at: http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/killers.html