Bad Weather Pictures (For You Know Who)

**Street Wolf** · 05-27-2008

Figured I might as well go outside and take some pictures of the clouds moving in right now. These are current pictures taken about five minutes ago, if that long. The clouds themselves seem to be moving pretty damn quick really. All these pictures were taken within only a few minutes of each other and you can already see in them how the storm gets progressively closer and closer in a short matter of time.

Comments Welcome, and wanted of-course-

Radar Shot, just to show which storm this is-

**kingd44** · 05-27-2008

wow im gunna move by u........... i love that stuff....... i live in ny and we got a lil severe weather today and i was in my glory for all of 5 mins lol

**Street Wolf** · 05-27-2008

Originally Posted by kingd44

wow im gunna move by u........... i love that stuff....... i live in ny and we got a lil severe weather today and i was in my glory for all of 5 mins lol

Lol, yeah I have to admit I do like the excitement of bad weather as well. I just wish I did'nt live where it was happening.

But I guess that bad weather goes hand in hand with living here since this is 'Tornado Alley' after all.

More pictures that I did'nt post earlier becuase it took to long to upload-
Moved to Original Post

**kingd44** · 05-27-2008

yeh i know it sounds dumb comin from someone who doesnt live down there but i will one day cause i really do love it.

**Street Wolf** · 05-27-2008

Originally Posted by kingd44

yeh i know it sounds dumb comin from someone who doesnt live down there but i will one day cause i really do love it.

Nah, I know what ya mean. I like it too, it's just when you live where it's happening you have to worry about hail damage, wind damage, and worse if a tornado or something actually comes from it.

But if I had the chance to go out of town for a while and chase a few of them I sure wouldn't hesitate. I think the Land Rover would be perfectly suited for anything bit.chy mother nature throws down.

**QwikGT** · 05-27-2008

so i guess this storm will hit me here in NYC for the weekend? great pics, we had some nice thunderstorms and lighting this evening

**SyntheticShield** · 05-27-2008

Well, its one of a few things. The first few pictures look like what is known as a shelf cloud. I thought at first it might be a super cell base, but looking at the radar shot, I dont believe that to be the case. More of a squall line than anything. Super cell bases are pretty distinctive as they have sort of twisting layers to them.

Early in my time of chasing storms I chased a storm that had an intense area of lightning. Of course, I focused on that and set up accordingly. Well it was dark and I set up on a side road and started taking pictures. It was happening so fast I did not notice details that would have normally sent up red flags to get out.

Well all of a sudden a downpour came and the winds went insane. Every bit of 60+ mph. At the time I was still using film I believe and it wasnt until a couple days later I figured out what all happened.

I had set up directly in the path, dead center of a super cell that was rotating intensely. The whole thing went directly over my head. I can only say thank God it didnt drop a twister right on top of me as it was surely a very violent storm. That was how I learned what super cells look like up close and personal.

We'll have to go chasing sometime Street Wolf. I have threatened for the last couple of years to use one week of vacation and go chasing across the central plains. I'll have to hook up with you so you can drag the Isuzu Rodeo through some lake or something.

Nice pictures by the way. Its hard to get good detail with such a wide range of lighting. But you did a pretty good job.

**2Fast4U** · 05-28-2008

Don't know if u guys have seen this vehicle that this storm chaser has made for chasing the storms.

Inside Edition - News

and this one is for u Scotty I told u about this guy that ran up to the tornado.

http://www.insideedition.com/news.aspx?storyID=1675

**Street Wolf** · 05-28-2008

Originally Posted by QwikGT

so i guess this storm will hit me here in NYC for the weekend? great pics, we had some nice thunderstorms and lighting this evening

Haha, have fun with it.

Originally Posted by SyntheticShield

Well, its one of a few things. The first few pictures look like what is known as a shelf cloud. I thought at first it might be a super cell base, but looking at the radar shot, I dont believe that to be the case. More of a squall line than anything. Super cell bases are pretty distinctive as they have sort of twisting layers to them.

Early in my time of chasing storms I chased a storm that had an intense area of lightning. Of course, I focused on that and set up accordingly. Well it was dark and I set up on a side road and started taking pictures. It was happening so fast I did not notice details that would have normally sent up red flags to get out.

Well all of a sudden a downpour came and the winds went insane. Every bit of 60+ mph. At the time I was still using film I believe and it wasnt until a couple days later I figured out what all happened.

I had set up directly in the path, dead center of a super cell that was rotating intensely. The whole thing went directly over my head. I can only say thank God it didnt drop a twister right on top of me as it was surely a very violent storm. That was how I learned what super cells look like up close and personal.

We'll have to go chasing sometime Street Wolf. I have threatened for the last couple of years to use one week of vacation and go chasing across the central plains. I'll have to hook up with you so you can drag the Isuzu Rodeo through some lake or something.

Nice pictures by the way. Its hard to get good detail with such a wide range of lighting. But you did a pretty good job.

Awesome, I know I could count on getting some information about it from you. Going on a chase and pulling the Isuzu through the lake is a must as well.

Originally Posted by 2Fast4U

Don't know if u guys have seen this vehicle that this storm chaser has made for chasing the storms.

Inside Edition - News

and this one is for u Scotty I told u about this guy that ran up to the tornado.

Inside Edition - News

Haha, yeah I've seen that before on TV. That thing is nutz, well, that guy is nutz.

**SyntheticShield** · 05-28-2008

You know, I have to be a bit openly hypocritical here. I would NEVER NEVER encourage anyone to jump out of a car and run TOWARDS a tornado. Kids, dont do this at home.

But, if it were me, I would have done the same thing

I mean, lets get realistic here. Do you look at pictures of far away tornadoes that look like small stick and go oooooo, ahhhhh? Nope! Now fill that frame up with that sucker where you can see detail and people will stare at it in amazement for hours asking themselves how you got such a picture know DANG well how you got it.

The same goes with lightning (which is what I mainly chase for). When you got a 35mm frame and the lighting is 10 miles away and is so faint and looks like a lightning bug streaked across the sky people pas on by. But by golly, get one that branches all over the place and fills up that frame and they sit there all starry eyed knowin DANG well you were up close and personal with that storm and still turn and ask, 'How'd you get such a good picture?'

I have had lighting hit within 100' of me on more than one occasion. Instances where the light and boom were instantaneous. And when you feel the thump in your chest from the boom, you KNOW you are close. But its a risk I dont mind taking. I enjoy doing it, but I know in order to get someone to take interest in the picture, I have to be close and it has to be an exciting lightning strike. I dont encourage people to take such risks, but when its just me, well, I dont mind. Keep in mind, however, Im not reckless. I do take whatever precautions I can. I do have remotes for my cameras so that I can operate them from inside the car if it gets too hairy, which I have had to do before. There is no point, afterall, in getting good pictures and not being around to share them or hear peoples reactions.