A wonderful day in the neighborhood.

[skipper bennett]

I live on a small ridge on the edge of west Texas in a forested neighborhood of small houses. I am a weather watcher. I am not a chaser. From childhood I have watched the sky and especially storms with wonder. Since I am not a chaser, I observe what a storm exhibits while it is in my fixed field of view as far as structure, phenomena, etc.

A humble question - Can you pinpoint or recall a different "attitude" or "reaction" or "response" to storms as you transitioned from watcher to chaser?

Watchers , like me, tend to see storms in a framework of our surroundings. Distant anvils showing above roofs, shelf clouds glimpsed through a ribbon of sky above a street, a close CG that reflects off the windows...watchers remember storms as they appeared , or were experienced, in their "framework". The high percentage of storm events in my part of Texas tend to be HP and usually consolidated into a line instead of discrete as they were earlier in their lives in west Texas.

Chasers, well obviously, you move to and with the storms. Your photos and videos have shown me a range of storm behavior and conditions that goes way beyond what I see here in my neighborhood.

I would guess that your reaction to storms is so much different now as a chaser.

Oh...another question occurs to me - Project yourself into the future when age or other life conditions dictate that your chasing days are over. How will it feel to see a storm approach your location occur and then move on...without you?

QUALIFIER - Wow, I have just caught up with the changes to ST and browsed through some of the threads. That being said, my post is in no way meant to be a seed for debate on "chaser vs. non-chaser" etc. Hey, it is obvious I am a watcher. I am sincerly interested in how a person who has made the transition from watcher-enthusiast to chaser reacts to storms now versus then.

thanks...............Skipper

 

[rdale]

There are times I _welcome_ the fact that I can't chase... Since it's my job responsibility, if I want to sit out on the back deck and just enjoy the view of a storm rolling in - I can't even if it's my day off. I have to be out in the storm reporting back unless I'm completely sure it won't be severe (but those usually aren't worth much to watch then!)

There's nothing like being out of the area and not having to worry about a storm becoming severe, and just enjoying what it gives me. Wouldn't want that to be the case every time, but it certainly is a nice change...

- Rob

 

[Bill Tabor]

Originally posted by skipper bennett
A humble question - Can you pinpoint or recall a different \"attitude\" or \"reaction\" or \"response\" to storms as you transitioned from watcher to chaser?

Hey Skipper, good questions....

I personally started out as a 'watcher'. I think that watchers make great chasers because they often foster a love of storms.

It wasn't so much a transition of change of an attitude and response as it was an evolution of a desire. For me, the more I saw and experienced storms the more I loved them and wanted to watch them. I began to wonder what it would be like to see them from the beginning and follow them beyond my house. I also wondered about all the phenomenon I had never experienced. Eventually my desire and curiosity just got the better of me. I became somewhat obsessed with weather and then severe weather. The natural inclination when you start following weather is to chase more involved, complex, interesting, and dangerous weather. It's kind of like a drug in some ways where you need more of a fix.

There was some change though in reaction / response I suppose, because storms (almost anywhere) soon became an alarm to chase whereas they used to be a sign to relax and enjoy. I still certainly enjoy storms and experience more intense versions of them, but there is also more work involved to chase them not to mention all the miles driven, the cost, etc. There is something to be said about just sitting back and enjoying a storm.

Originally posted by skipper bennett
Oh...another question occurs to me - Project yourself into the future when age or other life conditions dictate that your chasing days are over. How will it feel to see a storm approach your location occur and then move on...without you?

I think I would be fine with it. That's the way I started and I love to just sit back in a chair on the porch and watch and listen to the rain, thunder, etc it's very relaxing. Well, unless you are talking about dangerous severe storms. I guess also now I know which ones are potentially dangerous typically in the Spring so some of those I don't enjoy as much cause I can't relax as much when they are around without more monitoring on radar etc. Anyway there's something very peaceful and invigorating about enjoying a pleasant summer storm, maybe making a pot of coffee, read a book, write poetry, listen to the birds, various sounds as the storm passes.

 

[Jason McIntosh]

I like to sit and just watch sometimes too. Sometimes I'll watch the dopplar and hope the red part of the storm comes over my neighborhood. When I was young I would always wish that the storm would do damage around my house. My dad always said I had an apatite for destruction. I just like the raw power of mother nature. Plus driving all over heck after storms takes a lot out of a person. It's good to relax sometimes. :wink: