Quick facts for kids
Tornado outbreak of April 27–29, 1912
| Type |
Tornado outbreak |
| Duration |
April 27–28, 1912 |
| Tornadoes confirmed |
26 |
| Max rating1 |
F4 tornado |
| Duration of tornado outbreak2 |
Approximately 24 hours |
| 1Most severe tornado damage; see Fujita scale 2Time from first tornado to last tornado |
On April 27–29, 1912, was a major tornado outbreak generated at least six violent tornadoes in Oklahoma, with near-constant activity until early the next day. At least 15 cities were affected, 40 people died, and 120 others were injured. Tornado researcher Thomas P. Grazulis considered this outbreak to be among the worst on record in the state of Oklahoma, as measured by fatalities and violent tornadoes. At least five strong tornadoes affected Washita County, Oklahoma, during this outbreak.
Background
Limited weather data were collected and recorded at that time in Oklahoma. Antedating upper atmospheric measurements, most data collection was of human observations, along with temperature, pressure, wind speed and direction, and rainfall. A cold front moved south through Oklahoma into Texas on April 26, before stalling as a stationary front draped across Central Texas, oriented from northeast to southwest. Early on April 27, it pushed back northward against a warm front to the east, due to a vigorous upper-atmospheric trough approaching from the west. The warm front was noted to have moved from the southeast on April 27 to the northeast on April 28; this movement of warm air against the cold front, in proximity to a low-pressure area over western Oklahoma, provided sufficient atmospheric lift, thereby fuelling the storms that provided the tornado activity.
Confirmed tornadoes
Confirmed tornadoes by Fujita rating
| FU |
F0 |
F1 |
F2 |
F3 |
F4 |
F5 |
Total |
| ? |
1 |
1 |
10 |
6 |
8 |
0 |
≥ 26 |
April 27 event
Confirmed tornadoes – Saturday, April 27, 1912
| F# |
Location |
County / Parish |
State |
Time (UTC) |
Path length |
Max. width |
Summary |
| F4 |
SE of Kirkland, TX to N of Eldorado, OK |
Childress, Hardeman, Jackson |
TX, OK |
16:30–? |
40 miles (64 km) |
800 yards (730 m) |
5 deaths – Major, long-tracked tornado killed five people, injured 23 others, and caused $77,000 in losses, including $65,000 in Texas and $12,000 in Oklahoma. Four of the five deaths were in a single family. Tornado struck 43 farms and destroyed or damaged 30 homes, some of which were swept away. |
| F2 |
Warren |
Jackson |
OK |
18:15–? |
Unknown |
Unknown |
Tornado hit Warren around noon CST. Details are unavailable. |
| F4 |
SE of Granite to Lugert to NW of Hobart |
Greer, Kiowa |
OK |
18:30–? |
20 miles (32 km) |
800 yards (730 m) |
7+ deaths – Tornado leveled all but two buildings in Lugert, killing a mother and her daughter there. Papers were found 75 mi (121 km) distant. Tornado also caused at least three—possibly five—deaths and killed at least 100 cattle near Hobart. 25 people were injured and losses totaled $300,000. |
| F3 |
Rocky |
Washita |
OK |
19:15–? |
20 miles (32 km) |
800 yards (730 m) |
Tornado destroyed about 50 homes, a school, and 10 barns in and near Rocky. Tornado began 5 mi (8.0 km) southwest of town and ended 15 mi (24 km) northeast of town. Two injuries were reported. |
| F2 |
Corn |
Washita |
OK |
19:50–? |
10 miles (16 km) |
Unknown |
4 deaths – Tornado hit Corn, then called Korn until World War I, and the nearby "Korn Valley", where four people died. No other information is available. |
| F4 |
W of Colony to S of Geary |
Washita, Caddo, Blaine |
OK |
20:00–? |
27 miles (43 km) |
800 yards (730 m) |
2 deaths – Large, powerful tornado devastated farms across Caddo County. Losses totaled $5,000 and 15 people were injured. |
| F3 |
W of Altus to W of Blair |
Jackson |
OK |
20:30–? |
11 miles (18 km) |
250 yards (230 m) |
Tornado devastated about 12 farms near Martha. One person was injured and losses totaled $19,000. |
| F3 |
SW of Hinton to Calumet to NW of El Reno |
Caddo, Canadian |
OK |
21:00–? |
23 miles (37 km) |
400 yards (370 m) |
3+ deaths – Strong tornado hit the towns of Hinton and Calumet, destroying 26 structures in the latter, where three people died. Four others may have been killed in Hinton. A sign from Hinton was found to have been carried north of Calumet. Losses totaled $125,000 and four injuries were reported. |
| F4 |
S of Bartley to Cambridge |
Red Willow, Furnas |
NE |
22:00–? |
10 miles (16 km) |
Unknown |
Violent tornado destroyed at least five barns, along with three farmhouses. An entire farmstead was swept clean. Four people survived the tornado in an orchard, but with injuries. |
| F4 |
E of Erick to E of Sayre to Elk City |
Beckham |
OK |
22:45–? |
23 miles (37 km) |
150 yards (140 m) |
2 deaths – Tornado destroyed 35 buildings, killed 15 livestock, and injured 15 people. Tornado destroyed 11 homes and caused fatalities near Sayre. Five funnel clouds were observed along the path of the storm, and debris from homes was strewn for miles. |
| F4 |
W of Foss to Butler |
Washita, Custer |
OK |
00:30–? |
20 miles (32 km) |
150 yards (140 m) |
6 deaths – Tornado destroyed the town of Foss and 32 homes on the eastern side of Butler. Debris from the latter town was found in Putnam, 15 mi (24 km) to the northeast. Losses totaled $50,000 and 20 injuries were reported. |
| F3 |
SW of Speer to S of Dela |
Choctaw |
OK |
00:30–? |
7 miles (11 km) |
167 yards (153 m) |
1 death – Details are unknown. Three injuries occurred. |
| F2 |
Granite |
Greer |
OK |
02:20–? |
8 miles (13 km) |
Unknown |
Details are unknown. |
| F3 |
NW of Stratford to SE of Butler |
Custer |
OK |
02:30–? |
5 miles (8.0 km) |
Unknown |
1 death – Tornado damaged or destroyed eight farmhouses. Losses totaled $50,000. |
| F4 |
NW of Hobart to Sentinel to NW of Cordell |
Kiowa, Washita |
OK |
02:45–? |
20 miles (32 km) |
600 yards (550 m) |
4 deaths – Violent tornado damaged or destroyed about 60 homes in Sentinel, mostly in the western half of the town. No injuries resulted, as the entire population had seen the funnel approaching 15 minutes in advance. Two people died on a farm southwest of Sentinel. The tornado then continued to the northwestern edge of Cordell, destroying six more homes and killing two people before turning east and dissipating. Losses reached $75,000 and 15 injuries occurred along the path. |
| F3 |
S of Granite to N of Lone Wolf |
Greer, Kiowa |
OK |
02:45–? |
12 miles (19 km) |
Unknown |
1 death – Tornado destroyed buildings and farmhouses on at least 14 farms. Five people were injured. |
April 28 event
Confirmed tornadoes – Sunday, April 28, 1912
| F# |
Location |
County / Parish |
State |
Time (UTC) |
Path length |
Max. width |
Summary |
| F2 |
Crescent to Mulhall |
Logan |
OK |
05:45–? |
5 miles (8.0 km) |
Unknown |
2 deaths – Tornado destroyed at least two homes. Two people were crushed to death in a storm cave. |
| F2 |
W of Butler |
Custer |
OK |
05:45–? |
Unknown |
Unknown |
Tornado destroyed several barns. |
| F2 |
E of Cashion to Cedar Valley |
Logan |
OK |
05:55–? |
5 miles (8.0 km) |
Unknown |
Tornado destroyed a home and a barn 8 mi (13 km) southwest of Guthrie. |
| F0 |
SE of Hobart |
Kiowa |
OK |
07:30–? |
3 miles (4.8 km) |
Unknown |
Tornado reported. |
| F2 |
SW of Sallisaw |
Sequoyah |
OK |
08:30–? |
10 miles (16 km) |
Unknown |
Tornado destroyed six homes. |
| F2 |
N of Marble to E of Bunch |
Sequoyah, Adair |
OK |
08:30–? |
12 miles (19 km) |
Unknown |
2 deaths – Details are unknown. Four injuries were reported. |
| F2 |
N of Bono to S of Joshua |
Johnson |
TX |
17:00–? |
5 miles (8.0 km) |
50 yards (46 m) |
Tornado destroyed barns and small homes. |
| F4 |
SSW of Henderson to S of Church Hill to Tatum |
Rusk, Panola |
TX |
19:30–? |
30 miles (48 km) |
200 yards (180 m) |
4 deaths – Long-tracked tornado destroyed 30 or more homes in six communities. It destroyed a brick home, killing a man inside. Two people were thrown 500 yd (460 m) as well. Downburst damage occurred in Tatum. 14 injuries occurred along the path. |
| F1 |
Fouke |
Cass |
TX |
01:00–? |
Unknown |
Unknown |
2 deaths – Tornado occurred 12 mi (19 km) south of Texarkana, killing two women beneath a fallen tree. 10 other people were injured. |
April 29 event
Confirmed tornadoes – Monday, April 29, 1912
| F# |
Location |
County / Parish |
State |
Time (UTC) |
Path length |
Max. width |
Summary |
| F2 |
S of Liddieville to N of Winnsboro |
Franklin |
LA |
Unknown |
10 miles (16 km) |
400 yards (370 m) |
3 deaths – Tornado destroyed considerable amounts of timberland, along with several homes. 15 people were injured. |
