May 10th 2008 Picher, OK tornado

[JoMo]

It's been 5 years since the EF-4 tornado hit the small town of Picher, OK which was undergoing a federal buyout due to lead and zinc contamination. 160 houses were destroyed and it is now a ghost town. The tornado "merged" with another tornado and became a mile wide rain wrapped tornado as it moved into Newton county, MO. 22 people died from this tornado, most of them in manufactured housing or in cars. This was the first tornado that actually scared me and the one that made me realize that one day, Joplin could get hit.

 

 

The NWS service assessment mentioned that 75-125 cars fled Picher, OK in the 10 minutes between the sounding of the sirens and the impact of the tornado.

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/assessments/pdfs/mothers_day09.pdf

 

 

Tulsa NWS report:

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/tsa/?n=weather-event_may10_2008pichertornado

 

There was evidence of ground scouring:

 

And even a 'suction-spot'

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/tsa/?n=weather-event_may10_2008_aerialC

 

 

As it got closer to the MO border it 'merged' with another tornado and became a mile wide rain wrapped tornado that looked like it was nothing more than heavy rain. It had an ESE rapid movement which caught people off guard. 

 

NWS Springfield meteorological overview:

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/sgf/?n=may10,2008description

 

 

 

 

Story in todays paper:

http://www.joplinglobe.com/topstories/x319982044/Residents-remember-tornado-that-hit-Picher-Newton-County-on-fifth-anniversary-of-storm

 

Picher, OK

 

 

 

 

 

I can't find any of the tornado as it became a mile wide and headed into Missouri. I did find this but I don't know.

 

 

 

[andyhb]

 

[Buckeye05]

The ground scouring in that first pic is some of the most impressive iv'e seen. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if it was capable of producing EF5 damage in that area.

[SluggerWx]

I didn't know one of the spotters was among those that lost their lives that day.

Report seems to indicate spotter was out actively spotting the storm when tragedy struck.

I was unaware that any spotters/chasers lost their lives while out spotting/chasing.

Did this have an impact on SkyWarn policies/protocol?

[nwburbschaser]

I didn't know one of the spotters was among those that lost their lives that day. Report seems to indicate spotter was out actively spotting the storm when tragedy struck. I was unaware that any spotters/chasers lost their lives while out spotting/chasing. Did this have an impact on SkyWarn policies/protocol?

 

My understanding is that he was a firefighter, and was out spotting at the request of his local department to help with the emergency response. 

[JoMo]

I didn't know one of the spotters was among those that lost their lives that day. Report seems to indicate spotter was out actively spotting the storm when tragedy struck. I was unaware that any spotters/chasers lost their lives while out spotting/chasing. Did this have an impact on SkyWarn policies/protocol?

Tyler Casey was a Seneca volunteer firefighter and trained storm spotter. (many volunteer and non-volunteer firefighters are dispatched out to 'spot' during severe weather) He is credited with saving 3 people by telling them about the tornado. He unfortunately didn't make it out of the path of the tornado, which was rain wrapped and moving ESE at a pretty quick forward speed.