It was a warm, humid March evening in South Arkansas-typical of spring time in the Natural State. With the earlier passage of the warm front ushering in copious amounts of moisture, along with an approaching upper level system and dry line, set the stage for what would become a most memorable evening, but for all of the wrong reasons.
I was only ten at the time, but I had a growing interest in weather-especially since Dad had gotten us a storm cellar. I think his decision to purchase one was prompted by the Super Outbreak of 1974 in which 330 people were killed in that two day period. That and the fear of storms he had, but a fear he never really shared with anyone. He enjoyed “showing-off” the shelter to the neighbors and he could hardly contain himself when a certain question was asked. So what was THE question? “How many people will fit in there?” He would hesitate for a split second and exclaim, “Well, it just depends on how bad the cloud is…..”
I remember the first bulletin that came on the TV that evening. It was a Tornado Warning for Union County. A storm had caused damage in Northern Louisiana and was moving towards the NE, into Union County. I knew what that meant. If it stayed on that course it would eventually move into Drew County and north of Monticello- where we lived.
Dad hurried with the evening chores and got things ready for his family to descend into the 8x10 shelter. Thunder could be heard in the distance-the strong southerly winds had stilled and the sky turned a pale yellowish color. It wasn’t long before another bulletin came on the TV. “The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Warning for Bradley and Drew County. A tornado was reported on the ground-just southwest of Warren moving to the northeast.”
We no sooner got in the shelter and closed the door until there was BANG! BANG! BANG! Someone was knocking on the cellar door. Dad shuttled up the stairs, unlatched the door and stuck his head out.
“What the hell are ya’ll doing down in there?” It was a friend of the family. He lived in the far Eastern Arkansas but had family in Drew and Bradley County and at the time, was making his monthly trip to see them. He had obviously stopped at Pine Hill earlier in the day and by that time he was “full of himself”, if you know what I mean.
“Man, there’s a Tornado Warning out for us.” Dad shouted. “They spotted one on the ground, on the other side of Warren-coming this way! You better come on down here!”
“Hell, I ain’t scared of no!@#$%$#@* tornado!” our friend exclaimed. “Ain’t nothing I like better than watching a good tornado!” Unknown at the time,our friend's sister and brother-in-law was in the direct path of the F4 twister. Their lives were spared by her husband placing a mattress over the top of them, with her in the tub and him between the tub and toilet. That was all that was left of their home.
As our friend left, the rain began and Dad locked the door. The next 30 minutes or so seemed much longer. We listened intently as heavy rain, hail and gusty winds pummeled the top of the shelter. The sound thunder made in the shelter that night was eerie, to say the least. Soon, the rain stopped and the lid popped open to our shelter. We were spared –Warren was not.
According to Storm Data records, the Warren “Good Friday” tornado of 1975,
touched down at 6:52 PM and stayed on the ground 4 miles and had a path width of 250 yards. Seven people were killed at least 50 injured. 151 buildings were destroyed, 100 sustained major damage and another 200 with minor damage. Damage estimates were from $5,000,000 to $50,000,000.
Ironically, the Good Friday storm took almost the same path as the 1949 monster storm which killed at least 55 and injured 100’s.
In 2009, there was another Good Friday Tornado outbreak with Murfreesboro Tennessee being the city hardest hit.
Although there will be a storm system approaching the SEARK this Friday, it looks as though this system, much like the last one, will not have enough instability or low level moisture to work with. But the pattern is about to change and probably starting next week SST’s (sea-surface temperatures) will start rising and giving the return flow the needed "boost" to fuel spring time storms.
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