Thread: Storm Warning

Well it appears to be that time of year again. The earliest Ive ever chased a storm before with any good results was 02.14, which occurred a few years ago. Looks like I'll get to beat that date tonight. Im charging up batteries for both of my cameras and will probably be heading out in the next hour or less. There have already been tornado touchdowns, and there is a tornadic storm that should go just north of me in Bartlesville.

interesting show me some pics man i give u pros u have big balls to chase a storm?!! lol have fun n like badaz said be safe man!

Getting ready to take off here shortly, went out and did some checks on the Rodeo, fluids and stuff to make sure there would be no surprises and all is good to go. There are now two tornado warnings, one of which covers my area. If I can find a good spot with wireless internet, I'll update further. the pink outlined boxes are tornado warnings. The little pink upside down triangle you see south of Pawhuska is a TVS signature and usually indicates a tornado spinning up or on the ground.

damn you are lucky, ive wanted to go storm chasing. not big enough storms here

Storms 1, Scotty 0

Well the first round was a bust. Just WAY WAY too much rain. I have developed over the years ways to shoot in mist to light rain, but what was coming down this time was just not going to allow me to shoot. Furthermore, the cloud deck lowered quite a bit and that makes for shorter cloud to ground strikes and thus you have to get even closer to them, not that that bothers me but you are usually right in the middle of the rain core doing that.

However, perhaps all is not lost, it looks like more is coming through and I'll try again once the storm moves a bit further east and I can get in more behind the squall line. You guys and gals up in the Kansas City area are probably going to get pounded too. These storms are pretty fierce and are rotating quite a bit. In fact it looks like there is a fairly large area of rotation along the OK, KS, MO border.

Heres the radar for you guys up in the KC area:



Here is the wind profile. The red ares mixed in there with the green, those are rotating masses, well more specifically winds to the radar whereas the green is winds away from the radar. Because Im used a radar site in OK those ares may be a bit smaller as those are on the extreme edge of the radar site range I was using.

Synthetic Shield Storm chaser is back!!!!! and better than ever!!!

have you retrofitted the Isuzu with armor plating yet???

Here is the same type wind profile from the Springfield, MO radar site, you can see the green areas mixed in with the red areas in the same general location that it was vice versa from the other radar site.

Originally Posted by UR LOSN

Synthetic Shield Storm chaser is back!!!!! and better than ever!!!

have you retrofitted the Isuzu with armor plating yet???

Not yet. I planned on last year outfitting it better for chasing but I didnt do much chasing last year and so it kinda fell to the way side, but with storms coming on this early I may have to take a weekend and do so. The last season I chased storms this early I was very much sleep deprived for most of the year and on the road seemingly constantly.

I did learn and get some time in the seat so to speak with how the Rodeo is going to handle in those kinds of conditions and I can only say that that sucker needs some weight in the rear end. Its interesting driving a rear wheel drive vehicle in those conditions. In all the years Ive chased storms Ive never drove a rear wheel drive vehicle.

Thanks Scotty. It looks like right now they are calling for just heavy rain and gusts up to 18mph where I am at (30 minutes east of K.C.), but I will definitely keep my eyes out tonight.

Be careful dude!

Originally Posted by BADAZGTP

Yeah, we're suppose to get hit tomorrow night. a few t storms with gusty winds. It always pi$$es the wife off when we get a good storm because I'm always out in it watching lightning and the clouds. At least till the rain hits. Always wanted to chase storms, just never been able to get started.

Theres really nothing to getting started. The trick is and important thing is to learn to read the weather data, the storms themselves, the clouds, stuff like that. You dont necessarily have to be a meteorologist but it does help to have a good understanding of weather, its essential to your safety. I pay a fee each month to be tied into the National Weather Service's data so I can have the radar information, warning information, lighting data and so forth with minimal time delay. Ive chased storms very early on without it, most notably the May 3, 1999 outbreak here in OK and nearly had an F3 tornado land right on top of me because I was blind to what was going on.

If they offer any type of storm spotter classes in your area (they are usually free) thats a very good place to start. Then its a matter of what risk you are willing to take, getting some good camera gear and willingness to go without sleep and drive forever and be okay when you come away with nothing.

I chase storms mainly for the lightning. And I get really, REALLY close to them but thats a risk Im comfortable with. Ive also left work with my camera gear packed, laptop and all the other good stuff (back when I shot film I usually have 20 or so rolls of high end film with me too) went out chased storms from the time I left work until the wee hours of the morning, pulled back into the parking lot of work, got maybe an hour or two of sleep and went back to work again.

But when you come away with that one picture, it makes it worth while to me.

Originally Posted by BADAZGTP

Yeah, the lightning is what fasinates me. Remember seeing one time a streak shot across the sky and then all of a sudden branched out everywhere. As far as you could see in all directions. That was the first and only time I have ever seen anything like that. And of course no camera with me. Always try and keep it in the truck now.

Those are what I call crawlers and are usually on the back side of the storm or associated with a storm that is dying out.

ive seen lighting that was proly 50 miles or so north of me at night it was really impressive! went on most of the night couldnt here a thing but man what a show!