Gil Whitney
Encyclopedia
Gil Whitney was an American television weather forecaster notable for warning WHIO-TV
viewers and listeners on April 3, 1974 of the tornado that went through Xenia, Ohio
in the 1974 multi-tornado event known as the Super Outbreak
. Whitney's timely warning specifically identified the Arrowhead neighborhood of Xenia as lying in the path of the tornado (which proved to be correct as Arrowhead was leveled by the F5 twister).
He was a regular on the community parade circuit, acted as master of ceremonies for numerous public events, was a volunteer firefighter and was one of the founders of the Dayton Air Show
.
WHIO-TV
WHIO-TV, virtual channel 7, is the CBS-affiliated television station licensed to Dayton, Ohio, serving that state's Miami Valley area. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 41 from its transmitter on Germantown Street in western Dayton....
viewers and listeners on April 3, 1974 of the tornado that went through Xenia, Ohio
Xenia, Ohio
Xenia is a city in and the county seat of Greene County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio 21 miles from Dayton and is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area...
in the 1974 multi-tornado event known as the Super Outbreak
Super Outbreak
The Super Outbreak is the second largest tornado outbreak on record for a single 24-hour period, just behind the tornado outbreak of April 25–28, 2011...
. Whitney's timely warning specifically identified the Arrowhead neighborhood of Xenia as lying in the path of the tornado (which proved to be correct as Arrowhead was leveled by the F5 twister).
Career
Gil Whitney worked as a reporter, anchor and later the weatherman for WHIO-TV, in Dayton, Ohio. He also hosted, from the mid to late 70's, a summer late-night show on Friday nights called Summertime. The show guest starred local talent and other TV, movie and radio personalities. In 1980, the show was renamed The Gil Whitney Show.He was a regular on the community parade circuit, acted as master of ceremonies for numerous public events, was a volunteer firefighter and was one of the founders of the Dayton Air Show
Dayton Air Show
The Vectren Dayton Air Show is an annual event at the Dayton International Airport in Vandalia, Ohio, eight miles north of Dayton, Ohio. The history of flight exhibitions dating back to 1910 by the Wright Company. The city is the home of the Wright Brothers and the true birthplace of aviation, as...
.
Marriage and children
Whitney and his wife Mary had three children together:- Gil Whitney Jr (b. 1963), a filmmaker
- John, a filmmaker (b. 1964)
- Jennifer (b. 1967)