Hurricane chasing

[Tom Mitchell]

I was studying at Ryukyu University and living in the dorms in Okinawa at the time (and I have since returned). There is no "chasing" per se in Okinawa. The Typhoons keep coming of their own accord.

The typhoon in question had about 100 mph sustained winds and a HUGE eye. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center calls it a "60 nm eye feature." http://www.npmoc.navy.mil/jtwc/atcr/2002at...ap1_page29.html
The eye passed over at about midnight and of course I had to wander around for a while. The "eye feature" was over head for about 4 hours. I wandered over to a friends apartment, figuring that when the wind started to pick up I could run home before the winds got too strong. It took about 25 minutes to enter the eye, so I figured it would take that long to exit it as well. I was wrong, and got onlyhalfway home before being flattened by a strong gust. I really didn't mind at first, as it was exciting, but then realized the gravity of the situation.

It was still an awesome experience, but then only reason that it wasn't more serious is because I was in Okinawa. I say this because things here are built for strong typhoons. For example, during that typhoon, we didn't lose electricity. Afterwards, while looking around, I noticed there were NO downed trees in my area. Lots of leaves, but no branches bigger than a quarter of an inch. No roofing materials, signs, or other really dangerous debris. Great for homeowners and idiots wandering around in typhoons, but it makes for boring video.

The local governments reported only minimal damage of less than $100,000, most of which was a internet company where somebody forgot to shut the windows and all their servers were soaked (oops!). Contrast that to the damages at Kadena Airbase: "Reports indicated that Kadena airbase suffered total damages of 2.7 million dollars for base facilities and $942,000 for military family housing." The contrast in building styles and attitudes couldn't be more different.

Here, people take typhoons rather nonchalantly. The shopping malls are usually crowded until the winds reach about 30 m/s (They report wind speed in meters per second...just double the number to get a rough estimate of MPH or multiply by 2.24 to be more accurate). There is no talk of "outer rain bands" or "embedded cells". I am looking for any indication that people have noticed tornadoes in typhoons at all. People just shut their windows, get out the candles and the UNO game, and wait. Ask most people wheter they like typhoons and they will say no. Ask why and they will say "because they are boring."! :shock:

Anyway, I am a little dissappointed as usually there are one or two typhoons in the spring season, and this there have been none. But when there are, I will keep you posted.

Have a great day!

 

[cdcollura]

I am a pretty big hurricane chaser myself, one of the chasers that works severe weather in the US Plains come May / June then picks up on hurricane intercepts thereafter (busiest in September / October).

Let me first disclaim on hurricane chasing - These storms are MUCH different than their distant tornado and thunderstorm "in-laws" in the plains! Hurricane chasing requires extensive knowledge of tropical meteorology and VERY careful planning (in addition to any forecasting)!

Things to consider before I go on...

1. A hurricane can have winds near or exceeding that of the core region of a significant tornado. A hurricane chaser must go THROUGH those dangerous winds. Hurricanes CANNOT be observed from a distance. An 80-MPH wind can knock you down. 120-MPH-plus winds can lift you clear off your feet and carry you through the air!

2. There are road closures / blockades and police checkpoints, even well before / after the storm. You are often turned away if you do not have the proper "credentials". If you lie about who you are, you will be arrested and / or questioned.

3. Curfews are often placed in hurricane disaster areas. If you violate (are simply on the roads) during a curfew and are caught by authorities, you WILL be arrested, no questions asked.

4. Roadblocks are not only caused by authorities. Trees fall and roads flood in a hurricane. You can be trapped for a very, VERY long time.

5. Gas stations are NOT open and / or will NOT have power. Storing gas in you car is also a VERY BAD idea. Low pressure in a hurricane can cause gas cans to leak with fumes and can even explode! There is NO roadside or emergency services during a hurricane (that means that if you get stuck and / or hurt, you are on your own)! Phone service, even cellular, often gets cut-off too.

6. Power often goes out in a hurricane. Stores are closed, most people leave the "hurricane target area". You must bring your own food, water, even medications (if any) with you for at least the duration of the chase, which can be 36-48 hours. Also remember, you cannot get gas if you run low!

7. Plan to not sleep during most of a hurricane chase. Don't fall asleep behind the wheel. Hotels are also CLOSED. Sound easy? Try staying awake for 52 hours straight - I did that in Hurricane Lili and was hallucinating until I finally got sleep!

8. Plan to get WET - Really wet. Cold and wet feet, shoes, pants, even in places you never imagined (the money in your wallet even gets soaked)! Plan on many changes of clothes. Raincoats and umbrellas simply dont work and / or get ripped apart by the winds. Rain drops feel like accupuncture and can even cause welts on the skin at 100-MPH plus!

9. Gear, such as radios, electronics, and camera equipment can suffer water damage easily. This type of damage is often NOT covered by any warranty, and can be VERY expensive to replace or repair.

10. Coastal areas flood during a hurricane with fast-moving salt water. You can drown, have your vehicle flooded and / or swept away if parked in an area prone to storm surge. Not all buildings / structures can handle an hurricane and it's surge. Don't get buried under rubble!

11. There is a lot of flying debris in a hurricane. Remember, hurricane chasing involves being INSIDE the wind field of the "vortex" (larger than a tornado). A worst-case would be getting hit with a chunk of sheet metal and killed, not because of the wound it may cause, but failure to get attention to that wound (such as bleeding to death) - Remember, no fire department or 911 operates in a hurricane! You WILL be with yourself and your wound. Chase with a person with training in CPR and have a first aid kit handy in the event you need it (this implies using the "buddy system").

12. Flood waters in a hurricane are loaded with all kinds of nasty things. In addition to debris and mud / sand, you often have dead fish, seaweed, grass, bugs, oil and gas spilled from cars or boats, bacteria, even raw sewage. Watch for snakes and even gators flooded out of their "homes" too by the floods!

13. Looting and public upset often occur during and after a hurricane. Respect property and land areas as if it was an ordinary day. Uptight residents during a hurricane can and WILL take the law into their own hands! I have seen residents with guns with them in hurricane chases of 2004, and a "storm chaser" can easily be mistaken for a "thief" and shot. Looting has its own dangers as stealing and / or violence can be introduced into an already bad situation.

14. The boss, neighbors, and spouse. Hurricane chasing involves a last-minute "impromptu" chase. You cannot give a 3-day-off notice in most jobs one day before you take the time off! Make sure your boss, and even spouse, understands as you will not be gone for hours as on a tornado chase. Also, plan on being "cut off" from these people because of power / phone outages too. Hurricane chasing often takes DAYS, not HOURS.

I willingly and logistically accepted all these risks and with planning and experience was able to chase hurricanes with minor incidences. Still want to chase a hurricane?

I was in hurrcane Charley in 2004 first hand (read the story of what that was like below)...

http://www.sky-chaser.com/char04.htm

Plus a compelling story about it here...

http://www.sky-chaser.com/charley_story.htm

Then there was Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne in the rest of 2004, each with their own attitude and aspects. You can read about these on my website at these links below...

http://www.sky-chaser.com/franc04.htm

http://www.sky-chaser.com/iv04.htm

http://www.sky-chaser.com/jean04.htm

Now, back to the thread on this wonderful subject ... I will explain in detail below the DIFFERENCES between HURRICANE and SEVERE WEATHER chasing a chaser considering chasing a hurricane must know. The story can also be found on my web-site at http://www.sky-chaser.com/schcom.htm. Check out the article I wrote below...

Tornado chasing versus tropical cyclone chasing ... We have all heard of storm chasers that chase tornadoes AND tropical cyclones such as hurricanes. I can name a few right off the top of my head, even myself! Does this mean that these two types of storms to chase are similar? No way. A tornado (or tornado producing supercell thunderstorm) and tropical cyclone are two very, and I mean very, different animals. They also require totally different methods to chase and forecast them.

First of all, tornados normally develop over land, and occur late in the day when the atmospheric heating is at its peak. Tropical cyclones develop only over warm ocean waters, regardless of the time of day, and rapidly dissapate over land. In fact, sometimes tropical cyclones intensify more at night than during the day due to the cooling of the cloud tops enhancing the lapse rates inside the storm. With a tornado chase day, they day begins with forecasting and preparations on where storms MIGHT develop. A tropical cyclone chase day forecast is for an EXISTING storm that is anticipated to strike a certain area, usually a coastline.

Preparations for tropical cyclone chasing often are spent getting into the target area, in the same manner as a target area for expected thunderstorms. The primary goal with a tornado chase is to simply document the tornado, if it develops, from a place that provides the best view without compromising safety. Normally, a chaser should not have to drive through (core punch) the thunderstorm producing the tornado (and certainly not the tornado itself). With a hurricane chase, the chaser cannot see the "vortex" as with a tornado because it is many times the size.

Conditions in a hurricane or tropical cyclone can be as bad, if not worse, than driving through a monster HP supercell. One can expect winds at or over 74 MPH, 10 or more inches of rain, and flooding in a hurricane chase. Tropical cyclone chases often involve driving (or "punching") through the most dangerous part of the storm. Visibility will often be zero and a chaser will get buffeted by heavy winds. The main goal of a tropical cyclone chase is documentation of the storm, as it is with tornado chasing, with SAFETY still a priority.

Tropical systems are given a name when their sustained winds reach 38 MPH, where they are called a TROPICAL STORM. At 74 MPH or above, they are called HURRICANES in this part of the world, and like tornadoes, they are rated in intensity from category 1 to 5. Most hurricane chases involve tropical systems with winds under 110 MPH (category 2 or less). Serious safety considerations must arise when chasing tropical cyclones considering issues with storm surge, flooding, road closures, etc.

Remember that a tornado only affects a small area where a powerful hurricane can inflict similar damage over a very large area. Hurricane Andrew back in 1992 was a category 5 storm with 165 MPH sustained winds. Regions over a 40 mile wide path received damage similar to a strong F-3 (or even F4) tornado (winds unofficially gusted to 212 MPH)!

I chased Andrew and it was not an easy chase. Since it was too dangerous to drive into, I observed the storm from a shelter. Much of the school I was staying in was destroyed and many cars in the parking lot were flipped. Another note on tornado vs tropical cyclone chases ... We all know that storm chasing involves long drives, but you haven't experienced the true determination until you chased a hurricane.

In a thunderstorm chase, you may drive hours to get into your "target" area and often get a hotel after chasing to stay the night or simply drive back home. A hurricane chase often requires a similar long drive, or even a flight to get to your target area! Often you will go a full 24, or even 36, hours without sleep while dealing with the core of the tropical system you are chasing. Hotels, gas stations, and stores often close and power is often the first to be disabled by the storm.

Tropical cyclone chasing is a very different activity that is carried out by only a small handful of avid storm chasers who also chase tornadoes. It requires a totally different "game plan" and requires extensive knowledge of tropical meteorology in a more crucial sense than that of a tornado chaser.

Thanks for all on the input to this thread!

 

[Brandon Clement]

I love the story Tom. I hope someday I can chase a powerful typhoon there. It sounds like it is much safer due to better construction. How do they police during storms there or do they? I know here the local law enforcement begins closing the major roads off well in advance and issue mandatory evacuations as much as 72 hours out. Do they evacuate there?

 

[Blake Michaleski]

nice article chris! Its is true jus thow different the two differ. I really enjoy tropical cyclone chasing in that I feel that anticipation is greater than in severe chasing. Early on in a plains chase, sure tehre is some anticipation, but you are banking on teh storms forming and then you ight get a wall cloud and have that short time of anticipation for the tornado,again, if it occurs. With tropical cyclone chasing I find the anticipation just continually mounts form the time you first notice the tropical wave making its way across teh atlantic, untill teh time the eyewall is upon you. The anticipation and excitement can build over days, even a week and is one of the things that gets me so damn excited about these things. however, If i had to choose between the two, I'd pick severe weather chasing in the plains over tropical chasing. I truly believe it is less stressful overall but definately more expensive, at least or me since I live on the coast and i have a broad target for tropical systems. Currently i'll target, depending of strength obviously, from about galveston to Savannah including most of FL.

Also to anyone considering starting chasing 'canes: I suggest you actually chase a tropical storm of very minimal hurricane first. It's good practice and lets you get a taste of things before you target anything major. Also, like chris mentioned, with a very strong storm (upper cat 3 and up) you really cant be out in the thing. Cat 1's and 2's are more 'fun' in that alot of times you can be out in them (with shelter nearby) provided you maintain safety as priority #1. During Ivan I was here in Mobile, about 6 miles to the east of where I'm sitting at this very moment. With the expected track to be just to our west we were expecting a heavy surge to com eup the bay and flood downtown. Myself, Dan Robinson, Stuart Robinson, Doug Kiesling and Jim Edds were positioned in a parking garage in downtown to protect us from flooding and to serve as a substantial shelter for our selves and for the vehicles. As the storm took its more easterly jog we realized that we would not get the surge that we had expected and a few of us ventured down to the street level for an incredible experience.

Another note on parking garages, Before Hurricane Lili in LA,we consulted with one of the mechanical engineering professors at ULM and his opinion was that a parking garage is an incredibly strong structure especially nearly empty as in the event of a hurricane.

The garage in Mobile had quite a few cars in it which, as far as we could figure, belonged to people who evacuated and maybe had several cars but only took one to evacuate in. all were on the second level and above indicating their anticipation of flooding as well. we save several classic and rare cars in there with covers on them as well. I can tell you that even in the worst of the storm, winds were relatively light in the center of the garage. The ability for some of the wind to pass through and the relative emptiness during a storm i think is one of the primary contributors to the strength, as well as the way it is constructed with steel reinforced concrete and especially the newer garages with the tensioned cables in the floor.



I figure since we have a good discussion going maybe chris of Jeff G would like to touch on equipment and even personal protection if you are wanting to be out in it. I know Jim Edds has a skateboarding type helmet he wears if tthere is a chance of debris flying. Saftey glasses or goggles are a must in my opinion. especially since its better to face the wind to make sure you dont get nailed by a large piece of debris.

Also What about camera protection? I have been using ziplock bags and rubber bands around the eye piece and lense and then cutting that portion off. It work ok but Its time for me to step up to an underwater enclosure.

 

[Doug_Kiesling]

So you want to chase a hurricane.

Equipment I have for this years cane chasing.

Kevlar Body Armor Jacket

Life Preserver To Wear Under Armar Jacket.

Disposable Clothes, Lots Of Them. Several Pairs Of Boots.

Safety Helmet With Face Mask And High Impact Shooting Goggles
http://www.lightningboy.com/frances/DSC07746.jpg
And yes, the wind was pulling my rain suit pants off.

Hand Held Emergency Strobe To Attach To Helmet

After last years hurricane season with four hurricanes in 45 days, Hurricane Chasing is not something to jump into. Hurricanes and chasing them is pretty much going out and sitting in the middle of an F2 tornado for hours with deadly debris flying at you.

Here is the demo video of our the Hurricane Charley DVD.
http://www.bnvn.com/hurricane_charley/Hurr..._Demo_HiRes.wmv

We were lucky to escape with our lives only because we had a lot of experience between all of us there and a lot of guts and some lack of common sense for the most part to stand out where the "UnOfficial Wind Report" just a half mile to the north was 150 knots at the medical center.

Pick your spot well because once the storms starts, you can't move. In most cases you will have to deal with the curfew and you could be hauled off to jail for just being there.

Last year in Hurricane Jeanne, another chaser that we met ended up meeting up with the local law enforcement and when they found that he was a chaser, they hauled him off for questioning. Turns out he lied to them about who he was, what he was doing there and why he was there in the first place. When they asked us what we were doing there, we told them the truth and had the info to back up what we were doing to prove we were with the media. The other chaser gave them false info and they asked us about him and we told them who he was

If your going to chase a hurricane, chase with someone that has chased them before. You can get hurt and if you do, there is no 911 or AAA to come and help you. There is a lot more to chasing the hurricanes but the bottom line, if your going to chase a cane, treat it like your going to be going to battle and bring everything you will need to survive.

 

[Doug_Kiesling]

Another Thing To Think About

Before you go hurricane chasing, think about this fact. How many people in the united states died in 2004 from tornadoes and not tornadoes spawned by hurricanes in September.

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/torn/2004deadlytorn.html

April Killer Tornadoes: 1 Fatalities: 8
May Killer Tornadoes: 5 Fatalities: 7
June Killer Tornadoes: 2 Fatalities: 2
October Killer Tornadoes: 1 Fatalities: 3
November Killer Tornadoes: 4 Fatalities: 4



These Don't Count - Hurricane Related
August Killer Tornadoes: 1 Fatalities: 3
damage associated with remnants of Tropical Storm Bonnie

September Killer Tornadoes: 6 Fatalities: 9
Hurricane Ivan and Jeanne


So you have 24 tornado deaths in April, May, June, October, and November.

With the hurricanes? 3132 Total Deaths Last Year acording to Answers.com

http://www.answers.com/topic/2004-atlantic...urricane-season

On top of the total destruction and loss of life, as a chaser, your also now in someones home town after it has been destroyed and your really not welcomed.

When I posted this photo on Storm Track last year. People thought it was a joke.

But right on the Answers.com site in there Hurricane Charley there is the same type of image http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method...oters.JPG&gwp=8

After hurricane Jeanne, Jeff told me he got run out of the trailer park on Hutchinson Island by someone with a shot gun and told me not to go in there because someone was seriously pissed off at the world that rode out the storm for the second time in less then a month.

So if you do go chasing, leave your tornado alley mind set at the door and get ready to enter a totally new world of storm chasing. Is it worth it? Depends on the person.

I will say this in addition to equipment.

Rental SUV, Full Insurance!

 

[cdcollura]

Good day everyone,

Let me first disclaim on hurricane chasing - These storms are MUCH different than their distant tornado and thunderstorm "in-laws" in the plains! Hurricane chasing requires extensive knowledge of tropical meteorology and VERY careful planning (in addition to any forecasting)! A detailed list of the "cons" of chasing a hurricane are outlined in an earlier post on this thread by myself. Be sure to read it as there are very important points in it.

Now, For the subject of camera protection, I developed this neat enclosure for small video cameras (MINI DV , Digital 8mm) such as the Sony TRV series. It is a 6-inch PVC pipe with lexan on the other end of it. There were two types made, one yellow painted as in the next two pictures, and a red one (see third picture below of Jason and Doug).

Here is view #1 of it...

Here is another view #2 of it...

A similar design (the red case to the left) I made for Jason Foster (N3PRZ, left) and Doug Kiesling (right). Doug is holding his own design which is thick, clear plastic into which he inserts a larger Sony VX-2100 camera. The front of the camera reaches a plastic front of the strong plastic "bag". The rigid PVC can go underwater, the "bag" type can get VERY wet and be operated easily...

Below is the waterproof PVC cases in action (Jason using red one, picture from video shot in the yellow one)!

Here is Doug's version too (Doug K is left) and jim Edds (with a modified case he bought retail) to the right...

The key is if a camera gets one, just one, spash of water on it, a dew light will come on and the camera can be damaged. If salt water, and just a drop or two, the camera can be permanently damaged.

I have also designed a large latching case to accomodate larger format cameras out of lexan sheeting (not shown), for cameras such as my new Sony HDR-FX1 and the like.

Now, you are probably wondering, how is the camera inside these enclosures controlled? The answer is that for Doug Kiesling's "flexible" housing, he can still press the buttons through the side or back of the plastic case (its a thick flexible "bag" - basically).

For Jim Edds, he has a specialized case that retails for a (high) price. It has a built-in LANC controller and external buttons to control the camera inside. The LANC is simply a way to hook up an external wired remote to you camera (controls zoom, focus, etc). Some of the retail cases have a built-in LANC interface and external buttons for it on the housing handles.

For the PVC cases I built, I could either buy a LANC remote and feed the wire through the unit and seal it. I did that with an external (waterproofed) microphone on the case where the wire runs inside to the camera mic plug. Now, I simply put the camera inside, then use the remote control for it wrapped in a zip-lock bag to control the camera! The same technique can be used for my larget lexan case for my HDR-FX1 as I am able to view the LCD screen too.

Keep all these ideas aside and remember SAFETY in a hurricane chase!

 

[Doug_Kiesling]

Here is Doug's version too (Doug K is left) and jim Edds (with a modified case he bought retail) to the right...

Ahhh Mobile Bay and Ivan. Notice the bright idea on the left side of my head on my helmet? Now you don't see that everyday in Kansas.
That's the portable emergency strobe in the photo so that people can find my head or whats left of me should something happen in the hurricane.

As Chris said, the water will get in everything unless its it sealed up. And not just ghetto chaser sealed up with a ziplock bag. It has to be able to take on being submerged in some waves and still come out dry.

And on the note of water getting into everything, Water will get into everything so bring lots of clothes and not good stuff but stuff you don't care about and can leave in the trash every few hours to stay dry. Why leave them? After I got back from Hurricane Frances, the few things I did bring back were covered in mold and were super heavy. So, its easier to just leave it and lose it.

 

[Blake Michaleski]

yeah you can pretty much give up on trying to stay totally dry. rains suits seems to keep you fairly dry until the wind really starts blowing.

Ziploc bags, although crap for protecting a camera, are very valuable on a chase. I put every thing in them. Batteries, tape, film, my wallet, cell phone, etc.

I have found that if you put your cell phone in one of those snack sized bags that they are thin enough to be able to talk easily through them. Doug, when I talked to you during Arlene i was talking through the bag.

Chris, I really like the camera housings. I guess I'll be making one similar to the on in the link that i posted in the camera protection thread over in the chasing equipment section. I just want to be able to at least controll the on and off and start stop functions. all else if pretty much automatic. i can lockit in to infinate and be done with it.

 

[Dan Robinson]

I built a waterproof housing similar to Chris' design a couple of years ago (PVC pipe and plexiglass) for Hurricane Isabel. It worked great, kept the camera dry.

The problem I ran into was operating the controls of the camera. You can put the remote in a ziplock bag and operate the zoom, record start/stop and other basic things, but it is somewhat cumbersome to zoom quickly on something happening suddenly. There are other important functions that you can't operate. One of which is the main power switch, especially if the auto-shutoff cuts in if you haven't been taping for several minutes. Focus is also a problem, you must lock the focus on infinity or else the camera will constantly focus on the raindrops on the plexiglass. The audio is also pretty much unusable when the camera is in a housing like this.

I have preferred shooting hurricanes from inside my vehicle (in a parking garage at that) rather than walking around outside, but that's just my preference. I just point the driver's window away from the wind and have full camera control and clear audio. Of course, this limits my field of view if something happens behind me, but it's a little simpler - plus I stay slightly drier.

 

[Owen Shieh]

After many years of living in Melbourne, Florida, I've had my fair share of tropical systems. Maybe it is because of that that I never wanted to drive through and "chase" the storms. For those who have experience and who can do it safely, congrats, as I'm sure the experience is quite a thrill! Seeing my roof cave in after the fact is usually enough excitement for me! :lol: However, it is important to remember that the wind force/damage potential is exponential. It is A LOT of fun to play in a 75-90 mph wind. You can lean into the wind and try to run against it and have it push you around. This is analagous to a very strong inflow within a supercell. However, any higher than that - which hurricanes are very capable of doing - and the dangers rise dramatically. The difference between a category 5 and a 4 is astronomically higher than the difference between a 2 and a 1.

I have never stood in a wind of greater than 100 mph. Quite frankly, I can confidently say that MOST people who report for the news media have never experienced a wind greater than maybe 110 mph.....even if they say so while they're on air and getting whipped around. If they're REALLY in category 3+ winds, they wouldn't be talking into a microphone. It is very easy to overestimate winds in a tropical system (especially with winds contaminated by rain), so what looks like a 100 mph wind is perhaps really only a gust to 90 mph. An anemometer is needed to accurately confirm the speed.

Perhaps some of you may have seen that video documentary of Dr. Steve Lyons standing in a wind tunnel? As he told me, a wind up to 90 mph is fun. Up to around 110 mph, it gets frightening. Over 120 mph, you literally cannot stand up straight and it becomes painful. If it weren't for the strap holding him down, he would have been lifted by the wind. By 130-140 mph, the pressure is so great that the wind creates these strange miniature eddies that hit your face like ping-pong balls. The force on the chest is so immense that you just can't breathe. He had to turn off the wind tunnel several times to get a hold of himself and catch his breath....then went for the big one of 165 mph. He was only able to hold it for a second, and bruised/fractured a rib just standing there (before it even got to 165 mph). Why did he do this? He just wanted to prove that wind is overexaggerated a lot, and what feels like a strong wind really is not that strong. Basically, it gets hard to judge above 100 mph because the force and the power of the wind increases exponentially to a point where even a 5 mph increase makes it feel a whole lot worse. Unless you can't move your chest to breathe, you really aren't in a 140 mph wind. Perhaps some of you who have chased these major storms in the past can say more about this? It is said that when the core of Andrew came in, all the cars in Miami were flipping over at the leading edge of the cat. 5 winds. You could hear the car alarms going off in the distance and rapidly approaching!

Anyway, I would suggest going after stuff less than category 2 for your first hurricane if you would like to begin chasing these storms, but to me, it is like core-punching an HP supercell...but thankfully minus the hail! I have always wanted to chase a nice, minimal tropical storm like Arlene (winds were actually never above 34 kts sustained) that has been sheared. Sitting in the core of the convection-less low-level circulation center can be cool without much rain and just seeing the sky spin above you.

Owen

 

[Blake Michaleski]

fully agree with the power of wind. cat 1s and 2 are fun, any thing higher than that and I'm filming from a parking garage or something similar.



Hey Chris, do you recall that gust during Lili where i was the only one out side with my back to the wind? I want to say it was right around 100. that was about the most i think you could be out in given there isnt flying debris. that surface of the parking lot allowed me to get good traction with my shoes and i just kind of sat into the wind as seen in the pic of me and my jeep below*

That was shot about at the highest gust that we encountered. I think Jeff has a great vid clip of this. (the door was on the down wind side with the jeep broadside to the storm.)








* The above photo is ©2002 Lannis Waters of the Palm Beach Post. Lannis gave me permissio to use it in my account of the storm on my page.

 

[cdcollura]

Hurricane Dennis - A July 2005 Monster

Good day everyone,

Hurricane Dennis is currently south of Cuba and has EXPLOSIVELY deepened to a 150-MPH storm at 938 MB (this is at 8 AM, July 8).

This is MUCH worse than hurricane Charley last year and worse than Ivan, Jeanne, and Frances at land-fall put together! 150 MPH can disintegrate concrete ... I have seen this happen.

Rain drops, and beach sand, in that 150-MPH wind flow AND its gusts (remember, 30% higher wind gusts: where 1.3 x 150 = 195 MPH) can literally rip exposed flesh open!! And yes, this HAS happened.

This is why you don't drive through a 1/2 mile wide wedge tornado with 195 MPH peak winds (strong F3 tornado damage). Driving into Dennis right now in Cuba is like driving into a 40-mile wide F3 wedge - Not good.

This storm will cross Cuba, weaken a bit over the land, and re-emerge during the late night / early morning of 7-9 over the warm waters of the SE GOM. Track brings it ashore somewhere along the N Gulf Coast by Sunday, 7-10.

This storm is NOT a "beginners hurricane", especially at its current intensity, and its forecasted intensity at landfall, at at least 135 MPH sustained.

If this happens, this will be WORSE than Ivan last year, and have a storm surge over 20 feet. The winds at cat-4 speed will also cause EXTREME damage even to strong structures away from the coast.

Ivan, in 2004, as bad as that was, came ashore as a WEAKENING hurricane, it was 938 mb at 130-MPH just offshore of Gulf Shores, AL and moved in at about 945 MB with (only) 120-MPH winds 2 hours later. The destruction in Ivan was from the storm surge.

Dennis, if it comes ashore as forecasted, will not only have a higher surge, but MUCH more wind damage.

I strongly do not recommend chasing this one, especially if you have not chased a hurricane before. I am contemplating on this myself, and I have been chasing hurricanes for nearly 20 years.

Be CAREFUL out there!!

 

[Jay Cazel]

Re: Another Thing To Think About

Before you go hurricane chasing, think about this fact. How many people in the united states died in 2004 from tornadoes and not tornadoes spawned by hurricanes in September.

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/torn/2004deadlytorn.html

April Killer Tornadoes: 1 Fatalities: 8
May Killer Tornadoes: 5 Fatalities: 7
June Killer Tornadoes: 2 Fatalities: 2
October Killer Tornadoes: 1 Fatalities: 3
November Killer Tornadoes: 4 Fatalities: 4



These Don't Count - Hurricane Related
August Killer Tornadoes: 1 Fatalities: 3
damage associated with remnants of Tropical Storm Bonnie

September Killer Tornadoes: 6 Fatalities: 9
Hurricane Ivan and Jeanne


So you have 24 tornado deaths in April, May, June, October, and November.

With the hurricanes? 3132 Total Deaths Last Year acording to Answers.com

http://www.answers.com/topic/2004-atlantic...urricane-season

On top of the total destruction and loss of life, as a chaser, your also now in someones home town after it has been destroyed and your really not welcomed.

When I posted this photo on Storm Track last year. People thought it was a joke.

But right on the Answers.com site in there Hurricane Charley there is the same type of image http://www.answers.com/main/ntquery?method...oters.JPG&gwp=8

After hurricane Jeanne, Jeff told me he got run out of the trailer park on Hutchinson Island by someone with a shot gun and told me not to go in there because someone was seriously pissed off at the world that rode out the storm for the second time in less then a month.

So if you do go chasing, leave your tornado alley mind set at the door and get ready to enter a totally new world of storm chasing. Is it worth it? Depends on the person.

I will say this in addition to equipment.

Rental SUV, Full Insurance!

One thing on you numbers Doug is that only 113 deaths caused by hurricanes where in the United States, the rest are outside the US. http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles...deaths_in_2004/

 

[Tom Mitchell]

Great writing Chris. You told it straight!

As for the wind, standing in a wind tunnel is not like standing in a tropical storm. One just might be able to manage standing 100 mph on a wind tunnel, but the gusts in nature make it almost impossible to keep your balance to stand, let alone walk. In my experience, I was flattened by winds that were at the time around 110 mph, with gusts to 125 mph three stories above my head according to the university science dept. anemometer. I could stand up for a second, but the eddies and gusts bounced me around and put me on the ground. Believe me... you don't want to stand in that kind of wind. Hugging the ground is much more comfortable. I personally think that the limit for people to actually stand and move with any sort of control is about 80. I am not trying to disclaim anyone or start a fight!!! Bigger stronger people than me can do it I am sure. I just happened to have data from a university lab that was at the same location as me to provide data to compare my experience to actual wind speeds.

To answer Brandon's question about the Police and Warning/Evacuations here, well, the police don't really do anything. Unlike America, here they figure if you are silly enough to venture out, whatever happens is your problem. Quite different fromt he stereotype of rigid Japanese society. As for warnings, there are no typhoon warnings per se, just high wind warnings when the wind approaches 25 meters per second(about 55 mph). Then the schools, banks, public trans, etc all close and people take their family to the shopping mall to see a movie. When the winds get to about 65, most people stay inside and watch the videos they rented. You have NEVER seen a video store as busy as the stores in Okinawa before a typhoon arrives. It is completely insane! People in areas prone to flooding usually evacuate voluntarily to local shelters, but there is no need for mass evacuations, and besides, there is no where to go on an island 3 miles wide.

Some personal comments...I would like to take my hat off to all the people that paid attention to Dennis and decided not to risk chasing it. Wise choice. Wait for a weaker storm and you will have a great time without all the worries!

Have a great day everyone!

Tom