The most deadly tornado to ever strike within the borders of the state of Oklahoma occurred on Wednesday, April 9, 1947 in the city of Woodward. The Woodward tornadic supercell thunderstorm began in the Texas Panhandle during the afternoon of April 9, 1947, and produced at least six tornadoes along a 220-mile path that stretched from White Deer, TX (northeast of Amarillo) to St. Leo, KS (west of Wichita).

While it is still officially attributed to have traveled in a single long track through 3 states, work done by Tom Grazulis of the Tornado Project, and research scientist Don Burgess indicates that a separate tornado occurred near White Deer, TX, and 4 or more tornadoes occurred near the Oklahoma state line and into Kansas. In addition, the Woodward tornado may have begun closer to Pampa, TX, but there is no corroborating evidence to confirm a damage path in the area.

What is known is that the violent tornado that struck Woodward had a confirmed path that started 3 miles northwest of Canadian, TX. The tornado moved northeast, and continued on the ground continuously for about 98 miles, before ending in Woods County, Oklahoma about 10 miles west of Alva. The tornado was massive, up to 1.8 miles wide, and traveled at forward speeds of about 50 miles per hour.

The tornado first struck Glazier and Higgins in the Texas Panhandle, devastating both towns and producing at least 69 fatalities in Texas before crossing into Oklahoma. In Ellis County, Oklahoma, the tornado did not strike any towns, passing to the southeast of Shattuck, Gage, and Fargo. Even though no towns were struck, nearly 60 farms and ranches were destroyed and 8 people were killed with 42 more injured. Moving into Woodward County, one death was reported near Tangier, OK

The violent tornado (F5 on the Fujita Scale) unleashed its worst destruction on Woodward, striking the city without warning at 8:42 pm CST. Over 100 city blocks on the west and north sides of the city were destroyed with lesser damage in the southeast portion of the town. Confusion and fires reigned in the aftermath with over 1000 homes and businesses destroyed, at least 107 people killed in and around Woodward, and nearly 1000 additional injuries.

Normal communications between Woodward and the outside world were not restored for some time and there was great uncertainty as to victim status. In fact, the bodies of three children were never identified, and one child who survived the tornado was lost and never reunited with her family. Help for Woodward came from many places, including units from as far away as Oklahoma City and Wichita. Beyond Woodward, the tornado lost some intensity, but still destroyed 36 homes and injured 30 people in Woods County before it dissipated. The supercell thunderstorm would produce at least another 4 tornadoes near the Oklahoma State line and in southern Kansas.

In all, at least 116 lives were lost in Oklahoma on that fateful night with another 68 deaths occurring in Texas. Never before or since has a tornado been so costly to human life in the Sooner State. Another 782 people were in Oklahoma with 198 injuries occurring in Texas. Damages were estimated at $1.5 million in Texas and $8 million in Oklahoma. The tornado destroyed 507 structures and damaged 803 more in Oklahoma. A  total of 119 structures were destroyed and another 117 were damaged in Texas.

Because of the Woodward tornado and other devastating tornadoes in the late 1940's and early 1950's, and because of new technologies available after World War II, the Weather Bureau (now the National Weather Service) began a tornado watch and warning program in 1953. Since then, the warning system composed of the National Weather Service, local civil preparedness agencies, and the media has continued to mature and provide better and better information to citizens to help them protect themselves from tornadoes. Because of the strengths of the warning system, tornado death tolls in Oklahoma, and nationwide, have dropped considerably with each passing decade and, hopefully, will continue to decrease.

A tornado touched 8 miles west-southwest of Arnett and moved north-northeast, hitting the town of Shattuck at 9:48 pm CST, and dissipating 11 miles northeast of Shattuck at approximately 10:10 pm CST. Damage was continuous from 6 miles south of Shattuck to 0.75 miles north of Shattuck. Ten buildings (mostly businesses) were destroyed, 17 buildings received major damage, and 41 buildings incurred minor damage. Three mobile homes and several outbuildings were destroyed. Five people were injured, and one person was seriously injured and required hospitalization. The last known damage occurred 11 miles northeast of Shattuck, and consisted of roof damage and siding ripped from a farmhouse. Total damages were estimated at $1.5 million.

An upper-level storm system moved slowly into south central Colorado during the afternoon. A dry line had become established and was located along the Oklahoma and Texas panhandle border. Also, favorable upper-level winds were rotating around the upper-level storm system, crossing the dryline over western Oklahoma. As the afternoon progressed, convergence along the dryline became maximized over this area. Thunderstorms developed during the afternoon hours and they quickly became supercells. Two of the supercells produced several tornadoes.

A tornado touched down in far northern Roger Mills County at 8:34 pm CST, and moved northeast crossing the Canadian River into Ellis County. Some tree damage was noted about 4.5 miles north-northeast of Roll in Roger Mills County. This is the fourth tornado in Oklahoma from the southern supercell.

This tornado crossed the Canadian River into southern Ellis County at 8:36 pm CST. Two houses and two mobile homes were destroyed in the Packsaddle area of southern Ellis County to the east of US Highway 283 (about 18 miles south-southwest of Harmon), and a roof was removed from another mobile home. At least one of these homes suffered a complete removal of the roof and some damage to the exterior walls. Several cars were damaged or destroyed, as well as trees and power lines.

The tornado developed approximately just south of Arnett, OK (Ellis County) at 10:42 pm CST (11:42 pm CDT) on April 14, 2012 and moved northeast. Two homes were categorized as destroyed and a few other homes sustained damage. Trees and power lines were also damaged as the tornado moved toward the Woodward county border. The tornado eventually crossed the border, producing only minor damage (mainly downed trees and power poles/lines) as it moved over mainly rural portions of Woodward County, southwest of the city of Woodward, OK.

At approximately 11:12 pm CST (12:12 am CDT on April 15, 2012), the tornado struck two mobile homes 5 miles southwest of Woodward. The damage here was determined to be EF-2 in intensity, and also resulted in 3 fatalities. The heaviest damage, rated EF-3, was reported as the tornado entered the southwest sides of Woodward around 11:18 pm CST. Several homes and businesses were heavily damaged as the tornado continued northeast. Several more mobile homes were destroyed by the tornado on the north side of Woodward, and resulted in 3 additional fatalities. The tornado finally exited the city of Woodward at approximately 11:23 pm CST, eventually dissipating approximately 4 miles north of Woodward at 11:27 pm CST.

A vigorous upper level low pressure system developed across southern Nevada. Significant wind shear and instability developed as moisture was drawn north into the Panhandles setting the stage for a very long duration and higher end severe episode. Initially, elevated supercell storms developed in the NW Texas Panhandles on the cold side of a nearly stationary frontal boundary and moved northeast into the central Oklahoma Panhandle as the first of multiple disturbances moved across the area. Hail up to golf ball size and wind damage was reported with these storms. During the afternoon hours, upper level disturbances, daytime heating and the very pronounced frontal boundary stretching from near Amarillo northeast into Beaver County, Oklahoma became the main catalyst for surface based supercells which produced very large hail up to baseball size and several tornadoes. Most of the tornadoes remained in Texas, however one very large and long tracked tornado crossed the Texas state line into Beaver County and eventually into Ellis and Harper counties in northwestern Oklahoma. This tornado remained in very rural areas throughout its life-cycle.

This tornado began in Lipscomb County in Texas, crossed into southeast Beaver County Oklahoma and crossed into Ellis and Harper Counties from there. The tornado got stronger and larger with time, but mainly damaged trees, fences and power poles in the area of this survey limiting the EF rating to a 2. The tornado did greater damage (and earned higher rating) as it destroyed a home just feet across the county line. This damage was surveyed by the Norman Weather Forecast Office.

The tornado crossed into southeast Beaver County Oklahoma and moved into Ellis and Harper Counties from there. The tornado got stronger and larger with time, but mainly damaged trees, fences and power poles in the area of this survey limiting the EF rating to EF-2. The tornado did greater damage (and earned higher rating) as it destroyed a home just feet across the county line.

Immediately after moving into Ellis County, a home and outbuilding were completely destroyed. An extended cab pickup truck in a carport at this home was blown 0.3 of a mile northeast with some pieces of the truck found over one half mile northeast of the home. Numerous power poles were snapped both north-south along the county line and east-west along County Road 30. The tornado continued to move northeast and into Harper County southwest of Laverne.

After moving into southwestern Harper County, the tornado broke numerous power poles and damaged trees as it moved northeast, crossing U.S. Highway 412/OK State Highway 3, and dissipating about one mile north of the highway to the southwest of Laverne.