I’m still in the beginner stage. I’d like to share a couple of things that I think have helped me.
As I started learning the basics, I chased non-severe rain showers that were close to home. The benefit I got from that was experiencing things such as the difficulty of chasing something that isn’t confined to using the roads the way you are. Until you're in that situation, you don't realize how bad you are at quickly choosing a path, with safe escape routes, that still keeps you close enough to the storm. It's something that you'll learn pretty easily, but your first chase or two will involve some major routing mistakes. Things like missing turns because you were distracted cost valuable time. It's frustrating when you can't call timeout and make the storm stop and wait on you.
I also got to practice the limitations of not being able to stare at radar while driving. I learned that I was ill-prepared for a loss of cell phone signal (I'm glad that my panic moment happened when I was in no danger. Now, I'm always preparing and modifying my plan of what to do when I lose signal. This includes knowing Highway numbers, the directions they go, and knowing the names of towns that are in the direction of escape.)
Some things you learn by trial and error. I learned that planning and adjusting routes by looking at GPS is difficult when you have so many other things going on.
-Because of this experience, I bought a paper map to use in conjunction with GPS.
-Because I bought a paper map, I learned how impossible it is to glance at the map while driving and read anything that's on it.
-Because the map was too cluttered to be useful, I bought a Rand McNally map that's part of their series called "Easy to Read".
-Because I bought the Easy to Read map, I learned how damn big an Easy to Read map is.
-Because I need to look out my windshield when driving, I learned how to unfold the Easy to Read map before the chase starts, and fold and crease and fold and crease it to where my target area is in an easy to hold square.
-Because, the chase usually continues to another part of the map, I learned that during the fold and crease and fold and crease process before the chase, it's possible to fold the map in a way that the next square you will need will be on the flip side. It's not a Rubik's Cube. It's paper. You can force it to fold any way you want.
I'm a father of two with a decent education and a long history of successful employment. It took me four chases to figure the out the map thing. Don't think you're smart enough to get everything right on the first try. Experience will point out your flaws and you will resolve them. These "practice" chases will help you.
As a beginner, you'll be distracted by many things on your mind while you're chasing. Try to find ways to make things easier on you mentally. I can calculate Z-Time in my head, just like everybody else can. But, because I'm a beginner, nothing about chasing or meteorology is second nature to me yet. Therefore, when I'm wanting to know where the HRRR is forecasting 150+ 0-1km Storm Relative Helicity for an hour from now; by the time I calculate in my head when that will be in Z-Time, I can't remember who Felicity is or how she's Related to the Storm. But, if I take $7.98 to WalMart, I can purchase a 24-hour digital watch, leave it on it's plastic packaging so that it sits nicely on my dashboard, and now I'm living in Z-Time! Not having to do unnecessary calculations helps me to focus on what 0-1km Storm Relative Helicity is and why it's important. I might even be thinking clearly enough to go ahead and find out where the 0-
3km Storm Relative Helicity is going to be greater than 350.
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Being a beginner is fun, because you're always getting better and always learning something that's new to you. I've found that there's many good podcasts, Chasercon lectures, and educational classes online. I like listening to a lesson or a course, and then finding another one that's covering the same thing. Hearing different people explaining the same thing helps to verify to myself that I understand a concept. It also makes it easier for me to identify the things that I misunderstood the first time.
I hope these ideas can help you a little.
