Matt Gingery
Yeah, Shane pretty much sums it up. If someone would be so kind to produce a picture for Jim as to what I am referring to.
Yeah, Shane pretty much sums it up. If someone would be so kind to produce a picture for Jim as to what I am referring to.
Mark Sefried
EF2
The mobile batting cage is the work of Chris Heater (MIDSCAR) and he lives in Champaign, IL. I saw it once out on the road earlier in the year and sort of chuckled at it. I think it was built for a hail interceptor. My first thought when I first saw it was hmmmm...I wonder what would happen if that vehicle ever hit a deer and it got stuck in the netting, lol... I am sure someone on ST has a picture of it somewhere.
MatthewCarman
Chris is a member of this site why not just ask him? He is producing a DVD called Storms of 2010 with 25 chases from this year if anyone wants to see his vehicle in action. I think ill pass.
Jason Bolt
He gets a lot of flack, but Reed Timmer has got to be mentioned. Hollingshead, Umscheid, Roger Hill, and Piotrowski all deserve mention as well. They have time and again been in the right place at the right time and delivered some fantastic stills and videos.
Just like the Academy Awards, it seems there is an award every year for someone who has given back to the community. Now THAT is an award I would like to see handed out every year. Hmm... that is a good thread idea... be right back!
Just like the Academy Awards, it seems there is an award every year for someone who has given back to the community. Now THAT is an award I would like to see handed out every year. Hmm... that is a good thread idea... be right back!
Joshua Nall
EF4
Maybe this will quench some curiosity. I was admiring the ingenuity as I snapped a picture of it in OK this year. Not the most stylish chase vehicle out there, but interesting.
John J. Holt
EF0
Verne Carlson, Michael Phelps, Reed Timmer, Shane Adams, David Drummond, Roger Hill, Jim Reed,Mike Hollingshead, Dick McGowan,Reed Timmer These are not in any order they are all great...
Matt Gingery
I haven't had the chance to answer this question myself considering it was my post to begin with. When I think of best chasers I think of Jim Reed. Over the years I have thoroughly enjoyed watching his videos and would have to say my favorite video is of him in the corn field filming a stationary land spout. But the title is best chaser(s) of the decade, and that would have to go to Reed Timmer and his crew, including Joel Taylor. Quality of video and just shear numbers of the videos put out since 1999 has to go to Reed Timmer IMO. I personally watch more of his videos and say "WOW".
Chris Gullikson
EF2
A guy like David Hoadley gets my vote for the best chaser of the decade. I respect a person who uses little technology and lots of experience to end up on the same storm as others and sees great stuff, yet is very modest about it. More importantly, I respect a chaser that is safe and responsible. I have seen too many irresponsible acts of driving by a select few to have any respect for them.
Darren Addy
EF5
My 2 cents...
It would be hard to argue against Roger Hill.
Example: One year on a day when nothing tornado-ish was expected (no watch) I was coming home about 10 PM and saw a pretty good storm off to the west. I wondered how far away it was and so hopped on the radar when i got home. The storm was SW of Gothenburg, NE (in the Middle of Flipping Nowhere rural Nebraska) and I've never seen such a pronounced hook on a storm. Couldn't believe it when I found out that Roger Hill was on it. The next day I was with Ryan McGinnis and he got damage photos of the tornado. The remains of a tractor trailer that had the bad misfortune to drive into it as it crossed I80 was still smeared in the ditch.
If your criteria is Science, I don't know how you could take it away from Tim Samaras. Besides being head of the coolest team on the Discovery Channel series, he designed a probe that actually presses itself into the ground in a tornado and has successfully deployed them in the path of more than one tornado.
If your criteria is self-promotion and entertaining videos, then give it to Reed Timmer. He's parlayed his Discovery Channel appearances into a celebrity status.
But my criteria is the chaser I guess I'd most like to be... and that would be Tim Marshall. He's not a drama queen glory hound, just a chaser's chaser that chases and an all-around good guy.
It would be hard to argue against Roger Hill.
Example: One year on a day when nothing tornado-ish was expected (no watch) I was coming home about 10 PM and saw a pretty good storm off to the west. I wondered how far away it was and so hopped on the radar when i got home. The storm was SW of Gothenburg, NE (in the Middle of Flipping Nowhere rural Nebraska) and I've never seen such a pronounced hook on a storm. Couldn't believe it when I found out that Roger Hill was on it. The next day I was with Ryan McGinnis and he got damage photos of the tornado. The remains of a tractor trailer that had the bad misfortune to drive into it as it crossed I80 was still smeared in the ditch.
If your criteria is Science, I don't know how you could take it away from Tim Samaras. Besides being head of the coolest team on the Discovery Channel series, he designed a probe that actually presses itself into the ground in a tornado and has successfully deployed them in the path of more than one tornado.
If your criteria is self-promotion and entertaining videos, then give it to Reed Timmer. He's parlayed his Discovery Channel appearances into a celebrity status.
But my criteria is the chaser I guess I'd most like to be... and that would be Tim Marshall. He's not a drama queen glory hound, just a chaser's chaser that chases and an all-around good guy.
Dustin Wilcox
EF5
In many cases it's evident who themselves is a seasoned chaser and who watches from the sidelines just by browsing through the last 5 pages...If you're defining "Chaser of the Decade" by gauging who does the best job of exploiting their catches, I'd then agree with many (not all) of the names I've seen listed...If you're choosing "Chaser of the Decade" by naming those with the highest success percentage and those who consistently see the craziest stuff, I'd say there are several who would be in the running who aren't even listed...Seems the names I've seen listed the most, are merely those who spend the most time exploiting their catches; some of the best chasers, for a variety of reasons, simply don't take the time to go viral with their footage.
Another thing about many of the names I see listed, in many cases the names are mentioning chasers who folks have heard a lot from in the past 2-3 years; problem with the past decade is how much chasing changed; to be successful in the early part of the decade took some sort of skill, to be successful in the later part of the decade took nothing more than a little money and some technology...So in looking for a "chaser of the decade" I personally will put MUCH more weight into success in the first half of the decade...
Another thing about many of the names I see listed, in many cases the names are mentioning chasers who folks have heard a lot from in the past 2-3 years; problem with the past decade is how much chasing changed; to be successful in the early part of the decade took some sort of skill, to be successful in the later part of the decade took nothing more than a little money and some technology...So in looking for a "chaser of the decade" I personally will put MUCH more weight into success in the first half of the decade...
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Adam Reagan
EF2
This is a tough one for me because I don't like putting one chaser above others, however the two that top my list are Roger Hill and Jeff Piotrowski with honorable mentions going to Reed Timmer, Lanny Dean, and Scott McPartland for the epic footage's they shot during the period of 2002-2007.
Jim Saueressig
EF5
It looks like some people have already who the best known chasers are so maybe that's how we decide. 
, caught amazing close range video footage as a destructive tornado destroyed a farmhouse in Wilkin, County, Minnesota on Saturday.
Paul Knightley
EF5
It might be true that the chaser(s) of the decade keep themselves to themselves, and don't shout about it! 
Jesse Risley
Staff member
I don't even think I can answer the question. I don't know everyone who chases, and therefore I have no idea who all has been exposed to the various impressive weather phenomena that has graced the past decade.
As others have noted, there are those who might have went inactive in recent years that had a great start to the decade, and then there are those who do not put themselves into the limelight, yet have impressive footage to pepper a very stellar "resume." In the last several years, technology has fostered live streams, more live footage from chasers on major national networks and the advent on software programs like Spotter Network. In addition, more and more chasers have started websites and blogs. All of this has catapulted the notoriety of an increasing number of chasers, though mostly since 2006.
However, most of us have no way to include very active, successful (that's an arbitrary term to begin with) chasers that just aren't as well connected because they choose not to expose themselves using one or more of the aforementioned means. However, rest assured there are chasers out there who are pretty 'successful' and have a rather stellar collection of documentation to prove it, yet they remain low-profile.
As others have noted, there are those who might have went inactive in recent years that had a great start to the decade, and then there are those who do not put themselves into the limelight, yet have impressive footage to pepper a very stellar "resume." In the last several years, technology has fostered live streams, more live footage from chasers on major national networks and the advent on software programs like Spotter Network. In addition, more and more chasers have started websites and blogs. All of this has catapulted the notoriety of an increasing number of chasers, though mostly since 2006.
However, most of us have no way to include very active, successful (that's an arbitrary term to begin with) chasers that just aren't as well connected because they choose not to expose themselves using one or more of the aforementioned means. However, rest assured there are chasers out there who are pretty 'successful' and have a rather stellar collection of documentation to prove it, yet they remain low-profile.
Jason Foster
Because my focus has shifted more toward tropical stuff in these past few years...my post will be for best TROPICAL chaser:
Jim Edds.
Since the turn of the millenia, Jim has chased more cyclonic tropical activity than I think anyone else. Not settling for just Atlantic basin storms, Jim ventures west to Mexico, Guam and more. He takes some of the best video and has been featured for his work extensively. He is an easy going guy and I've enjoyed chasing with him in the past.
OK...if I had to pick on 'plains' chaser, it would got to Tim Marshall. Not only a good all around chasers, forecaster, but Tim also provides insight and digs deeper into what tornadoes mean for everyone with his wind and structural interests. Perhaps my architectural background plays into that, but I think anyone who chases for more than just footage and glory deserves a little recognition for it.
Jim Edds.
Since the turn of the millenia, Jim has chased more cyclonic tropical activity than I think anyone else. Not settling for just Atlantic basin storms, Jim ventures west to Mexico, Guam and more. He takes some of the best video and has been featured for his work extensively. He is an easy going guy and I've enjoyed chasing with him in the past.
OK...if I had to pick on 'plains' chaser, it would got to Tim Marshall. Not only a good all around chasers, forecaster, but Tim also provides insight and digs deeper into what tornadoes mean for everyone with his wind and structural interests. Perhaps my architectural background plays into that, but I think anyone who chases for more than just footage and glory deserves a little recognition for it.
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