Planned Events
The following events will take place to celebrate the occasion:
- Monday, March 23 - NOAA will host an Open House at its
facilities in Norman:
© Gene Rhoden
The Open House will be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Students and families
from the area are invited to tour the facilities located on the
University Research Park. Learn how severe weather and tornado watches
and warnings are generated and issued each day at the Storm Prediction
Center; tour the National Weather Service Forecast Office responsible
for issuing tornado and severe thunderstorm warnings for Oklahoma and
North Texas; talk with the scientists that study and chase tornadoes;
and see the new Doppler radar in action.
Map of north campus and parking for the open house
Detailed map of the open house facilities
and events
- Tuesday, March 24 - The local chapter of the American
Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association
will sponsor a scientific symposium at the University of
Oklahoma.
- Wednesday, March 25 - All of the sponsors will host a
special ceremony from 10am to noon at Tinker AFB to commemorate the first
tornado forecast, with the ceremonies concluding after lunch
at the Tinker Officers' Club.
Other events associated with the celebration include:
- Participation by the U.S. Postal Service by issuing a
canceled post card.
- Participation by schools in Oklahoma through essay and
poster contests on tornado safety.
- Fly-over by airplanes from Tinker AFB.
- A special edition of the technical journal Weather and
Forecasting highlighting advances in severe weather
forecasting.
- Participation by Chambers of Commerce of the surrounding
Cities in central Oklahoma.
A monument will be dedicated at Tinker AFB with
the following inscription on red granite:
First Tornado Forecast
March 25, 1948
This memorial is dedicated to the first operational
tornado forecast issued on March 25, 1948 by Major
Ernest J. Fawbush and Captain Robert C. Miller at
Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma.
Issued several hours before a tornado struck Tinker Air
Force Base, this first forecast proved severe weather
could be anticipated with a reasonable degree of
accuracy. This focused national attention on forecasting
tornadoes and warning the public of their potential
danger.
Severe weather pioneers, Major Fawbush and Captain
Miller developed tornado forecasting techniques still in
use today. The 1948 tornado forecast was the forerunner
of today's national severe weather forecasting and
research program that protects lives and serves the
American people.
Dedicated March 25, 1998
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