Tornado outbreak of April 27–29, 1912


The tornado outbreak of April 27–29, 1912 was a major tornado outbreak. At least six violent tornadoes touched down throughout Oklahoma, with near constant activity until early the next day. At least 15 cities were affected. 40 people died, and 120 injured.

Meteorological synopsis

Limited weather data was collected and recorded at that time in Oklahoma. Predating 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 in central Texas, leaving a southwest/northeast stationary front. Early on the 28th, it pushed back northward against a warm front to the east. The warm front was noted to have moved from the southeast on the 27th to the northeast on the 28th; it was this movement of warm air against the cold front over that that fueled the storms that provided the tornado activity.

Tornadoes

April 27

April 28

April 29