Ticker for June 8, 2000

                
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June 8, 2000       June 8, 2000       June 8, 2000       June 8, 2000


Today in Oklahoma Weather History

Today marks the 26th anniversary of a significant tornado outbreak in
and around the state.  On the afternoon of June 8, 1974, more than twenty
tornadoes were spawned in Oklahoma and several more in Kansas, killing
a total of 21 people and injuring more than 500.

Twelve persons were killed in the town of Drumright and one each at
Olive and Lake Keystone by a long-track (55 miles) F4 tornado.  About
150 were injured as the twister carved an arc from west of Drumright
to just south of Skiatook.

In addition to several strong tornadoes, the Tulsa area received up to
ten inches of rainfall.  The associated flash flooding claimed two lives
and was among the costliest natural disasters in the City of Tulsa's
history.  The severe weather and flooding caused more than 30 million
dollars worth of property damage in the Tulsa area.

Earlier in the afternoon, a tornado actually touched down at the
National Weather Service forecast office at Will Rogers Airport in
Oklahoma City.  In the minutes following the touchdown, the tornado
would strengthen to an F3 storm and damage or destroy hundreds of homes
on the south side.

This outbreak of seventeen F2 or stronger tornadoes wasn't even the most
significant of the season.  About two months eariler, on April 3 and 4,
330 persons were killed and more than 5000 injured when 148 tornadoes
touched down in 13 states in the Ohio Valley and Dixie.  This April
"Super Outbreak" is the worst in U.S. history.