Summary

Central Oklahoma was visited by destructive tornadoes during the latter part of March 1948. Two of these tornadoes struck the Tinker Air Force Base (AFB) on March 20th and March 25th. A short summary of these two tornadoes follows:

On March 20, 1948, a tornado touched down near the Will Rogers Field (World Airport) in Oklahoma City and moved eastward. The tornado moved across Will Rogers Field and eventually Tinker Air Field (AFB). Extensive damage occurred to buildings and aircraft, mainly at Tinker AFB where 54 aircraft were destroyed, including 17 C-54 transports valued at $500,000 apiece. Also destroyed were 15 P-47 fighters and two B-29 bombers. About 50 other planes were damaged and about 100 vehicles were damaged or destroyed. Three of the 8 injuries attributed to the storm were in the control tower at the base. The tornado produced record amount of damage to that date in Oklahoma. This event prompted the first efforts in tornado forecasting - a milestone made even more interesting 5 days later when the first tornado forecast ever made actually verified at the same location.

On March 25, 1948, another tornado developed near Tinker Air Field (AFB) and moved to the northeast across the Air Force Base, bringing more destruction for the second time in less than a week. This tornado struck just 100 yards from previous tornado's path. A total of 84 planes were hit, 35 of which were destroyed. These included 18 B-29s, 8 P-47s, 20 P-17s, and 3 C-47s. Hangars and other buildings were destroyed. This tornado was described as a "white finger" rather than the "black funnel" of March 20, 1948. The likelihood of tornadoes in the area was forecast successfully for the first time ever, using new methods devised by Air Force forecasters after the tornado event of five days earlier. The Air Force officers that issued this forecast were Lieutenant Colonel Ernest J. Fawbush and Captain Robert C. Miller.

Please use the "Fast Facts" tab to access data, summaries, and reports related to the late March 1948 Tinker AFB tornadoes and the first tornado forecast. Many articles were written to commemorate the golden (50th) anniversary of the first tornado forecast on March 25, 1998. Many of these articles were published through the American Meteorological Society's publications including the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society (BAMS) and Weather and Forecasting. Most of these articles appeared in the AMS publications during the Summer of 1999.

March 20, 1948 tornado damage at Tinker AFB March 25, 1948 tornado damage at Tinker AFB

Lieutenant Colonel Ernest J. Fawbush (left) and Captain Robert C. Miller (right). [Official USAF photo, circa 1951, courtesy Cynthia (Fawbush) Goff.]

Fast Facts

Web Pages and Reports Related to the March 25, 1948 Tornado Event

• Outlook - Tornadoes - The Historic Forecast 1998 - (NOAA)


• Golden Anniversary of the First Tornado Forecast 1998 - (Air Weather Association)


• The Golden Anniversary Celebration of the First Tornado Forecast July 1999 - (AMS - Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society (BAMS))


• The First Operational Tornado Forecast Twenty Million to One August 1999 - (AMS - Weather and Forecasting)


• Events Leading to Establishment of the United States Air Force Severe Weather Warning Center in February 1951 August 1999 - (AMS - Weather and Forecasting)


• The Tinker AFB Tornadoes of March 1948 August 1999 - (AMS - Weather and Forecasting)


• The Birth and Early Years of the Storm Prediction Center August 1999 - (AMS - Weather and Forecasting)


• Storm Spotting and Public Awareness since the First Tornado Forecasts of 1948 August 1999 - (AMS - Weather and Forecasting)


• Tinker's Twin Twisters of 1948 and the Birth of Tornado Forecasting 2000 - (Chronicles of Oklahoma - Oklahoma Historical Society)


• Severe Local Storms for March 1948 (AMS - Monthly Weather Review)


• U.S. Weather Bureau Daily Weather Map for March 20, 1948
• U.S. Weather Bureau Daily Weather Map for March 21, 1948
• U.S. Weather Bureau Daily Weather Map for March 25, 1948
• U.S. Weather Bureau Daily Weather Map for March 26, 1948

Tornado Data and Information

• Oklahoma County, OK Tornadoes (1875-Present)
• Comprehensive list of tornadoes that occurred in the Oklahoma City area (1890-Present).

Tornado Table

Maps and Charts

U.S. Weather Bureau Daily Weather Map for March 20, 1948

U.S. Weather Bureau Daily Weather Map for March 21, 1948

U.S. Weather Bureau Daily Weather Map for March 25, 1948

U.S. Weather Bureau Daily Weather Map for March 26, 1948

Damage Photos

Photographs were provided courtesy of the Tinker AFB History Office and were sourced from the NSSL Golden Anniversary of the First Tornado Forecast web page (defunct).

March 20, 1948 Tornado Damage at Tinker AFB, OK

March 25, 1948 Tornado Damage at Tinker AFB, OK