Weather Service Investigating Picher Tornado

Picher has become the center of a National Weather Service investigation. Despite warnings the May 10th tornado was one of the deadliest Oklahoma twisters in nearly a decade. News On 6 anchor Latoya Silmon reports the National Weather Service wants to know what went wrong.

Picher is now a piece of its former self after a tornado blew through town taking nearly everything with it. Six people died and 150 were injured.

Weeks later the tiny town that's usually off most people's radar is now the center of attention.

"Were just listening, talking about how they heard about it and what did they do afterward," said weather expert Gary Szatkowski.

They also went to Newton County, Missouri where the same system that tortured Picher.

"I think the biggest problem overall was that fact that it was so large scale," said Gary Roark of the Newton Co. Emergency Management.

After the tours, there was a meeting of the minds. Some worry people aren't taking the tornado sirens seriously because some areas sound them more than others.

"What we're trying to find out more is what happened after the watches were issued all of the fatalities that occurred when a watch had been issued earlier in the day," said Szatkowski.

Also, areas in Newton County didn't have a clue that just across the state line, an EF-4 leveled Picher.

Satellite TV, radio, and iPods typically don't broadcast local warnings.

"The ultimate goal is obviously no one loses their life in a situation like this a challenge but what we strive for," said Szatkowski.

And so they search, hoping to prevent this from happening again.

The National Weather Service says once the investigation is complete, a report will be available to the public.   It will combine scientific data with personal accounts of the storm.