Air Force
Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma closed following destructive tornado
Stars and Stripes
April 24, 2026
In this image taken from video from KWTV/KOTV, a tornado crosses a highway in Enid, Okla., Thursday, April 23, 2026. (KWTV/KOTV via AP)
The Air Force’s fourth-busiest airfield was closed Friday until further notice after powerful tornadoes ripped through parts of Oklahoma and caused extensive damage in the nearby city of Enid.
Vance Air Force Base was still trying to restore water and power, according to a statement posted on Facebook.
“Only mission essential personnel required to support critical operations and restoration of base utilities should report for duty,” the statement said. “All other personnel should remain at home and monitor official base communication channels for updates and reporting instructions.”
A T-6A Texan II prepares to taxi onto the runway Mar. 15, 2018, at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma. Vance Air Force Base is closed until further notice as crews work to restore power and water following a tornado, with only mission-essential personnel directed to report for duty. ( Taylor Crul/U.S. Air Force)
Located in southern Enid, Vance is a premier training facility for student pilots and hosts a large fleet of aircraft.
Officials have not reported what type of damage the base sustained. The tornado moved across parts of Enid, a city of about 50,000 people in northwestern Oklahoma, just before 9 p.m. local time, the National Weather Service said.
No reports of serious injuries or deaths had been made as of early Friday, in the state or at the base, The Associated Press reported.
Base officials are taking steps to ensure that all personnel are safe and accounted for, according to an earlier Facebook statement Friday.
Local ABC affiliate KOCO 5 reported visible damage to the southeast side of the base, including broken fencing and industrial equipment.
“Look at the size of this tornado,” a broadcaster said during a newscast showing a video of the tornado at dusk Thursday night. “This is going to be right on top of Vance Air Force Base.”