Did you know there was a time in history where the word “tornado” was banned from American weather forecasts? Up until the 1950s, these storms were thought to be so terrible that reporting on them may cause panic.
A century ago, the only warning you may have received about an approaching tornado was a neighbor yelling “It’s a twister” as you saw the funnel cloud drawing closer. Part of the problem was not just the impending anxiety it may cause, but also a problem with the Weather Bureau (which would become the National Weather Service) not having the technology to accurately predict when a thunderstorm might turn deadly.
The first tornado report: 1643
The first tornado report in the United States can be traced back to July 5, 1643, in what was then the Massachusetts Bay Colony (Lynn, Newbury and Hampton). John Winthrop, who was Massachusetts governor at the time and also a weather enthusiast, observed the phenomenon and recorded it.
"There arose a sudden gust at N.W. so violent for half an hour as it blew down multitudes of trees. It lifted up their meeting house at Newbury, the people being in it. It darkened the air with dust, yet through God's great mercy it did no hurt, but only killed one Indian with the fall of a tree. It was straight between Linne [Lynn] and Hampton."
Rules for forecasting tornadoes: 1888
In 1882, after numerous observations and stories of whirlwinds, cyclones and tornadoes, John Finley (U.S. Army Signal Corps Sergeant) was placed in charge of investigating tornadoes and the development of forecasting methods. Finley developed rules for forecasting tornadoes and published them in 1888. However, as he was developing these techniques, he came upon a roadblock when the term “tornado” was banned from official forecasts by the U.S. Army Signal Corps due to limitations with the observing network and concerns over causing mass panic among the general public. This ban on the use of the word lasted for four decades (into the early 20th century).
Tri-State Tornado of 1925
Then, the Tri-State Tornado of 1925 touched down on March 18, beginning in Southwest Missouri and tracked for 219 miles across southern Illinois and southwest Indiana. It left a path of devastation that killed 695 people and injured another 2,000 people.
At the time, Finley’s work enabled forecasters to recognize the possibility of tornadoes although they could not predict them in advance. It was not until 1943 that the Weather Bureau formed experimental tornado warning systems in Wichita, Kansas, Kansas City, Missouri and St. Louis, Missouri. Forecasters could begin to make advanced weather forecasts that included whether the conditions were right for a severe storm to occur. However, they still could not give the time or place where the storm might hit.
U.S. Air Force predicts tornado: 1948
A major breakthrough came in the late 1940s when Maj. Ernest Fawbush and Capt. Robert Miller of the U.S. Air Force worked on observational and experimental techniques for predicting severe storms and tornadoes. They predicted a tornado that struck Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City on March 20, 1948.
First TV warning despite ban: 1948
Weatherman Harry Volkman had only been working at WKY-TV for a few weeks before making broadcast history by being the first person to relay the “tornado risk” on air. He hesitated because he was worried he might get arrested since the term “tornado” was still officially banned by the Federal Communications Commission.
His boss ordered him to advise viewers of the tornado risk and assured him that the TV station would take responsibility. Thus, he became the first meteorologist to issue a televised tornado warning. The tornado struck the Tinker Air Force Base causing $6 million in damage, but nobody was killed.
Fawbush and Miller are credited with saving lives with the timely information from their forecast. It was shortly after this event that the National Weather Service began working on the terminology of “watch” (conditions are right for a tornado to form) and “warning” (a funnel cloud has been spotted) to alert people of tornadic activity.
Sea Grant tornado outreach: Today
Today, when extreme weather is coming, information is everywhere. We receive emergency alerts on our phones, up-to-the-minute forecasts, and have the benefits of Doppler radar. The Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium is working with the National Severe Storms Laboratory VORTEX-SE Program conducting outreach and education on severe weather to keep people safe.
You can learn more about the future of weather forecasting through the PERiLS program, which collects the most detailed observations ever obtained in tornado field experiments. Visit the VORTEX-SE Engagement page to learn how Sea Grant is making a difference in reaching audiences with the most up-to-date, science-based information on tornadoes and other severe weather.
Meet the author
Tracie Sempier, Ph.D.
Resilience Engagement Lead
Tracie Sempier serves as the resilience engagement lead at Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant. She engages with communities to help them become more resilient and works to decrease negative impacts of... Read more
Phone: 228-818-8829
Email: [email protected]