Today I had a chance to talk to summer school kids about what I do as I'm out storm chasing...I was really shocked to hear the questions I heard...(in a good way)
So I was thinking about this when I was out at silver lake this evening...I have decided to post this on my website and to my forecasting blog......So here is the FAQ along with my answers...
1..What is a storm chaser?..A...A person who chases storms for what never reason he/she may have...So chase for research some do it to sell pictures/videos..Some do it for some type of a thrill...
2..How much training have you had?...A..I have many years of training in the SKYWARN program from the NWS...I have been to training classes/seminars...I had taken forecasting classes online,along with other weather online training...Every year I try to get to the SKYWARN classes and try to make it to some severe thunderstorm seminars...
3..Do storm chasers get paid for what they do?....A...Yes and no..Hears what I mean..Some get lucky enough to be working with news medias,freelance photographers..Or know as stingers...Some people will make enough money to recoup their expenses to pay for that storm chase session...Most will not see a dime..However most of us storm chasers get paid by known we are out there helping in getting the warnings to people down stream from the storm...With any luck it has helped save someone's life...If you think your going to become rich on storm chasing,you best better think again...Most of us do have good paying fulltime jobs we work...
4.. How do I become a storm chaser?.A..Well the best advise I can give you is take a SKYWARN class,and read everything you can find of severe thunderstorms,and weather forecasting.Also another best advise is to ride with a someone who has been chasing for a few years..He/she, if they are a good teacher will be able to teach you alot about storm structure,how to read the storm to decide whether it is growing or fading fast..Along with many other aspects of storm chasing along with how to be safe at all times..
5..How many hours go into a chase?...A..You mean how many days...I start to look at the computer weather models days out before an event...Just getting a general idea to were I may be heading to....By the second day I get a 100 mile radius target picked out,and will keep redefining it..The chase day I try to get a 50 mile radius nailed down..Then it's on the road...Yes many lonely hours go into this,along with many lonely miles ahead of you there and back..Once the storms pop the chase is on...The chase may last a few mins or a few hours...
6..Is storm chasing dangerous?...A...Yes it is I would be dumb to tell you it's not...Like I have stated many times through out my site..It won't be a tornado,straight line winds,or hail that gets me...It may be a car accident or some other road hazard...Lightning may very well be my demise..With lightning one can not forecast where it's going to strike next...Remember lightning can strike 15 miles from a thunderstorms...Rule of thumb if you can hear thunder,you are close enough to the storm to get hit..
7..Why do you chase storms?...A.. Well I just love to,nothing better than getting close up and personnel with a severe thunderstorm/tornado..No I'm not a thrill seeker,but there is some type of rush I get from it...I also enjoy seeing the beauty of the storm..Sometime it will just take your breath away....
8..How many tornadoes have you seen?..A.. I really can't tell you the count..I can tell you I have see 4 killer tornadoes...
9..Have you ever cried after seeing a town destroyed or someone's house destroyed?...A.. I won't lie..There are my times my eyes would,and will get full of tears.I'm human like everyone else...The shows you see on TV don't show the down side of storm chasing..They won't show,and who would want to see a bunch of chasers teary eyed after a tornado wipes a town off the map...Plus I don't think we would want to be filmed at that time either..
That was the questions I faced today...
Pop Pop Heaven
4 years ago
