BEST CHASE YEAR EVER

[Simon Brewer]

Few weeks ago made my Spring 2013 forecast, which inspired me to request the personal opinion of chasers and weather nuts on what year or years they thought were the best for chasing. I'm not asking for favorite chase years, but opinions on the best. Dr. Howard Bluestein once told me his opinion of the best chase year was 1981.

With respect to quality chasing throughout the duration of the Spring Mar-June these are my picks: 1990, 1991, 1995, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2011

Haven't been able to find enough data to make judgements on pre-1980's chase years; found some big tornadoes in most years, but not comprehensive data to suggest anything more.

What's your opinion on the best chase year or years (not favorite personal chase year)?

 

[Brett Roberts]

I feel like there's not enough documentation (video/photos) to make good conclusions about anything prior to ~2004. Before then, I can see days like Campo or Bowdle going unnoticed by the small cohort of active chasers, most of whom were based in OK and geographically biased. Or, even if one or two chasers scored on such days, they may have fallen out of the hobby since and not have their documentation available online.

For the "modern era" with hundreds of active chasers, almost every single Plains setup being chased by someone, and numerous chaser websites providing images, my ranking would be:

1. 2004
2. 2010
3. 2011
4. 2007
5. 2008
6. 2005
7. 2012
8. 2009
9. 2006

Going back to the beginning of the 90s, I feel there's enough evidence to rank 1991 and 1995 up in the top tier with the likes of 2004 and 2010. In fact, both those years seem to have been even better for the southern Plains, which received disproportionate chaser attention in that era. But, again, who knows how many jaw-dropping storms transpired in places like the Dakotas or E CO/WY with no documentation in the old days.

 

[Adam Lucio]

Since I really started following the weather in 2004 I would have to say 2010 is top contender. It seemed there were always beautiful tornadoes happening somewhere in 2010.

 

[Dan Robinson]

1995 and 2004 have always stood out to me as the best peak-season years (April 15-June 15). I'm biased toward 2004, not only because I chased it, but because it seemed you just couldn't bust that year. In 2004, storms almost always did what you hoped they'd do. Other years have had some spectacular singular events, but many were outside of the traditional peak season that most chasers go out for (May-early June). In my mind, post-June 15 events are outside the scope of most vacationers, requiring a chaser to be able to spot-chase multiple times to catch those good events. They are quality events, but require more work and expense to catch them than a good peak season in the central/southern Plains (unless you skip peak season for a June-only, northern Plains chase trip).

(EDIT - meant to say 1995, not 1991)

 

[Jacob Ferden]

My top two, based on chase logs, videos, etc...would be 1995 and 2004. 2004 needs no explanation, but just to rattle off some of what happened in May and early June of 1995:

May 07 - High risk, tornadoes near Amarillo and DFW
May 22 - tornadoes near Pampa, TX
May 29 - supercells in SW Texas
May 31 - tornadoes in central TX
June 2 - major tornadoes in the Texas panhandle (Dimmitt, etc.)
June 3 - supercells with several tornado reports in the Texas panhandle
June 4 - more supercells in the Texas panhandle
June 5 - major day, with a wedge near Dougherty, TX
June 8 - huge day, Kellerville, TX wedge, tornadoes at Pampa, TX and elsewhere
June 9 - tornadoes in western north Texas

Put simply, I wish I could go back in time and chase that season.

 

[Rob H]

I wasn't chasing, but I always hear the veterans gushing about 2004 - so that's another vote for it.

 

[Shane Adams]

Personally my best year was 2004. Historically (at least in the 'modern' era) I've always been told most chasers regard 1991 as the best year ever. 1991 was well-dispersed throughout the entire season, while 2004 was basically a dud through the first week of May then exploded throughout the rest of May and into June.