• After witnessing the continued decrease of involvement in the SpotterNetwork staff in serving SN members with troubleshooting issues recently, I have unilaterally decided to terminate the relationship between SpotterNetwork's support and Stormtrack. I have witnessed multiple users unable to receive support weeks after initiating help threads on the forum. I find this lack of response from SpotterNetwork officials disappointing and a failure to hold up their end of the agreement that was made years ago, before I took over management of this site. In my opinion, having Stormtrack users sit and wait for so long to receive help on SpotterNetwork issues on the Stormtrack forums reflects poorly not only on SpotterNetwork, but on Stormtrack and (by association) me as well. Since the issue has not been satisfactorily addressed, I no longer wish for the Stormtrack forum to be associated with SpotterNetwork.

    I apologize to those who continue to have issues with the service and continue to see their issues left unaddressed. Please understand that the connection between ST and SN was put in place long before I had any say over it. But now that I am the "captain of this ship," it is within my right (nay, duty) to make adjustments as I see necessary. Ending this relationship is such an adjustment.

    For those who continue to need help, I recommend navigating a web browswer to SpotterNetwork's About page, and seeking the individuals listed on that page for all further inquiries about SpotterNetwork.

    From this moment forward, the SpotterNetwork sub-forum has been hidden/deleted and there will be no assurance that any SpotterNetwork issues brought up in any of Stormtrack's other sub-forums will be addressed. Do not rely on Stormtrack for help with SpotterNetwork issues.

    Sincerely, Jeff D.

History of Storm Chasing -- Back to Day One

Joined
Feb 19, 2021
Messages
757
Location
Wichita
Everyone,

Was going through some files last week and came across the memo by Dr. Joe Golden that started the chasing program in 1972.

You may find this to be interesting.
 
The 1970s can be viewed as a golden age, not just because of Joe Golden 🤣, but because of the curiosity, the implementation, many firsts, and the practical applications. Back then, one of the main conversations: Do tornadoes spin over 500 mph?
I'm younger than Mike. But, when I started researching a lot of this in my academic life, it provided an escape for someone with a very questionable upbringing and a head up in the clouds. I remember journal articles where the radar data was in numbers on a crude b&w map!
Soon the NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission) wanted to know if reactors' design criteria could survive big hits in their area: They can now.
The situations & people that do something first...it's a big deal, for whatever reasons. Consider Elvis, the Beatles.
And so, I have a genuine, if not somewhat romanticized, nostalgia relating to what was once real life in Oklahoma testing early Doppler. In fact, one college professor got a weird look on his face back in the day when I mentioned Doppler radar and the 1970s in the same sentence.
No offense to him, but he presumed Doppler was merely a 90's and 2000's thing; he had no idea!
 
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In fact, one college professor got a weird look on his face back in the day when I mentioned Doppler radar and the 1970s in the same sentence.
No offense to him, but he presumed Doppler was merely a 90's and 2000's thing; he had no idea!

Actually, the first working Dopplers were in 1958-59 in Wichita and Wichita Falls. The former measured a 206 mph wind in the El Dorado Tornado. There is more here: The First Tornado Detection By Doppler Radar and it includes a link to KAKE-TV's outstanding documentary, "The Dawn of Doppler."
 
Everyone,

Was going through some files last week and came across the memo by Dr. Joe Golden that started the chasing program in 1972.

You may find this to be interesting.
I find it fascinating how little the guidelines and criteria have changed over the years. A lot of this remains useful information 50+ years later. Thanks for sharing, always enjoy reading your articles.
 
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