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Respect...Safety...Courtesy...Responsibility...Maturity...Knowledge...Enthusiasm...Planning... and lots of Patience. These are some of the characteristics that I have striven to instill in myself as a chaser and I honestly believe these powerful words, put into action, is what it takes to truly be a successful and productive chaser. Hello and welcome to Chasing-Storms.com, your in-depth guide to storm chasing. My name is Jason Boggs and I am from Amarillo,TX. I have been a storm chaser now for about 5 or 6 years. Back when I first started chasing, I just basically went out without a forecast or knowledge of storms and just hoped for the best. Not only did that approach yield me a goose egg in the tornado category, it could have gotten me seriously injured or even killed. I have learned so much in the past few years. I started chasing for a local TV station in 2001 here in Amarillo, and thanks to some good friends that are Meteorologists, along with the internet, I have increased my knowledge tenfold. This site is designed for you, the chaser, to increase your knowledge and safety so you will no longer go out and just hope for the best like I once did...
TERMS OF SERVICE:
Although storm chasing can be a very fun and rewarding
hobby, it is also a very dangerous hobby to pursue. I recommend to you
that you tag along with an experienced chaser for at least a year before
you try to go out on your own. Storm chasing can be boring at times, but
if your caught in a supercell without the proper knowledge and
experience, it could wind up costing you your life. Read up as much as
you can on storms and tornadoes through various sources like the
internet and from your local NWS office. There's a lot of good information
on the internet about storms and storm structure and I will be giving
links to some of these sources below this text. The point I'm trying to
make here is when you do get to go out to see mother nature's beauty and
sometimes her dark side, being prepared and experienced will reward you
with lots of memories instead of ending the day with your windows broken
out, your vehicle totally demolished, or even worse, getting killed. By agreeing to the terms of service, you agree that I will in no circumstances be held responsible for anything you do while out storm chasing or by anything that you have read or learned on this website and taken into action. If you do not agree to the terms of service, please do not read any further and click out of this website. Thank you...Chasing-Storms.com
Copyright
2003 Jason Boggs.
If the winds don't scare you, then
maybe this baseball size hail will! This video still was taken near
Happy Texas on May 5th, 2002. This was the day when two unfortunate
people lost their lives to the tornado that went through the southern
edge of Happy. I was near Happy but had to stop when I saw this LARGE hail falling in front of me. If you
get caught in a hail core with hail this large, you can bet on some
broken windows and some major dents in your chase vehicle. The small
circle in the image is a quarter. A quarter is about an inch in diameter
and the hail next to this was anywhere from 2.75 to 3 inches in
diameter! I have briefly been caught in hail this large and folks, it's
not in the least bit fun. For a look at what hail this large can do to a vehicle, go to the photo gallery and look at the 6-21-04 hail damage in West Amarillo. The hail from this event was anywhere from baseball to softball size.
HERE ARE SOME GREAT EDUCATIONAL SITES
Know this stuff
before you even think about chasing:
Severe Storm Identity
T-Storms Supercells and Wind Shear
Meteorology Guide
Severe and Unusual Weather
Supercells
The Forecast Process
Basic Spotters Field Guide
Advanced Spotters Field Guide
Skywarn Storm Spotter Guide
Chasing Materials and Essays lots of material here to read. VERY GOOD STUFF!
Storm chasing FAQ compiled by Roger Edwards and Tim Vasquez
The above information should give
you a good start on your storm chasing journey. But always remember that
no matter how much you know, you need to chase with a veteran chaser to
gain experience before venturing out by yourself.
NOTICE:
ALL PHOTOS ON THIS WEBSITE ARE THE PROPERTY OF JASON BOGGS UNLESS
OTHERWISE NOTED.
ANY REPRODUCTION IN ANY FORM IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED WITHOUT WRITTEN
PERMISSION . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Frequently Asked
Questions
Q: What does it take to get started in storm
chasing?
A: I think the most important aspect in storm
chasing is knowledge and experience. Knowledge and experience is a key
ingredient in being a productive and safe chaser. Learn all you can from
other chasers and read as much on chasing through the internet as you
can.
Q: How much do storm chasers get paid?
A: There is really not a job out there for
storm chasers. Most people chase storms for hobby or scientific research
and most of the time the only money one gets from chasing is the sale of
video or photographs.
Q: Do I need a vehicle with a lot of weather
instruments attached to it?
A: No. Most of these types of chasing vehicles
that you see with antennas going everywhere are used for scientific data
and are very costly to an ordinary chaser.
Q: Do I need a 4 wheel drive vehicle to storm
chase?
A: It's not mandatory to have a 4WD vehicle but
I would strongly recommend it. There have been countless numbers of
times where I would have been stuck without a 4WD vehicle and some of
those situations were just simply pulling over on the side of the road
to get video.
Q: What kind of equipment is used in storm
chasing?
A: Lots and lots of it! Weather scanners,
phones, computers, GPS navigation systems, video cameras, still cameras,
ham radios, road maps, televisions, and probably a lot more that has
slipped my mind! All this equipment can be pretty expensive. I say that the
most important items are as follows: 1. A phone to communicate if in
trouble or to call in weather reports. 2. Road maps to know where you are going. 3. Video camera and
still camera to document the chase. 4. A tripod for quality video. 5. A
weather scanner to know what the storms are doing and what area they are
affecting. 6. And the most important item in storm chasing...A well
taken care of car that will give you trouble free chasing.
Q: Is storm chasing exciting like in the movie
Twister?
A: Sometimes but most of the time no. Chasing
can sometimes be boring waiting on storms to initiate and often the
drives are loooonnngggg. When you do see a tornado on the ground which
is pretty rare, the chances of you seeing a cow flying in front of you
or seeing a tanker truck hit the pavement and blow up in front of you is
slim to none. It would make for good video though!! On extremely rare
occasions, chasers have sometimes seen many tornadoes in one day such as
the outbreak in Oklahoma on 5-3-99.
Q: Is storm chasing really dangerous?
A: YES!!. There are many risks in storm
chasing. Most chasers drive down the road looking at that nice
overshooting top and don't pay attention to the road. I believe the
actual driving is the biggest risk. You also have to worry about high
winds, the actual tornado, and large hail pulverizing your vehicle.
Lightning is a very big risk factor too. It is a rarity to get struck by
lightning, but since chasers are around it a lot, they are at a higher
risk than most people.
Q: What kind of expenses are acquired in storm
chasing?
A: Storm chasing can bite a big chunk off your
pocketbook. From buying cameras, video equipment, scanners, along
with tripods and other various items, it can get pretty expensive. When
you actually chase you spend money on gas, food, and motels (if your far
enough from home).
Q: What is the best area for storm chasing?
A: Tornado alley is usually the best area
for storms. This area is generally in the great plains of the USA and
gives the best viewing because of flat land and treeless terrain. The
most popular area for chasers is the flat areas of the Texas and
Oklahoma panhandles along with western Oklahoma and the western half of
Kansas.
Q: It is ok to storm chase alone?
A: NO! Storm chasing alone can pose many problems. You have to do the
driving and watch the sky, along with looking at road maps, which is a
combination for disaster. You need a person to strictly do the driving
while another person looks at road maps and other various things while
chasing.
Q: What kind of vehicle do I need to storm
chase?
A: People storm chase in a lot of different vehicles. They chase in
vans, trucks, small cars, and anything in between. I do recommend
chasers getting a 4 wheel drive vehicle if possible.
Q: Should I ever try to outrun a tornado?
A: There are times when you see a tornado coming your direction and
you can get away from it. Other times if your an inexperienced chaser or
just made a mistake, a tornado will be too close to get away from it.
These are the times where you abandon your vehicle and lie down in a low
spot and cover your head with your arms and hope for the best.
Generally, you should never try to outrun a tornado unless you know for
a fact that you can do it safely. This is when an escape route becomes
very important.
Q: Do I need to be a Meteorologist to storm
chase?
A: Not at all. People from all walks of life storm chase. There are a
lot of Meteorologists that storm chase but it is not required. You do
need to be a proficient forecaster of storms to get the most from your
storm chasing experience.
Q: Do I have to chase for the National Weather
Service or a TV station?
A: No. You can choose to chase for the NWS or a TV station or you can
just chase for your own personal enjoyment. Chasing for the NWS or TV
station does have it's rewards because you will be relaying information
to them to help in the warning process and you may even save lives by
doing this.
Q: What do I do if no storms form on a chase
day?
A: (Check your forecasting skills! :-) Seriously, your forecasting
skills might be the best in the business but everyone gets skunked once
in a while. No matter what we predict or think might happen on a chase
day, it's all up to Mother Nature. Some things to do on a bust day
include, taking some photographs of whatever interests you. Maybe just
driving around enjoying the day. If your close to Norman, Ok you could
go tour the OU campus or just do whatever you want. You can go back home
if you want and hope the next day will be better. The point is, don't be
upset with a bust day because the outcome was not to your liking. If we
went out and saw a tornado everyday, it would no longer be unpredictable
and exciting.
Q: What is a target area?
A: A target area is an area that chasers forecast to be the best area
for severe weather. When the Storm Prediction Center puts out an area
for severe weather it may cover hundreds of miles. A good chaser
forecasts the best area for severe weather (2 or 3 days in advance) and
refines the area until the moment he or she leaves the house.
Q: Should I advise people to take shelter under
an overpass if caught in a tornado?
A: Certainly Not!! This is one of the worst places to be when caught
in a tornado other than inside a vehicle. If you are chasing and see a
tornado coming and also see people stopping along the highway to get
underneath an overpass, advise them to get out of there and get in a low
lying ditch. Getting under an overpass is bad because the small space
under the overpass causes the winds to increase a lot more than they
already are. It's the same affect as squeezing a garden hose with the
water on. The water comes out faster because of the smaller hole in
which it is traveling through.
Q: Will I see a lot of tornadoes while storm
chasing?
A: The odds are against you. There may be times when you don't see a
tornado all season. There also may be rare times when you see 5
tornadoes in one day. These events are rare as in the outbreak in
Oklahoma on 5-3-99. That's why storm chasing is so exciting, you never
know what you might see on any given chase day.
If you have a question that is
not listed here, please feel free to
e-mail
me.
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