Chaser Convergence

[Nick Nolte]

I am not new to chasing, but I am certainly new to this board as well as chasing in the plains. Reading through the various threads, as well as the forecast thread for 5/10, I'm wondering what kind of circus this convergence is?

From reading the threads it makes it sound like chasing will be difficult because of bumper to bumper traffic, even to the point that some have contemplated playing the underdog storms because they didn't want to deal with the convergence.

So, my question is, as someone who is new to chasing in the area (and I realize the irony in this post, as I will be contributing to the convergence effect) how serious of a problem is this? Can I get examples?

I'm usually one to stay out of others' way, but if you see a grey mazda with Michigan plates, feel free to wave and good luck to those going out tomorrow

 

[rdale]

Convergence depends on a lot of factors. If you hit the search button and type that in, you'll see examples (even animated GIFs) of it in action.

 

[Jason Boggs]

Example: Beautiful isolated supercell to your west with a strong tornado on the ground. Your filming it with lots and lots of other chasers. Cars are lined up a mile to your north and a mile to your south. The tornado gets closer and it's time to leave. Other chasers are leaving too, but due to the mass convergence, you can't go over 30-40 mph. The tornado takes a slight turn and comes right at you. You can't speed up to get away and you get taken out.

 

[Nick Nolte]

Convergence depends on a lot of factors. If you hit the search button and type that in, you'll see examples (even animated GIFs) of it in action.

I was going to search, but the link isn't there, account still too new maybe? I mean I saw some videos on Youtube, like one from Lake McClellan, TX on 4/22/10 and a SN animation from 6/7/09...are situations like that the norm, or are these exceptional cases?

I guess, either way, I'll find out tomorrow

 

[rdale]

Those factors matter. If there is one long-tracked supercell, and that's the only game in town, then you'll be wishing you stayed home and armchaired the day. If it's a day of storms from Nebraska to Texas, and dozens of separate TORs, you're probably okay.

 

[Jason Boggs]

Also, something I learned this year on April 22nd with the circus of chasers that were out. Park in the direction of your escape route. I was filming a tornadic wall cloud to my NW. It got closer as it was right turning and it was time to go south. My vehicle was facing north on the side of the road. Of course there were a lot of vehicles to my north that were going south also. I had to wait for at least 3 or 4 minutes before I could turn around and go south as the wall cloud churned ever so close. Those 3 or 4 minutes of waiting seems like forever when danger is headed your direction. If I had initially been facing south, I could have saved a few minutes of waiting time.