Different Forms of Chasers - 2010 Version

[Michael Nicolaou]

Jeff,

Indeed a great post and winking not necessary to the armchair chasers... I mean observers....I mean support.....

(On second thought, can we avoid Chaser Support as the category name? Makes me think of gorilla hail in jock straps for some reason)

 

[markstauss]

Jeff,

Excellent breakdown.

I thought we Cruise Chasers were a smaller minority than we appear to be. Silly non-meteorological career keeps me from moving to techno-chaser and then onto veteran techno-chaser.

 

[cstrunk]

Cruise Chaser fits me well.

 

[Matt Gingery]

What about the ones who lurk around every corner of this forum like a skilled hunter. Waiting for some poor unsuspecting chaser to incorrectly post or to project too much anger towards another and then they suddenly appear and pounce on the unsuspecting chaser like a mountain lion on a culled antelope that can't keep up with the pack. Target violation I say!!! The poor chaser cowers in the corner in fear of the great mountain lion who is so fearce that he won't even acknowledge in suttle conversation or accept and respond to an apology from the poor ignorant chaser. Yes I tell you, this Goliath type chaser is known as. . . . . . ."The Moderator". Dom Dom Dom........!!!! Why is there no recognition for them post?? I would like to add "Moderator Chaser" to this discussion if that will be allowed. This is only my comical side and should not be taken out of context or construed as "Mocking".

 

[Nathan Edwards]

You should probably add something for those who chase as a service to help others. The people out there who double up as first responders in the event a tornado does hit town, prioritize getting warnings to SPC via spotternet or direct calls to nws staff over getting the shot etc. I'd like to think that would fit a part of my style, and certainly there are a few groups out fully kitted out for the worst case eventuality. Missed getting a photo of a nice cone the other day completely because it formed and dissipated entirely within the time I placed the spotter network report, but given no tornado warning appeared to be on the storm at the time, I have no regrets!

This is by no means the only reason I chase. I do it for fun, and to learn more about meteorology, but getting the warnings out is primary concern for me.

 

[Karen St John]

Apprentice and wanna be lackey here. Can I get you coffee?

 

[AaronPippin]

This is my 1st post here on ST, been a member for a little over a week. Great post and breakdown of categories. I would probably consider myself a techno-chaser, with a hint of apprentice chaser. Fairly new to chasing, but I have always had a love for weather. I am always reading new articles, journals, blogs and such on weather events. I use weather data, laptop, gps, and such. But of course still learning every time out. Hope to meet many of you out in the field sometime!!

 

[Jane Herbert]

Clyve & I are somewhere along the continuum in the region of Veteran to Veteran-Techno Chasers leaning somewhat towards the Veteran while being Expeditioners in the US...

A couple of chases this year were done on Clyve's dead reckoning due to the inverter killing 2 fuses in the Charger on the same day and having no laptop and only a paper map....outcome was pretty good though.....other times we're more Techno....

 

[Melanie Kern-Favilla]

I'm certainly a Riding Chaser. I've been on tour with a person that I consider to be at the top of the field for the last five years, and I drove for the tour company this year. (PM me if you want to know the company).

There seems to be a lot of dislike for 'Riding chasers.' I would even say that there tends to be a lack of respect for Riding Chasers, as they are not considered 'real' chasers by the chaser community at large.

Have I misinterpreted people's feelings?

I chase with a tour group because I don't yet have the skills to go out on my own on a Plains storm. But I'm not sure if that makes me less of a 'chaser' because I don't select a target area myself. Your opinions are invited...

 

[Michael Thompson]

I am increasing seeing a distinct tornado chaser vs storm chaser, or even weather chaser.

The tornado chaser has only passing interest in non tornadic events and will even opt out on lower risk days and maximise on the moderate to high risk days. They will be focused purely or tornadoes and often fail to appreciate hail, storm structure and straight line winds. A bust is not bagging a tornado. No matter how meteorological talented, or how many tornadoes they rack up in a season ( and it numbers that count ), they generally move onto other pursuits as they age.

The true storm chaser appreciates all storms, even non-severe storms. Hail and structure are almost as good as tornadoes. They will also chase other severe weather events such as blizzards.

The weather chaser is like myself, severe storms are great and that is what I love chasing the most, but will chase down any mildly interesting weather. They will photograph clouds, frost, fog,sunsets. I have even been know to chase down a rain shower after a month long drought.

 

[Susan Strom]

The type I would fit in I'll call "photojournalist chaser". Some of us make images, and more images, and more images Each one is different. A photojournalist chaser's goal is to preserve storms on film, hoping for the truly rare...chasing the things that elude us, for years, but do finally come.

It is not necessary to string or work for a station to be a "photojournalist chaser" but we strive to be published all over the place. Why? One reason is that there could be another angle to the photojournalism...in my case a shameless plug for wilderness, special lands and places. I hope my pictures bring attention to wild areas, particularly the fragile deserts and parks, so that they may be appreciated, fussed over and preserved (one can hope). Upon learning what actually goes on in a desert, a lot of people are blown away by it.

I think there are a lot of us who, like wildlife photogs, chase storms for photojournalism, attempting to put a storm + a natural wonder in front of people. Photographing wolves brings appreciation for wolves. Photojournalism of storms in the wilderness brings attention to wild places, and they need luv too.
http://www.lightninglady.com/photos/LLRainbowcholla.jpg

 

[Bob Hartig]

I respectfully submit two more categories:

* The Fear-No-Evil Chaser: This is the logical extension of the Extreme Chaser. While I'm not aware of anyone who presently fits the bill, it's only a matter of time. The mindset of this chaser will run something like this: "TIVs are for wimps. All I need is a surfboard." Here is a link with a visual that gives you the idea, and another link that demonstrates the simplicity of the concept.

* The Sunnofableeeeeep!!! Chaser: A subset of the Pseudo-Chaser, this chaser is defined by a threefold combination of total ignorance of storm structure and behavior, an aggressive impulse to get as close as possible to a tornado, and a strong tendency to crap his pants when he succeeds.

As for me, I guess you can consider me a Cruise Chaser. Wish I could afford to upgrade, but the farther you live from the Plains, the more it costs to move up the ranks.

 

[Jim Saueressig]

I am increasing seeing a distinct tornado chaser vs storm chaser, or even weather chaser.

The true storm chaser appreciates all storms, even non-severe storms. Hail and structure are almost as good as tornadoes. They will also chase other severe weather events such as blizzards.

The weather chaser is like myself, severe storms are great and that is what I love chasing the most, but will chase down any mildly interesting weather. They will photograph clouds, frost, fog,sunsets. I have even been know to chase down a rain shower after a month long drought.

Amen!

The type I would fit in I'll call "photojournalist chaser". Photojournalist chasers freeze spectacular moments in time, hoping for the truly rare...the thing that eludes us, for years, but does finally come.

I think there are a lot of us who, like wildlife photogs, chase storms for photojournalism, attempting to put a storm + a natural wonder in front of people.

Same deal so I guess I am a "Cruising Photojournalist Weather Chaser".

I can score a good chase without having a tube in my pictures. Tornadoes are only a single part of the wonderful world of weather. Those days that the tornado chasers would ignore and stay home for have added good shots to my photo collection.

 

[Kelley Austin]

I would put myself in the Cruiser Chaseing catagory. I started chaseing in 1997 close to home in North East Arkansas without anything other than my eyes during an outbreak on December 21st of that year and have been hooked on any type of sever weather form then on. Over the years, with a lot of self study, I have developed my forcasting abilities and feel confortable with my target area decisions and how to keep myself and whoever I'm chaseing with safe. I now chase with a laptop w/ GRLIII, GPS, Paper Maps, Wx Radio, Small TV for local wx bradcasts and iphone. Due to work, family and other obligations I get to the plains on a Chasecation during the late Spring most ever year. So most of my chaseing is still local. If there were a Chasecation Chaser catagory that is where I would be.

 

[Chad Berryhill]

Cool thread Jeff.

Tour Chaser here. Haven't been around the community long, so I get a who the hell is this reaction most of the time.

How about Redneck Chasers ? Ones who drink beer while chasing. Have a farm/ranch truck, with two dogs in the back. Pulling up to chasers giving the famous redneck report, while chaser is doing a phoner. Insists on getting out and trying to lean half way into your chase ride to look at data with you. Giving directions using the "turn left after going over the second cattle guard" or "go down two sections then turn up". There is more that can be added to this, might be a good sub cat.

And yes there are "chasers" like this. I've met a couple. It's an ah sh*t moment when they pull up, cause you don't know how they will act. So far no crazies, just interest.