1948 Tinker Air Force Base tornadoes

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In 1948, two tornadoes hit Tinker Air Force Base near Oklahoma City, on March 20 and March 25. Both storms were about F3 on the Fujita scale (Some experts later said the March 20 tornado was nearly F5).

March 20: The tornado tore across the base, damaging many aircraft and facilities. It was the costliest Oklahoma tornado at the time, with about $10 million in damage (roughly $131 million today). Several people were injured when flying glass and debris struck them.

March 25: Meteorologists at the base noticed weather conditions similar to March 20 and issued the first official tornado forecast. They moved equipment to bomb-proof shelters and warned personnel. The tornado struck the base around 6 pm, causing about $6 million in damage (roughly $79 million today), but because precautions were taken, there were no injuries.

Why this mattered: The March 25 forecast proved that tornadoes could be predicted, leading to new warnings and better protection for people and property at bases and in the public. Investigations praised the work of base meteorologists Major Ernest J. Fawbush and Captain Robert C. Miller, whose methods helped establish later tornado warning practices. The weather pattern they studied became known as the Miller Type-B pattern, one of the key setups in severe weather forecasting.