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April 3-4, 1974
Xenia F5 Tornado / Super Outbreak
The massive tornado occurrence of April 3-4, 1974, now known as the Super Outbreak, affected many locations in the Ohio Valley region. Dozens of tornadoes struck Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky, resulting in 159 deaths, 4145 injuries, and hundreds of millions of dollars in property damage.*
One particularly destructive tornado struck Xenia, Ohio on April 3, 1974. This devastating tornado killed over 30 people, injured 1100, and destroyed more than 1000 homes. Other tornadoes hit the Cincinnati and Columbus areas, along with Northern Kentucky and Eastern Indiana.
In the tornadoes' aftermath, some of the lessons learned from the event have been applied by various government agencies to mitigate hazards in subsequent events. Improvements in communications, warning systems, emergency preparedness, and forecast techniques and equipment have been implimented since the Super Outbreak, with the result being increased lead times for warnings, more accurate forecasts of events, greater public awareness, and more reliable communications.
* The source of information concerning the Superoutbreak was the Natural Disaster Survey Report 74-1, provided by NOAA.
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Map shows path of tornadoes across the area during the 1974 Super Outbreak. |
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Massive tornado bears down on Xenia (photo by Fred Stewart). |
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Plaque honors the persons killed in the Xenia tornado (photo by Brian Coniglio). |
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This tornado over Bridgetown, just west of Cincinnati, caused 3 deaths and 210 injuries (photo by Frank Altenau). |
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A nightmare of destruction faced survivors (photo courtesy Alex Burrows). |
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILMINGTON OH
550 PM EST MON MAR 29 1999
...WEATHER SERVICE TO COMMEMORATE NATION'S WORST TORNADOES...
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MARKS THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE APRIL 3-4,
1974, SUPER TORNADO OUTBREAK WITH A SPECIAL PROGRAM IN XENIA, OHIO,
SITE OF THE MOST DAMAGING AND DEADLY TWISTER. THE PROGRAM WILL TAKE
PLACE ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, BEGINNING AT 930 AM AT THE XENIA HIGH
SCHOOL.
THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO HIGHLIGHT THE ADVANCES IN TECHNOLOGY,
PLANNING AND RESPONSE MADE SINCE 1974 AND TO HIGHLIGHT THE CONTINUED
NEED FOR SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY AWARENESS AND EDUCATION.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE EVENT AND DIRECTIONS TO THE XENIA HIGH
SCHOOL...PLEASE CHECK OUT THE NWS WILMINGTON WEB PAGE AT:
WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/ER/ILN/ILN.HTM
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www.nws.noaa.gov
