SOMETIMES YOU FEEL GUILTY.

>> YOU HATE TO CALL IT ANNIVERSARY BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT IS ANNIVERSARY THAT NONE OF US WANT TO THINK ABOUT.

>> IT IS A THE MOST POWERFUL WINDSTORM ON THE FACE OF THE PLANET LOCATED AT THE SCALE, THE EF5 IS THE HIGHEST CLASSIFICATION THAT A TORNADO CAN BE RATED.

WITH WINDS IN EXCESS OF 200-MILES-PER-HOUR, THE EF5 TORNADO IS CAPABLE OF DESTRUCTION INCLUDING SCOURING PAVEMENT FROM ROADS DEBARKING TREES AND CRUSHING AUTOMOBILES LIKE CANS.

UNFORTUNATELY THEY ARE CAPABLE OF LEVELING WELL BUILT HOMES, SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSES AND SOMETIMES ENTIRE TOWNS ALL THE WAY TO THE GROUND.

FORTUNATELY THEY ARE RARE WITH AN AVERAGE OCCURRENCE OF ONE PER YEAR ACROSS THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES.

THEY ARE SO RARE THOUGH THE U.S.

AVERAGES 1300 TWISTERS PER YEAR, SOMETIMES MANY YEARS OR A DECADE WILL GO BY WITHOUT A TORNADO REACHING EVMENTD F5 STATUS.

WE ARE IN ONE SUCH LULL WITH THE LAST RECORDED IN OKLAHOMA MAY 20TH, 2013.

THAT STORM DEALT A DEVASTATING BLOW TO THE SOUTH OKLAHOMA CITY SUBURB KILLING PEOPLE.

THE STORM DESTROYED 1200 HOMES WHILE INFLICTING TWO BILLION IN DAMAGES.

THE MAYFIELD, KENTUCKY, EF4 WAS IN THE MEDIA SPOTLIGHT FOR SEVERAL WEEKS FOLLOWING THE 2021 RAMPAGE.

THE LATE TORNADO WAS ON THE GROUND FOR THREE HOURS WHILE TRAVELING 165 MILES ACROSS PARTS OF ARKANSAS WESTERN TENNESSEE AND WESTERN KENTUCKY WHERE IT FLATTENED MAYFIELD WITH WINDS ESTIMATED AT 190-MILES-PER-HOUR.

THE NIGHTTIME STORM KILLED 57 PEOPLE WHILE INJURING 500 MORE.

MERCIFULLY THE CONDITIONS REQUIRED FOR VIOLENT TORNADOES RATED AT EF4 OR 5 DO NOT COME TOGETHER VERY OFTEN.

>> THE INGREDIENTSES TO HAVE THE MOST VIOLENT TORNADOES, THOSE INGREDIENTS DON'T GET TOGETHER VERY OFTEN.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE WARM MOIST AIR FROM THE GULF AND YOU WANT IT NOT JUST WARM AND MOIST BUT VERY WARM AND MOIST AND IT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME.

YOU WANT A STRONG STORM SYSTEM, STRONG JETSTREAM AND STRONG FLOW IN THE ATMOSPHERE AND THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN ALL THE TIME.

AND THOSE THINGS HAVE TO COME TOGETHER THEY HAVE TO BE IN THE SAME PLACE.

>> WHEN THE INGREED YEPTDS DO COME TOGETHER IT CAN RESULT IN A REGIONAL OUTBREAK.

THIS INJURED DURING THE SUPER TUESDAY OUTBREAK OF FEBRUARY 5, 2008 AND MARCH 22012.

EACH OF THE SYSTEMS PRODUCED DOZENS OF TORNADOES OVER A HANDFUL OF STATES AND FEATURED VIOLENT TORNADOES SUCH AS THE EF4 THAT RIPPED THROUGH INDIANA TAKING LIVES IN 2012.

THESE WOULD BE CONSIDERED REGIONAL OUTBREAKS ON VERY RARE OCCASIONS CONDITIONS COME TOGETHER ON A LARGER SCALE.

HENCE THE NAME SUPER OUTBREAK SUPPOSE AS THE ONE THAT OCCURRED IN APRIL 2011.

THE OUTBREAK RESULTED IN 216 TORNADOES THAT AMBUSHED PARTS OF THE SOUTHERN AND EASTERN U.S. ON APRIL 27, 2011 RESULTING IN 300 FATALITIES.

THE MEGA OUTBREAK PRODUCED 11EF4s AND ASTONISHING FOUR EF5s THAT INCLUDED ALABAMA AND MISSISSIPPI THAT KILLED 100 PEOPLE.

ON THE SAME DAY BOTH TUS LOSE KA AND ALABAMA WERE HIT WITH 64 DEATHS.

THE COMBINED TOTAL OF 15 TORNADOES IS THE MOST IN RECENT DECADES AND THIRD MOST EVER OBSERVED BEHIND THE PALM SUNDAY OUTBREAK THAT PRODUCED 17 OF THEM AND APRIL 3 OF 1974.

>> OF COURSE YOU HAVE THE BIG ONE THE SUPER OUTBREAK OF 1974 IT CHANGED EVERYTHING IN WEATHER.

>> AT A TIME WHEN THERE WAS NO DOPPLER RADAR AND NO MODERN SATELLITES, FORECASTERS WERE ABOUT TO GET THEIR WAKE-UP CALL.

>> THE WEATHER FORECASTING WAS CRUDE BACK THEN.

BUT THERE WAS SOME WEATHER FORECASTING VERY, VERY CRUDE AND IT WAS PREDICTING THAT WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT WE KNEW ON THE LARGE-SCALE WERE FAVORABLE FOR TORNADO OUTBREAKS WERE GOING TO COME TO FRUITION ON APRIL 3.

>> AND THE SEVERE STORM CENTER PUT OUT THE WORD IN OUR AREA HERE, THAT WE WAS GOING TO HAVE SOME INTERESTING WEATHER.

>> METEOROLOGIST DON BURGESS WAS WORKING FOR NOAA'S SEVERE STORMS LABORATORY IN NORMAN, OKLAHOMA AT THE TIME.

>> THE APRIL THIRD OUTBREAK WAS SO DIFFERENT IN THAT IT HAD THIS LARGE AREA OF THE COUNTRY FROM THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER EAST, WHERE IT WAS OPEN WITH BIG LOW PRESSURE CENTER WAY TO THE NORTH.

HUGE WARM SECTOR VERY -- UNUSUALLY WARM AND MOIST AND EXTREMELY STRONG JETSTREAM COMING OVER AND A WIDESPREAD AREA INVOLVED.

AND THAT IS VERY, VERY UNUSUAL.

EXTREMELY RARE CIRCUMSTANCES COMING TOGETHER.

>> SO THE STORM PREDICTION CENTER AND THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SENT OUT A MESSAGE TO ALL THEIR OFFICES THAT HEY, IF YOU GET A CHANCE TAKE YOUR RADARS DOWN TOMORROW APRIL 2 BECAUSE WE THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A BAD DAY AND APRIL THIRD YOU NEED THE RADARS OPERATING AT PEAK EFFICIENCY.

>> LOOKING AHEAD 24 HOURS EVERYTHING WAS STACKING UP IN THE ATMOSPHERE THE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES WERE POSSIBLE ET CETERA.

AND WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT WEDNESDAY.

>> IT WAS A CLASSIC SEVERE WEATHER SETUP WITH POWERFUL UPPER-LEVEL WINDS ROTATING OUT OUT OF THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES AND A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IN THE CENTRAL PLAINS THAT FLOODED MUCH OF THE EASTERN U.S. WITH WARM AND HUMID AIR AT THE SURFACE.

IN ADDITION RNTIONZ DRY AIR WAS BEING PULLED INTO THE SYSTEM FORMING A STRONG DEW POINT GRADIENT IN THE MID-LEVELS.

CREATING A TICKING TIME BOMB FOR THE EASTERN U.S. JOHN GORDON IN LOUISVILLE PUT IT IS THIS WAY... >> SO WHAT HAPPENED IS THE DRY LINE MOVED EAST.

THE DRY LINE HERE IN OKLAHOMA AND NEBRASKA AND KANSAS ACTUALLY WENT EAST.

YOU HAVE A STRONG DEW POINT GRADIENT IT GOT WARM THAT DAY AND A COUPLE JETSTREAMS.

IN OTHER WORDS YOU GET DOUBLE YOUR FORCING YOU GET TWO.

EVERYTHING EXPLODED MASSIVELY.

>> PRIOR TO APRIL 3 OF 1974 THERE HAD NEVER BEEN MORE TAN TWO TORNADOES ON A SINGLE DAY.

ON THAT DAY THERE WERE SEVEN.

AS HISTORY WOULD REVEAL TWO OF THE EF5 MONSTERS WOULD TOUCH A MINUTES APART AND A FEW MILES ALONG THE BANKS OF THE OHIO RIVER.

ONE OF THEM WOULD CROSS THE RIVER IN DOWNTOWN.

WE'LL GET TO THAT IN A MOMENT.

FIRST, OUR STORY BEGINS ACROSS THE RIVER INTO PARTS OF SOUTHERN INDIANA.

>> I REMEMBER THAT AS BEING A VERY HUMID AND EXTREMELY WARM DAY FOR APRIL.

IT WAS ABOUT 84°.

>> THAT THEY WAS WARM.

MUCH LIKE TODAY BUT NOT QUITE AS BREEZE.

>> RESIDENTS OF SOUTHERN INDIANA HAD NO IDEA OF THE DANGER AT THAT TIME WAS BUILDING AROUND THEM.

VAUGHAN MARSHALL WAS THE PRINCIPAL IN HARRISON COUNTY AT THE TIME.

>> WE HAD NO EXPECTATION OF ANYTHING HAPPENING THAT DAY OTHER THAN JUST A NORMAL PROCEDURE.

>> WE WERE AWARE THAT IT WAS HOT AND STEAMY.

ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA THAT WE WOULD HAVE A TORNADO.

>> AND THE MOTHER LINE SITTING ON THE FRONT PORCH AND AS WE WERE SITTING ON THE FRONT PORCH THINGS IT BEGAN TO HAIL.

THEN AFTER THE HAIL STOPPED IT GOT REAL QUIET.

WE LOOKED OUT OVER THE WOOD LINE, OVER THIS WAY, AND YOU COULD SEE IT IT WAS VERY, VERY DARK.

>> MY FATHER, MY BROTHER AND I HAD BEEN TO PICK UP FENCING FOR THE HORSES.

AND WE WERE ON OUR WAY BACK WHEN WE NOTICED THIS HUGE BLACK CLOUD FOLLOWING IN THE WEST.

>> SO WE KEPT AN EYE ON IT AND YOU COULD SEE WE THOUGHT WERE BIRDS CIRCLING AROUND.

GOT MY FATHER, HE LOOKED AT IT AND SAID WE PROBABLY NEED TO LEAVE.

WE WERE LIVING IN A NEW DOUBLE WIDE MOBILE HOME BECAUSE WE HAD NOT BUILT OUR HOME YET.

IT WAS NOT A GOOD PLACE TO BE WITH HIGH WIND.

>> GETTING READY TO GO TO WORK AND SAW THIS BLACK CLOUD AND IT WAS HUGE HANGING RIGHT OVER OUR PROPERTY BUT EVERYTHING WAS STILL.

IT WAS REALLY STILL, AND THIS CLOUD WAS SO LOW YOU FELT LIKE YOU COULD TOUCH IT.

>> THINGS GOT KIND OF DARK AND OVER IN THE WEST, I SAW A LOT OF CLOUD MOVEMENT.

AND I THOUGHT, WELL, WE SHOULD GET IN THE HALLWAY.

>> MEANWHILE, A SHORT DISTANCE TO THE SOUTH, RESIDENTS WERE GOING ABOUT THEIR NORMAL ROUTINES.

>> I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.

I OWNED A CLOTHING STORE DOWNTOWN CALLED THE CEDAR CHEST.

AND I WENT TO WORK AT 10:00.

HAD THE BABYSITTER AT THE HOUSE, MARY CLARK TOOK CARE OF OUR BOYS.

AND IT WAS WARM.

FOR THAT TIME OF YEAR, EXTRA WARM.

THE STORE GOT HOT I HAD THE DOOR PROPPED OPEN TO LET AIR IN.

>> I WENT TO SCHOOL THAT DAY AND THE WEATHER WAS JUST OFF FEELING.

AND MY BROTHER AND I WENT TO THE ST.JOHN'S SCHOOL.

AND WE TOOK PICTURES OUTSIDE THAT DAY.

AND THE WIND WAS BLOWING AND THE SKY LOOKED FUNNY.

>> I GOT OFF THE SCHOOL BUS, AND WALKED UP TO THE NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE AND MY MOM WAS THERE.

AND THEY WERE KIND OF CHATTING ABOUT THE WEATHER THAT DAY.

AND MY NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR SAID IF IT GETS BAD COME OVER.

WE DIDN'T HAVE A BASEMENT AND THEY DID.

>> WE GOT OUT OF SCHOOL, SO MY MOM BROUGHT US HOME AND SHE SAID I THINK Y'ALL NEED TO STAY IN TODAY BECAUSE WE ALWAYS WENT OUTSIDE.

>> IT GOT WARMER AS THE DAY WENT ON.

AND SOMETIME IN THE AFTERNOON, 3:30 OR MAYBE LATER THAN THAT, WE KNEW A STORM WAS COMING.

>> I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT A TORNADO REALLY MEANT TO BE HONEST.

18 YEARS OLD I DIDN'T CARE ABOUT THE WEATHER.

>> THE MAYOR WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL WHEN THE STORM HIT.

>> I HAPPENED TO BE A VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER FOR MEADE COUNTY.

AND WE HAPPENED TO STOP AT THE FIREHOUSE.

AND WE WERE THERE AND THE CITY SUPERINTENDENT STOPPED BY AND TOLD US THAT THERE WAS A TORNADO THEY WERE TRACKING BUT IT LOOKED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO GO AROUND THE WESTERN SIDE.

SO WE DIDN'T THINK MUCH ABOUT IT.

AND KIND OF HUNG OUT IN THE FIREHOUSE WAITING TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN IF WE HAD TO DO ANYTHING.

>> THE STATE TROOPER CAME BY AND SAW ME STANDING IN THE DOOR AND HE SAID TAKE COVER THERE IS A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN AND IS HEADED THIS WAY.

>> A FEW MILES TO THE NORTH FACULTY AT MORGAN ELEMENTARY IN HARRISON COUNTY WAS USHERING KIDS TO SAFETY UPON THE SIGHTING OF A TORNADO BY THE PRINCIPAL.

>> HE TOLD US TO GET TO OUR SAFETY SPOT THERE HAD BEEN SIGHTED A TORNADO NEARBY.

AND DO IT NOW.

>> SCOTT WAS A THIRD GRADER AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHEN THE STORM ARRIVED.

>> AT THAT AGE I KIND OF HAVE IMAGES.

BUT I DO REMEMBER SITTING IN THE CLASSROOM AND Mr. MARSHALL STICKING HIS HEAD IN THE BACK DOOR AND I HEARD HIM SAY TORNADO.

I REMEMBER GETTING OUT AND GETTING INTO THE HALLWAY AND CROUCHING DOWN AND PUTTING A BOOK OVER MY HEAD.

NOT HAVING ANY IDEA THERE WAS ANYTHING SERIOUS GOING ON AT LEAST AT THAT MOMENT.

>> WE TRIED NOT TO FRIGHTEN THE CHILDREN.

WE JUST TOLD THEM THERE WAS A TORNADO NEARBY.

BUT THAT'S ALL WE KNEW.

BUT WE WERE GOING TO GO OUT IN THE HALL WITH OUR BIG MATH BOOK AND GET IN OUR POSITION.

WHICH THE CHILDREN DID.

YOU FIRST HEAR THE WIND.

AND AS THE WIND GETS STRONGER, YOU BEGIN TO TELL THE CHILDREN THIS IS THE WIND COMING.

YOU'LL BE SAFE UNDER YOUR BOOK.

YOU WERE CONSTANTLY ENCOURAGING THE KIDS.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME YOU DIDN'T WANT TO BE DISHONEST WITH THEM.

>> THE KIDS WERE JOKING AROUND.

BECAUSE DURING TORNADO DRILLS THAT IS WHAT WE DO AT THAT AGE.

BUT I REMEMBER, I REMEMBER HEARING THE WIND.

AND I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT THAT SHHHH AND IT GOT LOUDER AND LOUDER AND PEOPLE SAY LIKE A TRAIN AND IT WAS.

THEN I KNEW SOMETHING WAS GOING ON I HAD NO IDEA HOW CLOSE THIS MONSTER TORNADO WAS TO US.

AND I REMEMBER THE WIND, THE DOORS OPENING.

AND LOOKING DOWN THE HALLWAY.

GLANCING DOWN AND ONE OF THE STAFF MEMBERS THAT ARE LONG HAIR.

LOOKING AND SEEING HER GOING FROM ONE SIDE TO THE NEXT AND HER HAIR BLOWING I STILL HAVE THAT IMAGE IN MY HEAD.

AND IT WAS LOUD.

WE KNEW IT WASN'T A DRILL AT THAT POINT.

>> IT SOUNDED LIKE A TRAIN THERE IS NO TWO WAYS ABOUT IT SOUNDS LIKE A TRAIN IT IS VERY LOUD.

>> I CAN REMEMBER JUDY TELLING ME HOLLERING AND TELLING ME THERE WENT THE ROOFS.

>> I KNOW THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF DEBRIS OUT OUR WINDOWS.

AS THE DESKS WERE BLOWING OUT OF OUR WINDOWS.

AND I ALSO LOST MY ROOF AND IT LANDED ON MY STATION WAGON.

>> A COUPLE MILES UP THE ROAD THE ARMSTRONG FAMILY DECIDED TO LEAVE AND MAKE A RUN FOR IT AS THE STORM APPROACHED.

>> WE LOADED UP MYSELF, MY MOTHER, MY DOG, MY FATHER AND MY SISTER AND HER CHILD.

AND WE HEADED DOWN THE DRIVEWAY AND WE GOT TO THE DITCH AT THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY AND THOUGHT ABOUT GETTING INTO THAT.

BECAUSE IT WAS -- IT WAS FULL OF WATER SO WE COULD NOT DO THAT.

>> WHICH HE WE GOT TO THE HIGHWAY, LOOKED ACROSS THE HIGHWAY, THAT IS WHEN WE SEEN THINGS IN THE AIR CIRCLING.

WE THOUGHT IT WAS BIRDS LIKE BUZZARDS.

WE WASN'T SURE WHAT WE WAS LOOKING AT.

COME TO FIND OUT THAT WE WERE LOOKING RIGHT INTO THE FACE OF AN F5 TORNADO.

>> WE GOT IT TO 150, WE COULD SEE THAT WHAT WE THOUGHT WERE BIRDS CIRCLING WASN'T.

IT WAS DEBRIS.

AND IT WAS BUILDING DEBRIS.

IT WAS PLYWOOD ALL KINDS OF STUFF TWIRLING.

BUT WE DIDN'T STILL HADN'T THOUGHT IT TOUCHED DOWN BECAUSE YOU COULD NOT SEE A FUNNEL.

AND SO IT WAS ANOTHER WEIRD THING THAT ONCE WE GOT ON THE ROAD AND STARTED HEADING TOWARD GREENVILLE YOU COULD LOOK OFF AND SEE THE ROTATION AND YOU COULD SEE LITTLE FUNNELS COMING OUT OF IT.

BUT THEY WOULD COME DOWN AND GO BACK UP.

AND IT HAPPENED MANY TIMES IN DIFFERENT SPOTS.

>> AS IS THE CASE WITH MOST VIOLENT TORNADOES MANY TORNADOES DEVELOPED A MULTIVORTEX STRUCTURE THIS COUPLED WITH THE FACT THAT THE SOUTHERN INDIANA STORMS LACKED A CONDENSATION FUNNEL OBSCURED THEIR IDENTIFIES AS F5 MONSTERS.

THE INDIANA STORM WOULD GROW TO A MILE WIDE.

>> AT THAT TIME MY SISTER SCREAMED AND SAID THAT THERE WAS DEBRIS GOING ACROSS THE ROAD BEHIND US.

IT WAS CONCRETE BLOCKS FROM A BUILDING BEING DESTROYED.

BUT WE DIDN'T KNOW AT THE TIME.

HADN'T THOUGHT IT TOUCHED DOWN.

>> WE WERE SO CLOSE IT WAS SO WIDE YOU COULDN'T SEE THE EDGES SO WE DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS A FUNNEL.

WHEN WE GOT TO THE HIGHWAY MY DAD TURNED TOWARDS THE EAST AND WE STARTED DRIVING AND THE WIND STARTED COMING ACROSS THE HIGHWAY AS WE WERE TURNING ON TO GRAB THE BACK OF THE CAR.

IN THE CAR WAS GOING LIKE THIS.

>> MY FATHER WAS TRYING TO LOOK AT IT AND TRYING TO DRIVE AND WE'RE SAYING JUST DRIVE.

AND YOU COULD TELL HE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS KEEPING THE CAR ON THE ROAD.

IT WAS STARTING TO GET REALLY, REALLY, WINDY.

>> SHAKING THE BACK OF THE CAR AND WE WERE IN BACKSEAT MY BROTHER AND I.

AND WE WERE SCREAMING CAD YOU WILL HAVE TO GO FASTER.

HE SAYS I'VE GOT IT ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR.

IT'S ALL IT'S GOING TO DO WE KEPT DRIVING AND DRIVING.

WE DROVE AND THEN ABOUT A HALF MILE DOWN THE ROAD, THE TORNADO CAME ACROSS.

AND WE COULD SEE THE WIND BUT THAT IS ALL WE COULD SEE WAS WIND COMING ACROSS THE HIGHWAY.

>> AS WE GOT CLOSER TO THE HOME, TO WHERE OUR ROAD IS, YOU COULD SEE TREES BROKEN OFF, A TRAILER FLIPPED OVER.

OTHER THINGS STARTED MORE TREES MORE DAMAGE.

>> THEN WE NOTICED AS WE GOT CLOSE TO OUR HOME AND OUR LANE, THAT EVERYTHING WAS GONE.

THERE WAS FIVE HOUSES ON THE HIGHWAY THAT HAD BEEN SWEPT CLEAN.

THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT NOT EVEN A STICK WAS LEFT ON THOSE HOUSES JUST THE CONCRETE SLABS THAT THEY HAD BEEN BUILT ON.

>> WE PARKED AND I RAN ACROSS THE FIELD HERE.

AND OUR HOME WHICH WAS SITTING RIGHT HERE BASICALLY, ENDED UP BEING 300 FEET IN THAT FIELD WHERE IT HIT WITH AN IMPACT AND A CORNER OF IT AND DUG A HUGE HOLE IN THE PROPERTY THERE.

OR IN THE FIELD.

AND IT WAS JUST DESTROYED.

MY SISTER WAS THIS WAY AND IT LOOKED LIKE IT HAD EXPLODED.

I MEAN IT WAS ALL TWISTED AND MANGLED AND THROWN UP AGAINST THOSE TREES BACK THERE.

>> IT WAS SHOCK.

I MEAN WHEN YOU LOOK, YOU EXPECTED TO SEE YOUR HOUSE.

BUT WHEN THERE WAS NOTHING BUT A BUNCH OF METAL LAYING IN THE FIELD IT WAS JUST SUCH A SHOCK.

>> AS RESIDENTS IN SOUTHERN INDIANA WERE BEING PUMMELED BY A EF5 BRAD DEN BERG WAS ABOUT TO TAKE A DIRECT HIT.

AMANDA WAS IN DOWNTOWN ON MAIN STREET WHEN THE PHONE RANG.

>> TONY CALLED AND SAID YOU NEED TO TAKE SHELTER THERE IS A TORNADO COMING.

I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT A TORNADO WAS GOING TO BE.

AND I REMEMBER THE WIND PICKED UP.

SO I TRIED TO SHUT THE DOOR TO THE SHOP TO KEEP THE WIND FROM BLOWING IN.

AND THE WIND WAS SO STRONG I COULDN'T SHUT THE DOOR.

AND I REMEMBER RIGHT BEFORE ALL THAT, IT GOT SO QUIET OUTSIDE THERE WAS NOT A BIRD CHIRPING THERE WAS NOTHING.

>> WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT A TORNADO WAS.

>> I WAS A BAPTIST MINISTER AND PASTOR IN BATTLE TOWN AND WORKED FOR THE MEADE COUNTY MESSENGER.

MY JOB WAS TO DELIVER PAPERS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY TO THE VARIOUS NEWSSTANDS AND GROCERY STORES AND SO I HAD MADE SEVERAL STOPS AND GOT BACK TO THE MESSENGER.

AND TOOK THE LARGE CANVAS BAGS OF NEWSPAPERS TO THE POST OFFICE.

SO THEY COULD BE MAILED.

AND I WENT TO THE POST OFFICE AND TALKED TO Mr. OWEN AND EXPLAINED TO THEM FELLAS WHEN THE SKY IS THIS COLOR, THERE'S A TORNADO CLOSE.

WE SHOULD TAKE COVER.

>> SALLY WAS A FIRST GRADER AT THE TIME.

>> MY MOM TURNED ON PRESTO THE CLOWN THAT WAS THE SHOW OF CHOICE FOR ME.

AND I HAD A BROTHER THAT WAS A YEAR-AND-A-HALF OLD.

AND MOM HAD NEVER GONE BACK TO WORK AFTER HE WAS BORN.

AND PROBABLY ABOUT I DON'T KNOW MAYBE 10 OR 15 MINUTES LATER, MY MOM RAN IN THE ROOM WHERE I WAS.

AND GRABBED ME BY THE ARM AND HAD MY BROTHER IN THE OTHER ARM AND RAN TO THE NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOR'S HOUSE.

AND I REMEMBER BEING OUTSIDE AND I REMEMBER LOOKING BACK AND SEEING BLACK.

>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE WERE DOING BUT MY BROTHER WE HAVE A PICTURE WINDOW.

AND HE LOOKED OUT.

AND SAID WHAT'S THAT?

WHAT IS THAT MAMA?

AND SHE SAID OMIGOD, GET TO THE BASEMENT IT IS A TORNADO.

AND WE WERE DEAD IN THE TRACK OF IT.

>> ONCE WE GOT OUTSIDE SHE WENT TO THE FRONT AND I WENT TO THE BACK AND I KNOW SHE SAID THAT WAS THE MOST SCARED SHE HAD EVER BEEN BECAUSE YOU COULD SEE IT.

>> IT WAS JUST BLACK AS A LITTLE KID I REMEMBER IT WAS JUST BLACK.

>> I'VE HAD PEOPLE ASK IF I COULD SEE LIGHT ON EITHER SIDE AND I DON'T REMEMBER THAT.

>> IT WAS JUST A BIG WALL OF BLACK.

>> WE HAD TO GO DOWN SOME STAIRS OUT THE BACK DOOR DOWN STAIRS TO GET IN THE BASEMENT.

AND WE GOT DOWN THERE.

I REMEMBER WE CROUCHED DOWN THAT JOHNNY AND I.

BUT I DON'T REMEMBER THE SOUND OF IT.

I KIND OF LIKE BLACKED OUT OR SOMETHING.

>> AMANDA'S HUSBAND WAS WORKING AT THE LOCAL CHEVROLET DEALERSHIP WHEN THE STORM HIT THE TOWN.

>> WE HAD HEARD SIRENS GOING OFF AND WAS EXPECTING CAR PULLS IN AND HE WAS GMAC REPRESENTATIVE THAT HAD BEEN IN TOWN.

AND HE CAME IN AND THE WINDOWS WERE OUT OF HIS CAR AND HE COULDN'T HARDLY TALK.

HE SAID YOUR TOWN IS GONE.

I SAID WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

HE SAID YOUR TOWN IS GONE.

>> WE CHATTED FOR A MINUTE OR TWO AND AS I DROVE AWAY FROM THE DOCK AT THE POST OFFICE IT BLEW THE WINDOWS OUT OF THE POST OFFICE I LEFT THE POST OFFICE IT WAS THE OLD POST OFFICE.

AND TURNED TO GO BACK DOWNTOWN THE MESSENGER WAS DOWNTOWN THEN AT THE TIME.

AS I TURNED THE CORNER TO GO DOWNTOWN A LARGE SIGN LOOKED LIKE THE RE C.L.

BROWN SIGN WENT OVER THE ROAD IN FRONT OF ME.

>> THE STORM HAS CAUGHT UP WITH HIM JUST AS HE WAS MAKING IT BACK TO MAIN STREET.

>> I TURNED THERE AT THE MOOSE LODGE AND WENT IT BEHIND THE MOOSE LODGE TO A BLOCK WALL.

AND WHERE WE PARKED THE PICKUP TRUCK AND THOUGHT I BETTER SEE WHAT I CAN DO.

I STARTED TO GET OUT OF THE TRUCK AND LOOKED UP AND SAW TREES GABLE AND DEBRIS IN THE AIR.

AND STUFF WAS STARTING TO MOVE.

SO I THOUGHT WELL, BEST THING FOR ME TO DO IS STAY IN THE TRUCK.

SO I LAID DOWN IN THE SEAT AND GOT UNDER THE DASH AS MUCH AS I COULD.

IT PICKED UP THE TRUCK AND MOVE TO DO A LITTLE.

I SAW THE BOTTOM END OF ONE OF THE DOORS AT THE COUNTY GARAGE COMING TOWARD THE WINDSHIELD.

>> WE COULD HEAR STUFF STARTING TO HIT THE BUILDING AND WE STARTED HEARING PEOPLE UPSTAIRS OF THE CITY HALL WE WERE ABLE TO HELP THEM GET FROM UPSTAIRS TO THE BASEMENT.

AND THAT KEPT US BUSY IS THE FIRST PART AND IT GOT SO LOUD AND DUST FALLING THROUGH THE FLOORS AND THEN JUST THE WIND YOU COULD HEAR EVERYTHING BREAKING AND TOTAL SILENCE.

IT SEEMED LIKE FOREVER.

BUT WE WERE IN THE EYE WE ASSUMED THAT IS WHAT IT WAS.

>> I REMEMBER THE SOUND LIKE THEY SAY THE TRAIN.

YOU HEAR THAT ROARING AND THEN I COULD HEAR THE GLASS AND I THOUGHT I COULD HEAR THINGS TURNING OVER IN THE SHOPS.

I COULD HEAR THE GLASS AND THE WIND WAS HORRENDOUS.

>> WE JUST WAITED AND THEN THE BACK PART OF THE STORM REALLY WAS WHAT FOR EVERYTHING UP.

TO US IT WAS THE BACKLASH THAT FOR THAT HOUSE TWIST TO DO COMPLETELY, TWO STOREY HOUSE ON THE FOUNDATION AND DROPPED MOST OF IT IN THE BACK CORNERS AND LUCKILY WHERE THE DOORWAY WE WERE GOING TO GET OUT WAS SAVED WHERE WE COULD GET OUT.

AND WE WALKED OUT JUST WASN'T ANYTHING.

WHEN WE WENT IN.

ALL THE BUILDINGS WERE FOUR FOOT TALL AND PEOPLE WERE INJURED AND LUCKILY THE ELECTRICITY WAS KNOCKED OUT OR MORE PEOPLE BECAUSE ALL THE WIRES YOU WERE WALKING ON EVERYTHING YOU DIDN'T THOUGH WHAT TO DO EVERYBODY WAS IN SHOCK.

AND THERE WERE PEOPLE WITH NO CLOTHES ON.

>> AT THE TIME MELISSA WAS A THIRD GRADER LIVING IN THE WEST HILLS SECTION HARDEST HIT BY THE STORM.

>> AS SOON AS IT WAS OVER, ALL YOU COULD SEE WAS THE SKY.

AND JOHNNY AND I HAD SCRATCHES AND BRUISES ON US, AND I CAN HEAR MY MOM YELLING MISSY!

JOHNNY!

AND WE LOOKED AROUND AND I DIDN'T EVEN SEE MY GRANDMOTHER.

SHE BARELY MADE IT THROUGH THE BASEMENT DOOR.

AND SHE GOT A BROKEN HIP AND HAD A STROKE.

SHE WAS 74 YEARS OLD.

>> THERE WAS A MATTRESS ON TOP OF MY MOM.

AND SHE WAS LAYING ON TOP OF MY NEPHEW HE WAS 22 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME.

SO WE GOT THE MATTRESS OFF OF HER AND SHE HAD A CONCRETE BLOCK ON HER HEAD AND HER HEAD WAS BLEEDING AND I REMEMBER MY NEPHEW WAS CRYING.

AND SHE WAS -- WE WERE -- IT WAS JUST A BIG CONFUSION MESS.

AND THERE WERE PEOPLE WALKING AROUND LOST.

AND I REMEMBER THIS LADY KELLY ASKING ME WHERE HER TEETH WERE.

I REMEMBER THAT JUST PLAIN AS DAY.

JOHNNY AND I GOT MY MOM UP AND BY THAT TIME PEOPLE WERE WALKING AROUND AND LOOKING AT ALL THE DESTRUCTION AND JOHNNY AND I WERE LIKE STANDING THERE IN A DAZE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TO DO.

I HAD LONG BLOND HAIR AND I HAD INSULATION IN IT AND JUST I CAN REMEMBER IT JUST AND IT RAINED WE WERE WET, WE WERE SCARED.

>> MEANWHILE SURVIVORS BEGAN EMERGING FROM THE WRECKAGE DOWNTOWN.

>> WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS, YOU KIND OF GO INTO A TIME WARP LIKE EVERY SECOND SEEMS LIKE AN ETERNITY.

AND WE JUST STOPPED.

I GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK AND TRIPPED OVER CONCRETE BLOCKS THEY WERE SCATTERED ALL OVER THE AREA.

TWIGS MADE HOLES IN THE METAL TOPPER ON THE BACK OF THE TRUCK BEHIND THE CAB.

>> THERE WAS BRICKS AND STUFF ALL OVER THE VEHICLES OUT THERE.

AND THE WHOLE FRONT OF OUR SHOPS WAS DESTROYED.

>> AND WE GOT TO WHERE BIG O IS RIGHT NOW AND LOOKING ACROSS THERE'S NOTHING, I GOT OUT OF THE CAR, RAN DOWN THE HILL WENT BEHIND THE LIBRARY AND WENT WHERE SHE WAS AND I GOT TO DOWNTOWN BRAND ENBURG LIKE A BOMB WENT OFF.

THE PLACE I GREW UP IN WAS GONE.

>> YOU COULDN'T TELL WHAT STREET YOU WERE ON YOU COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHERE YOU WERE OR WHOSE HOUSE YOU WERE NEXT TO.

IT WAS THAT HORRIFIC.

JUST COMPLETE DEVASTATION.

>> THIS IS WHERE I WAS RAISED WHERE THE COURTHOUSE IS.

AND I KNEW ALL THOSE PEOPLE.

AND IT'S GONE.

THE HOUSES CONCRETE SLABS WAS ALL WAS LEFT.

>> TOM AND TONY SPRANG INTO ACTION AND STARTED RESCUE OPERATIONS FOR THOSE TRAPPED ON MAIN STREET.

>> WE WALKED DOWN TO ROSE GRAND HE'LL STORE SHE WAS IN HER 80s AND HAD A TWO STOREY STORE IT WAS A QUAINT WONDERFUL WE CALLED IT VINTAGE CLOTHING BUT IT WAS A GREAT PLACE TO GO.

ANYWAY, WENT IN THERE.

WELL, WE HAD [INAUDIBLE] SMALLER THAN ME SO HE WOULD HAND ME BOARDS AND MATERIAL AND WE JUST BUILT A TUNNEL AND FOUND HER.

SHE WOULD HEAR HER CRYING AND SCREAMING WE GOT UNDER THERE AND WE FOUND HER.

SHE WAS TRAPPED IN AND OUT HURT BADLY AND WE HAD TO GET HER TO CRAWL OUT.

AND IT WAS THE MORE SHE CRAWLED THE MORE UPSET SHE BECAME IT WAS DIFFICULT TO GET HER OUT.

WE DID GET HER OUT.

AND FOUR MEN CAME BY WITH PLYWOOD AND LAID HER ON THE PLYWOOD AND CARRIED HER TO THE CLINIC TO BE EXAMINED.

ONE OF THE MEN WAS Mr. TONY BROWN.

>> WE STARTED LOOKING FOR PEOPLE TO HELP THEM.

AND THERE WAS AN OLDER LADY HAD A DRUGSTORE ROSE.

WE COULD HEAR HER AND DUG HER OUT AND PUT HER ON A DOOR AND PUT HER IN THE BACK OF THE TRUCK AND TOOK HER TO THE CLINIC.

>> WHILE SHE HAD SURVIVED THE CARNAGE OTHERS WERE NOT SO FORTUNATE.

>> THERE WAS A FAMILY OF THE COLUMBUS SKILL MAN HE AND HIS WIFE AND DAUGHTER LIVED TOGETHER AND THEY WERE REALLY, REALLY GREAT PEOPLE.

THEY COULDN'T FIND THEM.

SO HARRY JONES WAS A FRIEND OF MINE AND HARRY'S PASSED NOW I SAID LET'S GO LOOKING FOR THEM.

WE CAME HERE WHERE THE COURTHOUSE IS.

WE LOOKED AND WE FOUND THEM.

AND THAT'S 500 YARDS FROM WHERE THEIR HOUSE WAS THEY DROPPED THEM ONE, TWO AND THREE.

THAT WILL ALWAYS BE THERE.

>> I SEEN TONY HE COME DOWN TO CHECK ON ME.

I LEFT HIM THERE AND WENT TO CHECK ON THE BOYS AND THEY WERE OKAY.

SO THAT WAS -- AND I DIDN'T REALIZE HOW BLESSED WE WERE UNTIL WE REALIZED THE EXTENT OF EVERYBODY ELSE'S LOSS.

>> MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER WAS KILLED IN THE STORM.

SHE WAS WITH MY UNCLE AT THE TIME.

AND MY GREAT UNCLE AT THE TIME.

AND THEIR HOUSE WAS ON GREEN STREET WHICH MOST PEOPLE REFER TO AS THE HARDEST HIT AREA.

I THINK IT WAS DEFINITELY THE LARGEST LOSS OF LIFE I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY A THIRD OF THE LIVES LOST OR HALF THERE WERE SEVERAL RIGHT THERE ON THAT SMALL STREET.

AND SHE WAS ONE OF THEM.

MY GREAT UNCLE SURVIVED.

HE WAS INJURED.

PROBABLY A LOT MORE SEVERELY THAN WHAT WE ACCOUNTED FOR THAT ANYBODY ACCOUNTED FOR.

HE WAS TREATED THAT NIGHT BUT HE WASN'T TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL.

HE AND MY GREAT GRANDMOTHER HAD GOTTEN TO THEIR HOUSE A FEW MINUTES BEFORE IT HIT.

THEY WERE ABLE TO GET INSIDE THE HOUSE AND GONE BACK OUT TO GET GROCERIES TO BRING THEM IN AND REALIZED SOMETHING WAS GOING ON.

HE DROPPED THOSE AND WENT TO GET HER.

AND THEY HAD A HOUSE PROBABLY BUILT IN THE 1920s, CRAFTSMAN HOUSE IT HAD A BASEMENT.

AND HE WAS BELOW HER ON THE STEPS TWO OR THREE STEPS BELOW HER HELPING HER DOWN THE STEPS.

AND HE SAID WHEN THE TORNADO HIT, THE LAST THING HE SAW OF HER WAS SOMETHING SEPARATED THE STEPS BETWEEN THEM FROM THAT POINT ON HE REMEMBERED VERY BRIEFLY BEING IN THE AIR WHEN HE CAME TO, HE WAS ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE HOUSES DOWN FROM WHERE HIS HOUSE WAS.

HE HAD A REALLY BAD HIT TO THE BACK OF HIS HEAD.

LATER ON YEARS LATER THEY SAID IT DID DAMAGE TO HIS OPTIC NERVE HE ENDED UP BEING BLIND FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS OF HIS LIFE.

>> WE REALLIZE HOW FAST SOMETHING CAN HAPPEN TO YOU.

BUT TO THINK THEY WERE SAFE AND THEY WERE OKAY AND THEN WHEN YOU SEE OR HEAR HOW MANY PEOPLE LOST THEIR LIVES AND LITTLE ONES THAT LOST THEIR FAMILIES.

FAMILIES THAT WERE WIPED OUT, IT'S JUST HEART WRENCHING.

>> THE BRAND ENBURG STORM THE ONLY EF5 TO EVER STRIKE THE STATE OF KENTUCKY WAS ON THE GROUND FOR 32 MILES AND GREW TO OVER 500 YARDS WIDE AS IT STRUCK THE RIVER TOWN TRAGICALLY TAKING THE LIVES OF 31 PEOPLE AND INJURING MORE THAN 300.

>> THE MEMORIAL SERVICE QUITE FRANKLY THE NEWS MEDIA WAS SOMEWHAT OF A PROBLEM.

THEY WERE IN WITH THEIR CAMERAS AND LIGHTS AND HERE WERE ALL THESE CASKETS AND FAMILIES GRIEVING AND THEY WOULD GO UP AND PUT THEIR CAMERAS RIGHT IN A MOTHER'S FACE WHILE LOOKING OVER THE CASKET.

AND IT WAS NOT THE BEST OF CIRCUMSTANCES.

AND VERY DISTASTEFUL.

I HONESTLY THOUGHT SOME OF THE FAMILIES BECAME SO AGITATED AND SO ANGRY THAT I HONESTLY THOUGHT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A RIOT.

THE CATHOLIC PRIEST GOT UP AND HE STARTED READING FROM JOHN 14, LET NOT YOUR HEARTS BE TROUBLED, BELIEVE IN GOD AND BELIEVE ALSO IN ME AND MY FATHER'S HOUSE THERE ARE MANY MANSIONS.

THE LIGHTS GO OFF.

THE CAMERAS THE LIGHTS OVERLOADED THE CIRCUIT AND THE LIGHTS WENT OFF.

THAT MAN REPEATED FROM MEMORY, THE REST OF THAT CHAPTER OUT OF JOHN 14 UNTIL THE LIGHTS CAME BACK ON.

YOU COULDN'T SEE YOUR HAND IN FRONT OF YOUR FACE.

THAT HAD JUST A CALMING EFFECT ON THE SITUATION AS IF THE LORD WAS SAYING ENOUGH, LET'S FOCUS ON WHAT WE NEED TO FOCUS ON.

>> IT SHAPED THIS COMMUNITY.

I MEAN, 50 YEARS FROM NOW, THERE WILL BE THINGS AROUND HERE AFTER WE'RE ALL GONE THAT WILL BE HERE OR NOT BE HERE BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED THAT DAY.

I THINK IN A LOT OF WAYS WE ARE A CLOSER COMMUNITY BECAUSE OF IT.

BECAUSE THERE'S STILL A LOT OF FAMILIES HERE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT DID LOSE SOMEONE OR LOST A HOUSE OR HAD THEIR LIFE CHANGED.

>> WHILE BRAD DENBURG RECEIVED NO WARNING THEY MAY HAVE HELPED TO SAVE THE LIVES OF OTHERS WHO DID.

>> ONE OF THEM A STATE POLICE MAN COULD NOT GET INTO HERE BECAUSE OF THE DEBRIS AND WE HAD BEEN TRACK THIS SPOT ON THE RADAR.

AND IT JUST PASSED BRAND ENBURG SO I WENT IN AND PICKED UP THE PHONE AND TOLD HIM WE PUT OUT A WARNING.

I THINK THAT WAS ABOUT 18 MINUTES BEFORE IT HIT THE FAIRGROUNDS SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

USUALLY YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING CLOSE TO THAT LEAD TIME TO PUT OUT A TORNADO WARNING BUT IT WAS BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED IN BRAND ENBURG.

>> WHEN THE STORM REFORMED OVER LOUISVILLE AS A HALF MILE WIDE EF4 A WARNING HAD BEEN ISSUED AND THE WORD WAS OUT THE STORMS WERE PRODUCING TORNADOES HELPING TO GET PEOPLE IN SAFETY IN TIME.

DESPITE THE STORM WENT THROUGH EASTERN JEFFERSON COUNTY, THANKS TO THE EVENTS IN BRAD ENDURING THERE WERE THREE FATALITIES.

MORGAN ELEMENTARY DOOJED THE BULLET WITH NO CASUALTIES.

HOWEVER OTHERS WERE NOT SO FORTUNATE.

>> IT'S BEEN FASCINATING TO HEAR OVER THE YEARS THE OTHER STORIES, YOU KNOW, THAT I DIDN'T KNOW.

AND JUST HOW CLOSE WE WERE TO IT BEING A REALLY BAD EVENT FOR US.

SO JUST FEEL FORTUNATE.

>> I OFTENTIMES THINK ABOUT WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I HADN'T HAD LOOKED OUT THE DOOR AND WE HADN'T HAD A DRILL AND GOT THEM IN THE HALLWAY.

>> IF WE HADN'T MADE IT TO THE HIGHWAY, I'M SURE SOME OF MY FAMILY WOULD HAVE BEEN GONE THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD WE WOULDN'T HAVE MADE IT ON THAT HILL.

>> IT WAS THE RIGHT MOVE.

AND IT WAS THE ONLY MOVE WE HAD.

BUT IT WAS THE RIGHT MOVE.

WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE AND ALL WE LOST WAS MATERIAL THINGS.

THE HORSES THEY ENDED UP COMING BACK.

THEY RAN OFF SOMEWHERE.

THE ONLY THING WE LOST WAS MATERIAL OBJECTS THAT COULD BE REPLACED.

WHAT WE DIDN'T LOSE WAS ANY FAMILY MEMBER AND WE FEEL VERY FORTUNATE.

>> MEANWHILE JACKIE LEFT THE PROPERTY TO CHECK ON THE FATE OF HER NEIGHBORS.

>> I WENT DOWN THE LANE TO CHECK ON AN OLDER COUPLE THAT LIVED FARTHER DOWN THE LANE.

AND IT HAD THROWN THEM OUT THEY WERE IN THEIR TRAILER BUT IT HAD PICKED UP THE TRAILER AND THROWN THEM OUT OF THE TRAILER.

THE TORNADO ACTUALLY PICKED THEM UP AND DUMPED THEM.

ONE OF THEM HAD A BROKEN ARM AND THE OTHER ONE WAS I DON'T REMEMBER IF THEY HAD A BROKEN ARM BUT THEY BOTH SURVIVED.

IT WAS VERY STRANGE.

AND THEN THERE WAS A GRANDMOTHER THAT LIVED ACROSS THE HIGHWAY SHE HAD BEEN BABYSITTING HER FIVE-YEAR-OLD GRANDDAUGHTER.

AND SHE DIED IN THE STORM UNFORTUNATELY.

AND THAT TORNADO HAD PINGED UP THAT TWO STOREY HOUSE, RIPPED OFF THE WALLPAPER, AND THREW A COW UNDERNEATH THE FOUNDATION AND SET THAT HOUSE BACK DOWN AND I TOOK A PICTURE OF THAT HOUSE SITTING ON TOP OF HALF OF A COW.

>> BUT THEN IT DAWNED ON ME AT THAT POINT THAT WE HAD NO HOME.

HAD NOWHERE TO SLEEP THAT NIGHT.

NOT JUST US, LOTS OF PEOPLE.

>> I'M JUST GRATEFUL WE ALL ARE ALIVE AND MADE IT THROUGH IT.

>> THE INDIANA EF5 STAYED ON THE GROUND FOR 62 MILES KILLING SIX AND INJURING 90 OTHERS.

IT SPAWNED THREE MORE EF4s INCLUDING ONE THAT DEVASTATED HANOVER AND HAD MADISON AND PRODUCED A SECOND F5.

THE SOUTHERN INDIANA F5 WAS LARGELY UNWARNED NO DOUBT LEADING TO CASUALTIES.

HOWEVER BECAUSE OF THE REPORTINGS OF DESTRUCTION FROM DePAUL, AND DAZETY HILL OTHERS WERE NOTIFIED OF THE TORNADO RISK IN THE HOURS THAT FOLLOWED.

IN TOTAL THIS TORNADO FAMILY WOULD CROSS HUNDREDS OF MILES ACROSS SOUTHERN INDIANA, KENTUCKY AND SOUTHWEST OHIO KILLING TWO DOZEN PEOPLE AND INJURING CLOSE TO 700.

THE APRIL 3, 1974 SUPER OUTBREAK WOULD PRODUCE 148 TWISTERS ACROSS 13 STATES AND ONE IN CANADA IN 18 HOURS.

AT ONE POINT, THERE WERE 16 OF THEM ON THE GROUND AT THE SAME TIME.

THE ON SLOT OF TORNADO PRODUCING STORMS WAS ENOUGH FOR THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TO ISSUE A TORNADO WARNING FOR THE STATE OF INDIANA THE FIRST AND THE ONLY TIME A TORNADO WARNING HAS AND ISSUED FOR AN ENTIRE STATE.

HOWEVER IT WAS NOT THE SHEER NUMBER OF TWISTERS THAT SET THIS OUTBREAK APART IT WAS THEIR INTENSITY.

Dr. FORBES WHO WORKED AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO THE INVENTOR OF THE F SCALE HELPED HIM CONDUCT DAMAGE SURVEYS FROM THE OUTBREAKS 148 TORNADOES.

>> THAT'S KIND OF THE ONE THING I REMEMBER ABOUT THE STORM, JUST THE SHEER MAGNITUDE OF THE DAMAGE THAT AND THE LENGTH OF THE PATHS THAT WE SAW DURING THE DAMAGE SURVEYS AND SUBSEQUENTLY, I WENT ON THE GROUND TO LOUISVILLE TO BRAND ENBURG DOWN TO ALABAMA AND SEEING SOME OF THE TOTAL DESTRUCTION IN THOSE PLACES THAT HAD BEEN HIT BY F5 TORNADOES THAT WAS PRETTY SCARY.

AND THERE WAS JUST NOTHING LEFT EVERYTHING HAD BEEN DESTROYED.

>> THE SUPER OUTBREAK REDUCED VIOLENT TORNADOES INCLUDING ONES THAT STRUCK MADISON INDIANA.

AND CINCINNATI, OHIO, LOUISVILLE AND FRANKFORT KENTUCKY AS WELL AS QUINN IN HUNTSVILLE ALABAMA TO NAME A FEW.

IN TOTAL A JAW DROPPING 23EF4s AND SEVEN F5s DEVELOPED BETWEEN 2 AND 10:00 P.M.

THE COMBINED TOTAL OF 30 TORNADOES REMAINS NOT JUST A RECORD FOR THE MOST IN A SINGLE OUTBREAK BUT THE MOST VIOLENT TORNADOES RECORDED IN A CALENDAR YEAR THIS HAPPENED DURING AROUND EIGHT-HOUR PERIOD.

320 PEOPLE WOULD LOSE THEIR LIVES THAT DAY AND 6,000 WOULD BE HURT.

THE TWISTER PRODUCED 840 MILLION DOLLARS IN DAMAGES EQUATING TO 5.2 BILLION IN DAMAGES TODAY.

WHEN IT CAME TO HOW PEOPLE WERE KILLED, THE JURATS THAT CAUSED THE DEATHS AND WHAT WE FOUND OUT FROM BRAND ENBURG AND OTHER PLACES WAS THAT MOST OF THE DEATHS WERE FROM HEAD INJURIES AND THAT BEGAN THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS ANYTIME THE DOCTOR WOULD TALK ON TELEVISION OR TALK TO THE PUBLIC SOMEWHERE, HE WOULD SAY ONE OF THE SAFETY RULES REGARDING TORNADOES PUT ON A HELMET IF YOU HAVE ONE BECAUSE THE FATAL INJURIES ARE HEAD INJURIES.

>> WE HAVE LEARNED A LOT SINCE 1974.

>> WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF THINGS NOW WE DIDN'T HAVE THEN.

WHAT STARTED THE 340RDATION OF THE WEATHER SERVICE WAS THE 1974 OUTBREAK.

THAT REPORT THAT YOU REFERENCED ABOUT THE EVENT, DONE BY NOAA AND THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND THE WEATHER SERVICE IT SAID WE'RE NOT PREPARED.

WE NEED BETTER RADAR.

WE NEED MACHINES THAT ARE FORECASTER.

WE HAVE THE WEATHER RADIO PROGRAM THAT CAME OUT OF 74.

WE HAVE A WAY TO GET COMMUNITIES MORE WEATHER-READY CONCEPT ALL THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED.

THE DOPPLER WEATHER RADARS CAME OUT OF 74.

WE NEED A BETTER LOOK AT THE STORMS NOW WE CAN SEE STORMS MOTION TO AND FROM THE RADAR THEY DIDN'T HAVE THAT IN 74.

>> DESPITE ALL THE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPED SINCE 74, THE UPGRADES TO OUR RADARS, OUR ADVANCED WEATHER MODELS AND WARNING SYSTEM YOU HAVE WHAT HAPPENED IN 2011.

WHILE I'M TALKING ABOUT THE SUPER OUTBREAK THAT KILLED OVER 300 PEOPLE BUT I'M TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED A MONTH LATER WHEN MAY 22, 2011, MISSOURI TOOK A HIT BY A MILE WIDE EF5 TORNADO THAT TOOK 158 LIVES.

THIS IS SOMETHING THE WEATHER COMMUNITY THOUGHT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN IN THE MODERN AGE.

>> I WAS LIKE YOU AND MANY OF MY COLLEAGUES, WE DIDN'T THINK WE WOULD EVER SEE ANOTHER SINGLE STORM PRODUCE 100 FATALITIES MUCH LESS HAVING IT OCCUR IN ONE CITY.

SO THAT WAS QUITE A REVELATION TO ALL OF US WHEN THAT OCCURRED.

>> SO WHAT HAPPENED?

HOW WAS IT POSSIBLE THAT SO MANY PEOPLE WERE KILLED BY A SINGLE TORNADO THAT OCCURRED DURING THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY?

>> I THINK THE PEOPLE OF JOPLIN WERE A LITTLE CAUGHT OFF GUARD.

BECAUSE THEY HAD SEEN THE OTHER STORMS AND HADN'T DONE ANYTHING AND THEY HAD A LOT OF TORNADO WARNINGS IN JOPLIN AND THEY BLOWN SIRENS FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNINGS.

THEY HAD A LOT OF TIMES WHEN THE SIRENS WENT OFF AND A LOT OF WARNINGS AND I DON'T THINK THEY WERE ANTICIPATING, PREPARED, READY TO TAKE SHELTER.

>> JOPLIN FOR EXAMPLE, ANDLE RENO TORNADO A COUPLE YEARS AFTER THAT WERE SITUATIONS WHERE THE WHOLE RADAR PATTERN EVOLVED SO RAPIDLY YOU WENT FROM WHAT YOU WEREN'T SURE WAS A TORNADIC STORM TO ONE ALL OF A SUDDEN IS POTENTIALLY EF5.

>> IT SEEMS IT WAS A COMBINATION OF FACTORS THAT LED TO FATALITIES IN JOPLIN INCLUDING THE FACT THE STORM INTENSIFIED SO RAPIDLY AS IT APPROACHED THE CITY.

IN ADDITION MANY DID NOT HAVE SHELTER OR DID NOT HEED WARNINGS WITH ENOUGH TIMES TO GET TO THE SHELTER.

WITH THAT BEING SAID, THE 2011 STORM SEASON SERVED WAS A REMINDER TO EVERYONE THAT DESPITE ALL OF OUR MODERN WEATHER ADVANCES, WE ARE STILL VULNERABLE.

>> WE ARE WAY OVERDUE FOR A LARGE VIOLENT TORNADO.

SO IF IT HAPPENED THEN, IT CAN HAPPEN AGAIN.

ANY OF THESE SPRING DAYS OR OTHER SEASONS, SUMMER AND FALL AS WELL, WE CAN GET ALL THOSE INGREDIENTS TOGETHER AT SOME PLACE, AND EVEN WITH GOOD WARNINGS, EVEN WITH DOPPLER RADAR AND WITH THE WARN ON FORECAST THINGS WE'RE DOING NOW, GETTING OUR MODELS DOWN TO WHERE THEY CAN PREDICT INDIVIDUAL THUNDERSTORMS AND THEIR INTENSITY, EVEN WITH ALL OF THAT, A STORM CAN PRODUCE A TORNADO THAT HITS A CITY VERY QUICKLY.

AND THEN THERE MAYBE SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF LIFE ASSOCIATED WITH IT.

>> THE OTHER THING THAT HAPPENED IN THE LAST 50 YEARS, ALSO, WE HAVE MORE AND MORE URBAN SPRAWL.

SO WHAT USED TO BE NEEDLES IN HAY STACKS IN TERMS OF TORNADOES HITTING OR MISSING A CITY NOW THE CITY IS BIGGER AND MAKE BIGGER TARGETS.

WHILE WE HAVE BETTER TECHNOLOGY OF WARNING THE UPCOMING TORNADOES, THE URBAN SPRAWL AND THE TRAFFIC JAMS AND THE HIGHER POPULATIONS, AND CONCENTRATIONS, MAKE IT A LITTLE BIT HARDER PERHAPS TO AVOID THE TORNADO.

>> BUT THE RARENESS OF A 5 WE KEEP EXPANDING BEYOND THE CITIES.

LOUISVILLE HAS GONE WAY OUT.

WAY OUT.

SEN YEAH, DAYTON WAY OUT.

IT'S GOING TO HIT MORE THAN BEFORE BECAUSE WE KEEP GOING OUT AND OUT AND OUT IN THE RURAL AREAS.

MORE PEOPLE WILL GET HIT NOT LESS, MORE.

>> WE CAN BE PREPARED WE HAVE MUCH BETTER PREPAREDNESS ACTIVITIES.

PEOPLE KNOW WHAT TO DO.

WE'RE BUILDING OUR STRUCTURES MORE STRONGLY PARTICULARLY HOUSES.

PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN MANUFACTURED HOMES NOW KNOW THAT THEY PROBABLY NEED TO EVACUATE AND HOPEFULLY THEY HAVE A PLAN AND A PLACE TO GO.

THERE ARE A LOT OF POSITIVE THINGS THAT WILL HELP.

BUT, JUST LIKE JOPLIN SHOWED US IT'S NOT GOING TO ON SKATE THE WHOLE PROBLEM.

WE WILL STILL HAVE A LOT OF CASUALTIES AND FATALITIES AND STILL TREMENDOUS DAMAGE BECAUSE WE DO NOT KNOW JUST NOT COST-EFFECTIVE [INAUDIBLE].

>> WE DON'T HAVE THE STRUCTURES IN MOST CASES ARE CAPABLE OF PROTECTING US FROM THE MOST VIOLENT OF TORNADOES.

IF IT'S BAD LUCK YOU ARE HIT BY ONE OF THOSE.

>> WHEN I TELL MY STORY, I TELL IT TO HONOR THE MEMORY OF THOSE LIVES THAT WERE LOST.

I TELL IT TO SUPPORT THOSE SURVIVORS THAT WERE LEFT BEHIND AND STRUGGLED FOR YEARS AND YEARS WITH THOSE LOSSES.

SO IT'S IN THEIR MEMORY IN THEIR HONOR.

>> I'M SURE THERE IS A LOT OF KIDS, WE ARE ALL IN OUR 50s NOW, FROM THAT TIME PERIOD THAT LIKE MYSELF, WE PROBABLY HAVE SOME PTSD WHAT WE WENT THROUGH.

>> IT'S JUST THE SCARED FEELING OF THINKING A TORNADO IS GOING TO COME AGAIN.

YOU KNOW.

IT'S STILL VIVID AND I JUST NEVER WANT TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER ONE.

>> THERE IS A LOT OF MEMORIES AND WE DON'T FORGET THIS AND WE APPRECIATE YOU DOING THIS BECAUSE IT'S -- THERE ARE SO MANY FAMILIES AFFECTED BY IT.

AND SO MANY MEMORIES OF HEROIC THINGS PEOPLE DID TO SAVE OTHER PEOPLE.

>> WE'RE SURVIVORS.

I SPEAK FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE SPEAKING.

BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY STILL CARRY THE PAIN THEY STILL CARRY IN THEIR HEARTS BECAUSE OF THAT DAY.

BUT WE ARE SURVIVORS.

WE ARE PEOPLE WHO WORK TOGETHER AND WE WILL SUPPORT EACH OTHER AND LOVE EACH OTHER.

>> BY THE GRACE OF GOD WE MADE IT.

>> REPORTING ON THE APRIL 3, 1974 SUPER OUTBREAK, THE DAY WEATHER CHANGED FOREVER.

I'M METEOROLOGIST JEREMY CAPLE.

[♪♪]