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Ok, so we all look forward to the kickoff of the new chase season with excitement and lots of planning. But what about safety? Like any activity in life, there’s inherent risk and one must take the necessary steps to minimize that risk. This is especially true for what we do.
Anyone who knows us would agree that my partner Jeremy is the more daring of this crazy duo. The excitement builds up, the adrenaline starts flowing and he’s ready to just get out there and shake hands with a tornado ripping up corn in an Oklahoma field! I’m the same way to an extent, but tend to be more cautious about our surroundings and getting out of there in one piece. Are we too close? Is a new circulation forming behind us? What are our road options? These are thoughts that race through my head and demand an answer at any given moment during a chase. Experience has shown that Jeremy and I balance each other out in wanting to get close but not TOO close. Is it a perfect balance? Not quite, but we usually end up with the results we’re looking for... encountering a severe thunderstorm without participating in the severe thunderstorm! I couldn’t have picked a better partner to chase with for this very reason. Without one we might end up unnecessarily far away, and without the other we might end up somewhere near the top of a supercell not admiring the view.
So how does one practice safe storm chasing in the face of obvious danger? It requires instinct, paying attention, and knowledge of the atmosphere. Even the most violent tornadoes will follow a behavior pattern based on the bigger picture of the day’s weather setup, especially wind speed and direction at various heights above the ground. Knowing which side of the storm to be on is also critical to safe chasing. Core punching may be a thrill (or even necessary under limited circumstances) but we don’t endorse driving through large hail, blinding rain, or other unknown elements just to get in a better position. Instead we try and position ourselves early in the day for a good intercept.
Unfortunately, the biggest risk when chasing storms may be other people who’s motivations are misguided. Unprofessional chasers in it for the thrill without regard for the safety of others has become a problem in recent years, and we witnessed much of this in Kansas. It was Memorial Day weekend 2004, a high-risk day for tornadoes and the roads were jammed with an unusually high number of storm chasers, local spotters, vacationers, and casual observers. The show began and the chase was on! Several tornadoes ripped through a network of dirt roads and sparse housing. The next thing we know, we’re following the damage track and notice that emergency vehicles are having a hard time responding because people think they have a right to park anywhere and block roads while out “storm chasing.” Both Jeremy and I disagree with this kind of behavior. We went as far as to cut our chase short and check damaged homes to make sure people were okay in wake of the tornadoes’ destruction.
Storm chasing IS a thrill, but the storms we chase are deadly forces that aren’t to be taken lightly. If you chase, please keep this in mind. Obey traffic laws, don’t speed on wet roadways, give the right of way to emergency vehicles, and park completely on the side of the road when observing a thunderstorm. These are things that we should all do to keep storm chasing a safe and rewarding experience... not only for ourselves but for those who may not have seen this kind of thing up close and personal before. That’s what Holy Tornado! is about, and we hope you’ll stick around and see for yourself what storm chasing was meant to be.
See you in Tornado Alley!
Aaron Hughes & Jeremy Wilson,
http://www.holytornado.com
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