NSSL Video
Tornado Intercept: The Union City Twister and the Birth of Doppler Radar
On May 24, 1973, a violent F-4 tornado tore through the central Oklahoma town of Union City, killing two people and injuring at least four more. While the human impact of the storm was devastating, the Union City tornado was also historic as it marked the first time researchers were able to use radar to observe the entire lifecycle of a tornado.
With a Tornado Intercept Team in the field and a then-experimental Doppler radar just miles away, NSSL researchers made history, capturing for the first time the full lifecycle of a tornado with Doppler radar and discovering the tornadic vortex signature (TVS).
In the 50 years since Union City, NSSL has been a driver of innovation in radar technology, helping forecasters increase warning times and save lives.