Chase trips - are you as flexible as you can be?

[Dan Robinson]

We've discussed at length the best times to schedule a fixed-date chase vacation (which is the last half of May). But as we all know, the atmosphere operates on its own schedule - it simply does what it will, when it will. We can't change it, and it certainly will not change to accommodate us. So, to successfully see its displays, we must mold our schedules to that of the atmosphere's - that is, chase when good patterns present themselves. To preface this, I understand that many are bound by family and job obligations and the prospect of chase trip flexibility is simply impossible. If that's you, this post isn't directed at you at all. For others, I get the impression sometimes that *some* additional flexibility might be attainable, but might not be considered to the degree it could be.

Some of this boils down to personality. Some are of the type to be in complete control of their day-to-day lives, planning every hour or day in advance. To deviate from this is to introduce uncomfortable chaos, and is unacceptable. I know several people like this who have wanted to go chasing with me, but they always back out because there is something going on that week that they don't wan't to postpone. I'm not talking about a wedding or the birth of a child, I'm talking about things like cleaning the gutters out on their house that Saturday, defrosting the freezer, a dental appointment, picking up a suit from the cleaners, or some other errand or chore that they want to get done. "Can we leave a couple days later so I can get this done first?" some say. I respond with "I wish that were possible, but the atmosphere doesn't wait". In the end, they choose not to go, simply because it interrupts their rigidly-planned routines.

Surprisingly, some of these same people tend to complain after the fact that their chase seasons have been bad. I say no: A truly bad season (like 2006, 2009 or 2018 so far) is rare. Tornado season is April-May-June, and almost every year, there are good patterns during that timeframe. The main reason most have "bad" seasons is because they don't go when the atmosphere says it is time to go. Again, I know, for some, this is completely out of their control. For others, I believe it might not entirely be. Let's take 2012 for example. 2012 was in fact an excellent season, for no other reason that it produced one exceptional day on April 14. What more can you ask of the atmosphere? It gave a nearly perfect tornado setup, with days of advance notice, and it produced!

What are the reasons you hear for missing days or systems like April 14, 2012? Some are valid. "I couldn't get off of work". "My son had a little league game". Others, not so much. "I had a big to-do list at home that day". "I had a dental checkup that Friday." "I wanted to get my 10-mile run in that afternoon and didn't have time for the flight". My question is: what's wrong with postponing the to-do list for the next weekend? Or calling up the dentist and saying " I need to reschedule my appointment" (even if they charge you $50 for the missed date)? I expect the non-chasers I know to not care enough about seeing a tornado to rearrange their lives around them in the spring. It's puzzling though to see some chasers, who presumably *do* care, not willing to make the adjustments.

Everyone is different, and maybe getting the to-do list at home done that day really is more important for some than seeing a tornado. It's not wrong to be that way, and I'm not being critical of you if you are. To each their own. But don't expect the atmosphere to be so generous in giving you great storms & tornadoes when you don't do the one necessary thing: simply being there when it happens. Other hobbies have similar dilemmas: the bird or wildlife migrations/flocks that only happen at a certain time. Solar eclipses. Heck, even fireworks over a city on the 4th of July. If you want to see amazing things in the world, you have to go there when they happen, not when it's 100% convenient for you. If you're always missing it because of the to-do list at home, maybe the "bad seasons" you keep having might rest more on you than on the weather.

 

[Jeff House]

Oh I know the excuses are amazing! OK I'm venting a little, but I cannot believe some of the things potential chase partners have to do. Then they act like I'm bothering them after they asked to go. No it don't work that way. I got other chase partners and if they don't know, they don't go!

OK, OK, Dan is trying to start a positive thread here. First step is set up a floating vacation request at work. Most managers understand, even if they are not into weather. They usually do understand fickle nature in general. Next try to keep the personal calendar generally clear in May (or some other 3-4 week period). Only agree to things with condition, not storm chasing. Finally there will be major things one simply has to do, graduations, weddings, performances, sports. Just try to keep them at a minimum. Two closer together is better than spread out at 4-5 day increments, virtually guaranteeing no chase. Some years, unfortunately, the one event will be during the one chase. Most years are not as wretched as 2017 and 2018 though. Two or three chances typically come up.

That said, exceptional sequences are generally 3-5 years apart. This hobby demands flexibility if one wants to see a really special show, 3-4 cycles and 60-90 total tornado minutes. Even a 10-15 minute single tornado requires one drop the dry cleaning BS, lol!

 

[Dave C]

I can agree, having had chase partners who will not get themselves into flexible scenarios. I also know several people with no jobs who chase literally everything and probably think I am inflexible.

I'm somewhere in the middle, having chipped out a tenuous ability to leave work on moments notice during the 6 or so weeks of prime storm time each year, and maybe get out afternoons for local excursions outside of that window. It really isn't always that easy for my peers to arrange at their work, and it took some clever thinking to get it done for myself. Some managers understand, some do not. In some industries bosses want people predictable and working. My best advice is pencil in the days during the weeks you expect to use them ahead of time, and try to slide the dates around as needed during the season. At least managers in certain industries can work knowing roughly when they will be missing a person or a certain job slows down.

Regardless, in my brief storm photography career it has helped to be flexible and keep trying. I've been at it since 2012, arguably the start in a downturn of good storm/tornado years if you ask some. I've seen some pretty sweet tornadoes, structures, lightning, and atmospheres but missed a lot too.

For me, flexibility is important, but not just the kind practical flexibility you are mentioning- I think people should change their chase goals so that they have fun and success without seeing tornadoes. Structure, road trip sights, etc can all be fun. I'll admit in a year like this year, you might as well see blue sky as grey mush (except for Tescott, KS) and it takes a lot of mental gymnastics to call the miles fun when there is almost never a reward in line with the primary goal and all your enjoyment comes from secondary entertainment.

As for commitment level and dates flexibility- people who want to be out there will find a way to at least make it sometimes. Jobs, families, etc. are real reasons not to be out there. People who make other lame excuses for anything and refuse to commit have no right to make a complaint later.

 

[Jeremy Perez]

I haven’t experienced a potential chase partner waffling due to nitpicky personal agendas—my daughter is the only other long-haul chase partner I’ve had and she knows the workflow by this point I definitely try to build in flexibility to increase odds of hitting the best time frame. Not everyone has flexible vacation options from work. And that (plus important family matters) definitely qualifies as a hard barrier to getting out there at the right time. I do what Jeff was describing—try to keep the calendar light toward the end of May/early June. If climatology & forecast looks promising in the week or two leading up (not this year), I try to balance opportunity with good will by asking coworkers to avoid scheduling things during that time. But if something critical needs to be hammered out, then schedule must-have discussions for early morning so I can join meetings remotely while I’m hopefully not in chase mode. A lot of people don’t have a work situation that will let that happen though.

But yeah, dentist appointments & other mundane/reschedulable things definitely get rearranged. For some folks though, I think that a very rigid, weeks-&-months-in-advance schedule is the key to holding their lives together. Break that, and it discombobulates their entire groove. Improving storm chasing odds in those cases just may not be an option.

 

[Robert Forry]

Most of what I hear is "lack of finances" and "we had prior plans." I totally get those both, but I always make sure I have enough money saved and clear my schedule in April, May and June.

The financial part is the first priority for me, followed by making sure things are taken care of ahead of time at work. No dough, and no time off equals no chasing... Regarding the "prior plans" thing, family and friends know now not even to bother asking if I'll be available anymore. They already know what they're going to hear... "yeah sure, I can do that, but if there's a set up, you know where I'll be." Heck, I don't even schedule schedule seeing any rock shows during that time.

 

[Drew Terril]

For me, I made a choice that resulted in less flexibility to chase every time I want, but after the issues I had first in the 2 years after Active Duty, and 2015 when oil crashed and it killed my income, I was tired of living paycheck to paycheck (and not being able to chase because I was getting crap pay and was barely scraping by). I accept that I'll miss a majority of the good setups for the foreseeable future (unless we have another 2015 where they line up on weekends). It's the price I pay to remove a large amount of stress from my life (and the associated health issues that long term stress tends to cause).

I know I'll never have the numbers that most have who have chased as many years as me has under their belt. I made bad life decisions in an effort to "keep up with the Joneses" of the chasing world and didn't rack up any numbers to speak of to even compensate back years ago. Not anymore. I generally chase solo though so I'm also not impeding on anyone else's plans if I'm not able to get out.


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[Jeremy Bower]

My chase opportunities are somewhat limited due to my job with the state of Nebraska. I can't complain too much. I'm well respected apparently for my meteorology knowledge, I get all the major holidays off paid, and I have a decent retirement to fall back on. Not too shabby. The steady 8 to 5 job is not exactly optimal for chasing as it pretty much eliminates most of the opportunities that come up. I'm able to chase for about one to two weeks a year in terms of a chasecation but most of my chasing will be localized on weeknights or weekends. Hopefully within the next few years I'll be able to have longer vacations so I can chase more. Last year I only chased one week and took two weeks off in November to go to Hawaii with my wife...not exactly complaining there.

I've made it a habit not to compare myself too much to other chasers' successes. All I know is that will leave one unhappy and borderline depressed most of the time. It's a fun hobby and I do the best I can with what I can. Leoti...*sigh* Just kidding.

 

[Dan Robinson]

FWIW, I've been averaging 5-7 Plains chase days per year, mostly during two or three short trips. I don't even use half of my PTO on chasing. Point being, if you go when the pattern's good, you don't have to have a lot of days off available - just being able to shift when you take them matters the most.

 

[John Farley]

Heck, I don't even schedule schedule seeing any rock shows during that time.

We had tickets to Crosby, Stills, and Nash at the Sandia Casino amphitheater in Albuquerque on what turned out to be the day of Campo. Were it not for that, I probably would have chased with a target of northeast NM, and could have easily made it. Watched it unfold and more or less sit there for hours before we left for the show. Have kind of avoided May shows since then. That said, it was a great show in a great setting, with the sunset lighting the Sandia Mountains as a backdrop to the performers. So I am not complaining. Well, not much anyway. ;-)

 

[John Moore]

I am mostly retired so I generally have few time commitments. But, I also live in the Phoenix area, which is at least a 10 hour drive from the nearest tornado territory - or at least, supercell country most of the time. The other problem is chase partners with time commitments. Finally, I do not want to do long drives alone - both for personal safety and because I dislike it.

So, at the moment, I'm sitting at home. If I lived in the Midwest, I'd probably have been out once or twice already.

 

[Drew Terril]

FWIW, I've been averaging 5-7 Plains chase days per year, mostly during two or three short trips. I don't even use half of my PTO on chasing. Point being, if you go when the pattern's good, you don't have to have a lot of days off available - just being able to shift when you take them matters the most.

That's the tough part on my end. While I do have *some* flexibility, I can't take just one day off. I have to take an entire 3 day run off (that's about a $600 hit on my paycheck). I also need to have arrangements made a week in advance, which eliminates spur of the moment setups. But, like I said before, that's the sacrifice I made to ensure financial stability and not having to work until the day of my funeral, and still have a job that I don't absolutely hate.


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[JamesCaruso]

Dan, thanks for starting another good topic for discussion.

Agreed that some people may let meaningless things get in the way of chasing. But I would venture to guess most of them are not serious chasers.

Aside from that subgroup, this is going to vary widely based on each chaser’s unique situation, probably mostly defined by work demands, as the family events are more likely to be one-offs as opposed to annual conflicts.

It took me many years of fixed vacation commitments until I got to a point in my professional career where I had some flexibility in scheduling a chase trip. But I have too much responsibility to be completely flexible. My strategy now (which I have posted in other threads) is to set aside a three week “window” for chasing - generally the last two weeks of May and the first week of June. I always want to be home for Mother’s Day though, so that could knock out a weekend. For example this year my window was May 14 toJune 3. However, I can realistically only be away two consecutive weeks - both from a work and family perspective. So if “Week 1” of the window looks good, I head out, and my trip will be “Week 1” and “Week 2” of the window. If Week 1 does not look good, then I wait and use “Week 2” and “Week 3”. Normally once I am down to only the two weeks left in the window, I will head out no matter what, even if it doesn’t look great, as long as it’s not a complete blue sky death ridge. Of course, I could theoretically end up chasing from the middle of Week 1 to the middle of Week 3, but I prefer to start and end on a weekend if possible because it makes for a longer trip: usually I can squeak out extra time by leaving on a Friday (maybe even flying out on a Thursday night after work) and returning two weeks later on a Sunday. But if the first potential weekend of the trip does not look active, I will usually stay home and start the trip on a Monday; no reason to miss the weekend at home with the family for no reason. The hard part is when Week 1 looks “OK” but not *great*: Do I go for it, or let it ride for a potentially better pattern later? As you can see, with this strategy I am chasing no matter what in the middle of the window - “Week 2” - so it becomes a decision of whether to trade Week 1 for an unknowable outcome in Week 3 (remind anyone of the old game show, “Let’s Make a Deal”?)

In a year like 2018, I have already shifted my window into a “Week 4,” which I can’t necessarily do every year. My original window was May 14 to June 3 this year, but obviously neither of the weeks of May 14 or May 21 looked good. So now I am looking at starting the week of May 28, and have extended my “window” into the week of June 4. However, assuming it is worth heading out next week, it is going to have to look pretty good for me to stay out there past June 4, because I would be missing a family event on June 5. In any event, I do not have that entire extra week of June 4available to me because of a family trip beginning June 8. I was able to at least add a few extra conditional days into my window this year, but my total trip will end up being less than two weeks (if I get out there at all...)

The whole concept of these multiple short trips that Dan talks about is not appealing to me. For one thing, having to fly from the east coast is much more of a hassle, and I just don’t want to have to do it more than once. Not to mention it’s expensive, although I do have a lot of miles to use from frequent business travel earlier in my career and also from an airline miles credit card. But the main thing is, I enjoy the cadence of a two-week chase trip. It feels more like an adventure, being on the road for that long. I get really immersed in it, almost like I am a totally different person for two weeks. Two individual one-week trips might be OK, but still obviously more trouble and expense than just one contiguous two-week trip. If my current remaining window in 2018 only features one week of decent activity, I would consider going out for a separate additional week later in June, but with Father’s Day and other family events it’s going to be tough to find a decent stretch.

Having said all of this about my strategy, it is somewhat stressful to maintain flexibility, and I sometimes think I would be better off just picking two weeks and setting it in stone for better or for worse. When I maintain a noncommittal flexibility, my boss and coworkers don’t think of me as definitively scheduled to be away at a particular time, nor does my family, and it becomes more likely that I’ll get sucked into something that arises unexpectedly and then I may not be able to leave when I want to. I am always on edge and anxious, worried that the longer I wait, the more can go wrong to keep me at work or at home, and the less likely I am to actually get away. When I finally decide to hit the road, it becomes to family and co-workers almost as if I’m leaving suddenly and without warning, even though I previously informed them of my “window”. If it was scheduled more firmly and with more certainty, less can happen to get in the way. It’s also hard to keep my work calendar free from meetings and commitments for a solid three consecutive weeks. So that’s the downside of my strategy. This year in particular, I feel like I am in limbo, still hoping to get away and not fully engaged in my work as I remain preoccupied with if/when I am heading out.






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[Quincy Vagell]

This is somewhat related. One of the main reasons why I almost exclusively chase alone is that I don't have to answer to or rely on anyone. People's plans and minds change and if I'm chasing alone, I don't have to worry about any of the what-ifs that come with chasing with others.

Early in my chasing career, I used to chase with others more often than I do now, but a few experiences with a clear lack of flexibility swayed me away from that.

There was one time in which I missed much of a tornado outbreak because the chaser I was staying with wanted to sleep in the day of the event. Staying at their family's house, there wasn't much choice, I didn't want to be rude. However, my chase approach is that I almost always get up early on a chase day (without an alarm) and I try to get into position as early as possible. You never know when traffic or construction may slow you down, storms end up developing early or you have to significantly change your target in the moment.

Other times I've chased with those who are very picky about food options, hotels, etc. When I'm chasing, I'm focused primarily on storms. I don't mind visiting interesting restaurants along the way, if time permits, but going out of the way during a chase rarely makes sense. I'm actually picky with food myself, but I pack most of my own food. It saves money and time, but it's also healthier than relying on fast food. For lodging, I don't stay at the worst hotels, but I also don't limit myself to 5-star establishments. As it is out in the Plains, sometimes you are hours away from a relatively big city, so options are limited. Part of the reason why I'm able to chase so much is that I try to be efficient with finding good hotels that are inexpensive. I also joined Wyndham Rewards and I know that the vast majority of their properties are good, plus the points add up quick. When it doubt, I'll check and cross-reference reviews online.

Going back a bit to more of the original focus of this thread...
I agree with @Dan Robinson about how people have different personalities. Some people are very flexible and adaptive, but others need more control and order in their days. The way I chase is that I often don't know exactly where I'm going until a few hours prior. As we all know, the location where we expect to chase the following day can change drastically. Sometimes what looked like a good chase day will just evaporate last minute. This doesn't work well for many people. I've also come to accept that some people just have trouble committing, where seemingly small plans or changes in their days can cause them to back out of past commitments. When I make plans, I stick to those and don't back out unless something major comes up, or in the case of weather, the pattern simply becomes unfavorable for worthwhile chasing. If anything, I go out of my way to make chasing possible, not the other way around.

Overall, I think that a large percentage of the storm chase community is flexible. You kind of have to be given how fickle and complex the atmosphere can be. Another takeaway from this thread is to be emotionally flexible. Weather patterns can get you down, but try to stay positive and look forward to the next chase. After all, sometimes it's the days that appeared uninteresting that ended up producing great storms/chase memories.

 

[Brett Roberts]

This is somewhat related. One of the main reasons why I almost exclusively chase alone is that I don't have to answer to or rely on anyone. People's plans and minds change and if I'm chasing alone, I don't have to worry about any of the what-ifs that come with chasing with others.

Early in my chasing career, I used to chase with others more often than I do now, but a few experiences with a clear lack of flexibility swayed me away from that.

There was one time in which I missed much of a tornado outbreak because the chaser I was staying with wanted to sleep in the day of the event. Staying at their family's house, there wasn't much choice, I didn't want to be rude. However, my chase approach is that I almost always get up early on a chase day (without an alarm) and I try to get into position as early as possible. You never know when traffic or construction may slow you down, storms end up developing early or you have to significantly change your target in the moment.

Other times I've chased with those who are very picky about food options, hotels, etc. When I'm chasing, I'm focused primarily on storms. I don't mind visiting interesting restaurants along the way, if time permits, but going out of the way during a chase rarely makes sense. I'm actually picky with food myself, but I pack most of my own food. It saves money and time, but it's also healthier than relying on fast food. For lodging, I don't stay at the worst hotels, but I also don't limit myself to 5-star establishments. As it is out in the Plains, sometimes you are hours away from a relatively big city, so options are limited. Part of the reason why I'm able to chase so much is that I try to be efficient with finding good hotels that are inexpensive. I also joined Wyndham Rewards and I know that the vast majority of their properties are good, plus the points add up quick. When it doubt, I'll check and cross-reference reviews online.

Going back a bit to more of the original focus of this thread...
I agree with @Dan Robinson about how people have different personalities. Some people are very flexible and adaptive, but others need more control and order in their days. The way I chase is that I often don't know exactly where I'm going until a few hours prior. As we all know, the location where we expect to chase the following day can change drastically. Sometimes what looked like a good chase day will just evaporate last minute. This doesn't work well for many people. I've also come to accept that some people just have trouble committing, where seemingly small plans or changes in their days can cause them to back out of past commitments. When I make plans, I stick to those and don't back out unless something major comes up, or in the case of weather, the pattern simply becomes unfavorable for worthwhile chasing. If anything, I go out of my way to make chasing possible, not the other way around.

Overall, I think that a large percentage of the storm chase community is flexible. You kind of have to be given how fickle and complex the atmosphere can be. Another takeaway from this thread is to be emotionally flexible. Weather patterns can get you down, but try to stay positive and look forward to the next chase. After all, sometimes it's the days that appeared uninteresting that ended up producing great storms/chase memories.

This is somewhat related. One of the main reasons why I almost exclusively chase alone is that I don't have to answer to or rely on anyone. People's plans and minds change and if I'm chasing alone, I don't have to worry about any of the what-ifs that come with chasing with others.

Early in my chasing career, I used to chase with others more often than I do now, but a few experiences with a clear lack of flexibility swayed me away from that.

There was one time in which I missed much of a tornado outbreak because the chaser I was staying with wanted to sleep in the day of the event. Staying at their family's house, there wasn't much choice, I didn't want to be rude. However, my chase approach is that I almost always get up early on a chase day (without an alarm) and I try to get into position as early as possible. You never know when traffic or construction may slow you down, storms end up developing early or you have to significantly change your target in the moment.

Other times I've chased with those who are very picky about food options, hotels, etc. When I'm chasing, I'm focused primarily on storms. I don't mind visiting interesting restaurants along the way, if time permits, but going out of the way during a chase rarely makes sense. I'm actually picky with food myself, but I pack most of my own food. It saves money and time, but it's also healthier than relying on fast food. For lodging, I don't stay at the worst hotels, but I also don't limit myself to 5-star establishments. As it is out in the Plains, sometimes you are hours away from a relatively big city, so options are limited. Part of the reason why I'm able to chase so much is that I try to be efficient with finding good hotels that are inexpensive. I also joined Wyndham Rewards and I know that the vast majority of their properties are good, plus the points add up quick. When it doubt, I'll check and cross-reference reviews online.

Going back a bit to more of the original focus of this thread...
I agree with @Dan Robinson about how people have different personalities. Some people are very flexible and adaptive, but others need more control and order in their days. The way I chase is that I often don't know exactly where I'm going until a few hours prior. As we all know, the location where we expect to chase the following day can change drastically. Sometimes what looked like a good chase day will just evaporate last minute. This doesn't work well for many people. I've also come to accept that some people just have trouble committing, where seemingly small plans or changes in their days can cause them to back out of past commitments. When I make plans, I stick to those and don't back out unless something major comes up, or in the case of weather, the pattern simply becomes unfavorable for worthwhile chasing. If anything, I go out of my way to make chasing possible, not the other way around.

Overall, I think that a large percentage of the storm chase community is flexible. You kind of have to be given how fickle and complex the atmosphere can be. Another takeaway from this thread is to be emotionally flexible. Weather patterns can get you down, but try to stay positive and look forward to the next chase. After all, sometimes it's the days that appeared uninteresting that ended up producing great storms/chase memories.

What relatively new and/or infrequent chasers sometimes lose sight of is that even modest differences in priorities, flexibility, and stress tolerance between two individuals can lead to extreme frustration on a chase -- nevermind an extended, multi-day chase outing.

What often happens when two or more poorly-matched individuals chase together is that the more aggressive person (the one who will make major sacrifices just to maximize the chances of seeing a good storm, even on a questionable setup) is forced to concede his or her priorities. The social pressure, especially in larger groups, tends to go in the direction of "c'mon, man, it's just storms -- let's not (sacrifice family time/waste money/etc.) unless it's really worth it!" This is why I also tend to chase alone, despite really enjoying successful chase days with others.

The irony in this mismatched scenario is that the more casual chaser/passenger often doesn't even realize what frustration he/she is causing, since they don't see chasing as worth that kind of anguish in the first place! I've learned this over the years: if you're a really serious chaser who spends thousands of dollars and dozens of hours during the off-season preparing to maximize your chances of success, it's almost never worth putting someone in your vehicle who has little to no such investment in the outcome of your chases. </buzzkill>

To be clear: while I've more often found myself on the aggressive side of the mismatch, I've once or twice been on the other side, having to begrudgingly continue pursuing a squall line at twilight 6 hours from home. This just goes to illustrate that it's not about one person or group being right or wrong -- it's simply a matter of taking your own vehicle and making your own decisions if you're serious about chasing and have the ability to do so.

 

[Jeff House]

I would add chase partners should have similar risk tolerance in both of two separate categories. First what Brett/Quincy say, risk tolerance of marginal setups disappointing should be similar. Second, safety risk tolerance should be similar. None of us take crazy risks, but some like getting closer than others. That has to match too.

In the latter safety tolerance, it can be solved fairly easily with two vehicles. Pair, or even group, is pretty much together the whole time from lunch/nowcast through cell selection. Split up to document. Rendezvous again for dinner/drinks.

Experienced chasers do have the option to go alone. I have done it but it was not much fun. Like Brett says, it is simply better with a like-minded chase partner(s). Intercepts are more exciting with company. New chasers should always go with at least one other person.