Tag Archives: storm chasers

Severe Weather

Weather Channel’s Mike Bettes takes risk-taking storm chasers to task

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A storm chasers flipped vehicle is seen on the side of an Oklahoma road last week. (YouTube / TornadoVideosdotnet)
A storm chasers flipped vehicle is seen on the side of an Oklahoma road last week. (YouTube / TornadoVideosdotnet)

Getting the latest and most dramatic storm footage has become a popular way for many storm chasers to fuel their hobby and many have turned it into a lucrative business.  The actions by some in the chaser community and the risks they take have once again come under scrutiny, this time by the Weather Channel’s Mike Bettes.

Andy Gabrielson, a prolific storm chaser, was involved in a rollover accident last week while chasing a tornado in Oklahoma.  Video of the crash was captured by his own dash cam and video cameras of other chasers who assisted him afterwards.

Mike Bettes opined in an ‘Open Mike’ segment last week, “The one thing I always hear from professional chasers is how safety is their number one concern and warning the public is their number one priority.  Me?  I can B.S. on that one. When you’re getting hit by debris and you’re flipping your car while pursuing a tornado, you’re not very concerned about your safety or anyone else’s.”

As storm chasing has become a more popular hobby, fears are rising that it is only a matter of time before someone gets killed in pursuit of a storm.

The Natural Disasters Examiner wrote an analysis of the debate and has the video of Gabrielson’s crash.  Head over there to check it out.

Natural Disasters, Thornton Weather, Weather Education

What not to do when faced with a tornado

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When faced with a tornado what would you do? Do the smart thing and drop the camera and seek shelter.
When faced with a tornado what would you do? Do the smart thing and drop the camera and seek shelter.

Just as we were wrapping up Severe Weather Awareness Week on ThorntonWeather.com, disaster struck the nation’s south.  Dozens of tornadoes brought death and destruction and at the same time Mother Nature allowed us to learn valuable lessons.

Extreme weather events have gotten more and more attention thanks to Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and other forms of social media.  Television shows like Discovery’s Storm Chasers and shows on the Weather Channel feed a seemingly insatiable desire to see these events.  They give the impression that anyone can stare down major storms with few repercussions but that is far from the truth.

Professional weather watchers, meteorologists and storm chasers cringe at some of what we see when these events happen.  People with seemingly no clue of the destructive and unpredictable nature of what they are looking at put themselves in harm’s way for 60 seconds of fame.

The severe weather outbreak of recent days highlights the folly of those uninitiated and untrained in these phenomena.  One particularly striking video has emerged of a man in Wilson, North Carolina watching as a tornado approaches, talking on the phone and shooting video.

The video (below) is scary to watch as the man is oblivious to what is coming toward him at 50mph.  We implore all ThorntonWeather.com readers to do the smart thing – seek shelter when severe weather.  Don’t become a statistic for a photo or a video.

For more on social media and the lessons that can be learned, check out this story from the Natural Disasters Examiner.

Natural Disasters

Are you ready for Storm Chasers? Season premiere of Discovery Channel show nears

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The Dominator team led by Reed Timmer are one of three groups of chasers in this season of Storm Chasers. (Discovery Channel)
The Dominator team led by Reed Timmer are one of three groups of chasers in this season of Storm Chasers. (Discovery Channel)

Every spring and summer storm chasers take to the Great Plains on a single-minded quest to experience a tornado up close and personal.  While many people may find this odd, the cast of the Discovery Channel series Storm Chasers relishes the annual ritual and the channel is set to kick off the fourth season of the hit series.

The 1996 movie Twister brought storm chasing on to the big screen and to the forefront of the public consciousness.  On the small screen, Storm Chasers has become one of the most popular shows on Discovery Channel as camera crews follow teams of professional chasers hunting tornadoes. Both have been responsible for the increasing interest in “tornado tourism” during severe weather season. 

For the 2010 season the show sees the return of familiar faces for those that have seen the show before but also a notable one appears to be missing. 

Get all the details including a video sneak peak at the upcoming season on the Natural Disasters Examiner – it looks to be an exciting season!

Natural Disasters

Storm chasing’s popularity leads to conflicts on the road

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Dangerous driving and irresponsible behavior by some storm chasers has led to worries that someone will get killed while chasing storms soon. In this image from a video, the infamous Tornado Intercept Vehicle (TIV) is seen passing other vehicles in an unsafe manner. Watch the video at the link below. (YouTube / Steve Miller)
Dangerous driving and irresponsible behavior by some storm chasers has led to worries that someone will get killed while chasing storms soon. In this image from a video, the infamous Tornado Intercept Vehicle (TIV) is seen passing other vehicles in an unsafe manner. Watch the video at the link below. (YouTube / Steve Miller)

Professional and amateur storm chasers, television and movie crews, researchers and news media all converge on Tornado Alley during storm season. Severe weather is fascinating and it has been brought more and more into the public eye thanks to the Internet and popular television shows. That popularity has given rise to increased danger to everyone and many say it is only a matter of time before someone chasing a storm gets killed.

Over recent weeks, tornado outbreaks in Oklahoma have seen hundreds of chasers of all types converge on tornado producing storms. Some are there for fun, others to study the phenomena for science, a few to get their two minutes of fame by capturing video to be shown on the Weather Channel and some to capture ‘the perfect shot’ for a movie.

With so many people in a relatively small area chasing the same target, conflicts are sure to arise and they have. Traffic jams of chasers around the storms have created a safety hazard as vehicles are unable to move. People are exiting their vehicles, standing in the middle of roads, all to get a glimpse of a twister.

Many have put the blame for the problem on inexperienced chasers, lured to the chase by what they see on television and the Internet. To be sure these novices can cause problems however they are not the only ones by far.

Vortex 2, the largest tornado research project in history, has brought a veritable armada of vehicles to bear chasing storms. The group’s mission of trying to learn more about tornadoes is important and Dr. Josh Wurman, one of the scientists involved with the project, laments that chasers are getting in the way of science.

There's more to this story on Examiner.com!Read more on the Natural Disasters Examiner about how many big name chasers, including those from Discovery Channel’s “Storm Chasers” are thought to be part of the problem.

National Weather, Natural Disasters

Tornadoes kill 5 in Oklahoma – Video from storm chasers

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A screenshot of video taken of a multiple=
A screenshot of video taken of a multiple vortex tornado that struck in Oklahoma on Monday, May 10, 2010. Watch the video below. (Scott Weberpal / Ryan Wichman)

It is a little known but amazing phenomenon that sometimes accompanies tornadoes – multiple vortices coming from one larger twister. Storm chasers descended on the area of yesterday’s deadly tornado outbreak and two were able to capture amazing video of what looks like small tornadoes circling a larger twister.

When witnessed from the ground, multiple vortex tornadoes are an amazing sight. The larger twister will appear no different than what one might expect, but smaller vortices will be seen rapidly circling around and through the main funnel.

These suction vortexes are usually short-lived and will die out as the main funnel moves and then new satellites will reappear. These satellite vortices are oftentimes present but not visible due to debris and clouds.

Storm chaser team Scott Weberpal and Ryan Wichman captured amazing video of a multiple vortex tornado as it tore through the Oklahoma countryside. Watch the video below.

Natural Disasters, Severe Weather

National Storm Chaser Convention hits town – Severe weather season is almost here

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Denver will host the 11th annual National Storm Chaser Convention from February 13th to February 15th.
Denver will host the 11th annual National Storm Chaser Convention from February 13th to February 15th.

The 11th annual National Storm Chaser Convention hits town this weekend as some of the nation’s premier storm chasers converge on Denver.  Whether you are a seasoned chaser or just someone with an interest in the weather, this is an extraordinary opportunity to mingle with and hear from some of the biggest names in severe weather.  The event is organized every year by two of the biggest names in storm chasing – Roger Hill and Tim Samaras.

Held at the Red Lion Inn in Parker, the event kicks off Friday night with an ice-breaker and a chance to mingle with other weather enthusiasts.  Saturday morning the event starts in earnest with an extraordinary slate of speakers covering an array of topics.  Saturday night is the infamous video night where videos and photos from last year’s record setting year of tornadoes are sure to play a big part and Sunday the convention continues with additional speakers. 

Some of the speakers this year include:

Also notable, the National Weather Service will be holding a free storm spotter training session Sunday afternoon.  These are a great way to learn much more about severe weather.  Click here to learn more about storm spotter training and what it involves.

You can learn more about this great event and see the complete agenda on the convention website at www.chaserconvention.com.  

Here’s a little storm chasing video to get you pumped up for the event:

Local News, Natural Disasters, Severe Weather, Weather Education

11th annual Storm Chaser Convention coming to Denver

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Get ready for ChaserCon - Coming to Denver in February!
Get ready for ChaserCon - Coming to Denver in February!

The 11th annual National Storm Chaser Convention is coming to Denver from February 13th to the 15th.  Organized by storm chasers Roger Hill and Tim Samaras, this event brings together amateur and professional storm chasers, meteorologists, climatologists and experts from across a wide spectrum dealing with weather.  It is a great opportunity to learn not just about storm chasing but also about the weather in general.

As usual, a great slate of speakers has been lined up including:

More than lectures though, the convention features screening of some of the most incredible tornado footage from the past year as well as a hands-on look at the latest in weather gadgetry.  On the afternoon of the 15th, the National Weather Service will also be holding an official storm spotter training session that is open to the public. 

You can learn more about this great event and see the complete agenda on the convention website at www.chaserconvention.com.

Severe Weather

Green skies – Storm Chasers episode 7 sneak peek

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The Doppler On Wheels (DOW) surveys storm clouds looking for tornadoes.
The Doppler On Wheels (DOW) surveys storm clouds looking for tornadoes.

Our friendly little bird from the Discovery Channel continues to offer us – and you – sneak peeks of coming episodes of Storm Chasers.  The episode guide for this coming Sunday’s episode says:

HAIL TO THE BEAST – Nov. 30 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Reed and Josh’s teams struggle to find the perfect storm in Nebraska. Reed’s girlfriend Jene gets lost in a deadly hailstorm while the DOW fleet mistakenly drives into an oncoming tornado.

The sneak peek the Discovery Channel has offered us this week is aptly titled, “Green Skies.”  As anyone who has been around severe weather knows, green skies mean hail – and tornadoes.  We see this is Denver occasionally but in this clip, the TornadoVideos.net team finds themselves separated from each other while under a sky completely filled with green clouds.  It is a rather eerie – and scary – effect.

For more information:  The Discovery Channel – Storm Chasers

Climatology, National Weather, Severe Weather

ThorntonWeather.com sneak peek – Storm Chasers episode 4 preview

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Now that is heavy metal! The TIV 2 is a machine designed specifically for driving into a tornado. Image courtesy Discovery Channel.
Now that is heavy metal! The TIV 2 is a machine designed specifically for driving into a tornado. Image courtesy Discovery Channel.

The 2008 tornado season was historical for its ferocity.  Record breaking numbers of twisters struck Tornado Alley with a frequency not seen in years.  In June, north central and western Kansas were ground zero for tornado outbreaks that went on for days. 

ThorntonWeather.com continues to be granted special access to the Discovery Channel’s Storm Chasers (Sunday’s @ 8:00pm MST) footage.  In this coming Sunday’s episode, the crew finds itself right in the thick of things.  The episode guide says:

No Place Like Kansas – Nov. 23 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
With the DOW and all the chase vehicles up and running again, the team finds themselves hunting in the same territory as the rival TVN crew. Tornadoes are forming all over western Kansas on what looks like the biggest day of the season.

This week’s sneak peak – A funnel cloud begins to form in the skies over Quinter, Kansas as the the Storm Chasers scramble to approach it.

Climatology, Severe Weather, Weather Education

ThorntonWeather.com sneak peek – Storm Chasers episode 4 preview

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The probe trucks await an opportunity to deploy their instruments on Discovery Channel's Storm Chasers.
The probe trucks await an opportunity to deploy their instruments on Discovery Channel's Storm Chasers.

We continue to be granted sneak peeks of new episodes of the Discovery Channel’s Storm Chaser’s (Sunday’s @ 8:00pm MST).  Last week corn husks fell from the sky on the scout crew after a tornado had passed and Reed and the TornadoVideos.net team chased a twister in the dark. 

As the show chronicles the 2008 storm season, it is now getting into what was the most intense period of the summer.  This coming Sunday’s episode guide says:

NIGHTMARE ON DOW STREET – Nov. 9 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Halfway into the season, TIV1 returns to action, and the whole team heads first toward Oklahoma and then into Arkansas. Monster hail storms batter the fleet, but the vehicles forge ahead as tornadoes start touching down all across this part of the Great Plains. Everyone gets to feast on the tornado bounty, but after dark, a twister chases the chasers in the streets of Stuttgart, Arkansas.

This week’s episode sneak peek –  The storm chasers race to outrun a devastating twister as it quickly catches up to the team’s TIV-1 vehicle in this clip from Storm Chasers.