Uploaded January 2024 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the devastating "Super Outbreak" of 148 tornadoes in 18-hours across the Midwest, Great Lakes, Northeast, Southeastern United States and Southern Ontario, Canada on April 3-4, 1974. It was the most widespread and vastly studied mega tornado outbreaks in the 20th century, elapsed in April 2011 by an even larger outbreak over many of the same geographic areas.
Numerous documentaries, television/cable programs, and many videos found on YouTube discuss the event in assorted detail. In 1999, Towers Productions produced this 45-minute documentary for A&E Home Video and The History Channel. Part of 'The Wrath of God" series, it was one of the more comprehensive ever produced, and complemented a segment on the "Roar of 1974" included in the 'Target Tornado' program by The Weather Channel in 1994. While producers of this program took some visual liberties with assorted tornado stock footage; from a combination of meteorological overviews, eyewitnesses and survivor perspectives, this remains an excellent in-depth overview for anyone interested in learning about the event.
Further reading can be found here via the National Weather Service @NWSWilmingtonOH: weather.gov/iln/19740403
Remastered from videotape and presented in 1080p high definition.
© 1999 Towers Productions, The History Channel. All Rights Reserved
2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the devastating "Super Outbreak" of 148 tornadoes in 18-hours across the Midwest, Great Lakes, Northeast, Southeastern United States and Southern Ontario, Canada on April 3-4, 1974. It was the most widespread and vastly studied mega tornado outbreaks in the 20th century, elapsed in April 2011 by an even larger outbreak over many of the same geographic areas.
Numerous documentaries, television/cable programs, and many videos found on YouTube discuss the event in assorted detail. In 1999, Towers Productions produced this 45-minute documentary for A&E Home Video and The History Channel. Part of 'The Wrath of God" series, it was one of the more comprehensive ever produced, and complemented a segment on the "Roar of 1974" included in the 'Target Tornado' program by The Weather Channel in 1994. While producers of this program took some visual liberties with assorted tornado stock footage; from a combination of meteorological overviews, eyewitnesses and survivor perspectives, this remains an excellent in-depth overview for anyone interested in learning about the event.
Further reading can be found here via the National Weather Service @NWSWilmingtonOH: weather.gov/iln/19740403
Remastered from videotape and presented in 1080p high definition.
© 1999 Towers Productions, The History Channel. All Rights Reserved





![Flood: The Awesome Power | NOAA & NWS, 1988
FLOOD: THE AWESOME POWER [1988]. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and National Weather Service teamed up again with ThirtyFive - Sixteen Inc. [Terrible Tuesday, 1984] to produce a public awareness video on the dangers of flash floods, of which are still to this day the top cause for natural disaster fatalities within the United States. The videotape was distributed to media, emergency management groups, academics and even elementary school students. The production worked in several historical examples, including the then recent deadly 1987 Guadalupe River floods, Colorado Big Thompson River flood of 1976 and other assorted instances. The video was discontinued from NWS use in the mid to late 1990s.
As of this post in October 2025, history repeated itself in July 2025 within the same geographic territory when over 117 individuals lost their lives in the same region. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/July_2025_Central_Texas_floods Flood: The Awesome Power | NOAA & NWS, 1988](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/YR-KVQVZiNQ/mqdefault.jpg)

![June 8, 1995: Project VORTEX Tornado Chase Day | Full Video
Project VORTEX [Verification of the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment] experienced a string of close tornado encounters in the first week of June 1995. One of the most memorable was the final day of field operations across the Eastern Texas Panhandle on June 8th. This is the full video from that day recorded from the perspectives of Probe Vehicle 3 driven by Dr. Matt Biddle, including up close and personal sequences near Allison, Texas that inspired the final scenes in the 1996 film, Twister.
Additional information on Project VORTEX 1994-1995: https://inside.nssl.noaa.gov/nsslnews/2016/02/vortex-1994-1995/
The video was provided by and made courtesy from Dr. Louis Wicker and the late Dr. Matt Biddle.
© 1995 All Rights Reserved to the respective videographers on VORTEX 1995. June 8, 1995: Project VORTEX Tornado Chase Day | Full Video](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZIPLgDrF4Io/mqdefault.jpg)


![Target Tornado! Original September 1994 Broadcast, TWC
Target Tornado! [1994] chronicles several noteworthy significant tornado events from the 20th century, the evolution of tornado motion picture film and video and the first operational year for NOAAs Project VORTEX. The program incorporated many of the films, videos and decades of research collected, preserved and published by tornado historian Tom Grazulis; the first national broadcast television special to provide exposure to The Tornado Project. Tornado survivor stories include now rare interviews with survivors of the March 18, 1925 tri-state tornado, and a 20th anniversary follow up with survivors of the April 3, 1974 Xenia, Ohio tornado.
By far, this program was one of if not the best nationally broadcast feature on tornado history, historical tornado videos and research in the 1990s, nor did it rely on hyperbole or shock value to retain viewers. The special was also offered for sale on VHS home video in the 1990s.
In a similar vein to the 1985 PBS NOVA Tornado! documentary that is also available on this channel, the second half of this program showcases efforts by meteorologists and storm chasers during the rather lackluster season for Project VORTEX 1994. Regardless of the lack of tornadoes, the segment offered some enjoyable insight into the largest field operation for tornado research of the era.
Target Tornado was part of a series of tornado and severe weather themed programs produced by The Weather Channel that commenced in 1992 and concluded in 1996. Those included The Enemy Wind [1992], Storm Chaser: Warren Faidley [1992, 1996], Target Tornado [1994], The Chase [1995], Tornadoes 95 [1996], Five Great Weather Disasters [1996] and Tornado Chase 96 [1996]. The show also generated interest in the first national storm chaser conference sponsored and held by The Weather Channel in March 1995.
This is the original September 25, 1994 cable broadcast as recorded, complete with local forecasts from the Kalamazoo, Michigan region; commercials and a tropical weather segment that follows the show.
Target Tornado © 1994 The Weather Channel, All Rights Reserved. Target Tornado! Original September 1994 Broadcast, TWC](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_BYSOKU33xU/mqdefault.jpg)