Biggest fear in 2004 chases....

[Jimmy Deguara]

Hi,

Scariest moment all time for me? May 27, 2001. I got caught in the \"People Chaser\" derecho near El Reno, Oklahoma on I-40 - most likely driving into the RFD of one of the embedded HP supercells. Pitch black dark except for the lightning, zero visibility in horizontal rain, and winds gusting anywhere from 75-100 mph trying to blow me off the road.

You too!! Yes - we were chased by this event for 3 hours and although the lightning and structure was incredible, I must say turning east to Lawton was one of the scariest moments at that time!! Very similar to the experience you mention. I'd rather not go through it again.

Since then we have been relatively close for comfort to tornadoes on the 12th May 2004, and 24th May 2004.

Regards,

Jimmy Deguara

 

[Craig Maire II]

Scariest moment experienced this year while chasing!

2004 has been another AWSOME year for me; I have seen/videotaped atleast 9 tornados, witnessed NUMEROUS hail events, wall clouds, etc. The only really scary moment that I can recall from this year was a flash flood that I and my girlfriend encountered while tracking tornadic storms in central Iowa on 5/24/04. We were hot on the trail of a tornadic supercell in Madison County Iowa and were forced to head through the town of Earlham on our way toward I-80 when things got interesting; right when we first entered Earlham we pulled over so I could take pictures of the hail that had accumulated on the road and in the ditches but quickly decided to move on and try to get to I-80 before the storm got to far away. Besides the large amounts of hail that had fallen in this little town a massive amount of rain had also plagued the area. When we drove deeper into Earlham it quickly seemed that all the roads in town were flooded and we might have to take a BIG detour, which would probably cost us the storm. I am very familiar with with the rules etc. concerning flash floods etc. but on this day decided that there was no time for a detour and that if the TRUCK in front of us could drive through that LITTLE STREAM crossing the road that we could to! We quickly found once we were in the middle of this stream that what was actually happening was that a CREEK was overflowing its banks and we soon regreted our decision to follow the truck infront of us. We did make it through this ordeal without losing the car or our lives but it did take about 20 years off my life! The water turned out to be flowing at a pretty good rate and was atleast a foot to nearly 2 feet deep, I remember saying to my girlfriend:
DON'T STOP, WHAT EVER YOU DO, DON'T STOP!! I made up my mind after this near disaster that never again would this happen and that no storm is worth driving through a water covered road, no matter how innocent looking!