I need some information

[Francis]

Should I go on the end of April-start of May? Or end of May-start of June?

 

[STexan]

If I had to plan 2 weeks time off TODAY for chases to include TX, OK and perhaps KS, I'd plan on between April 24 and May 7. But ask 5 different chasers, you'll probably get 5 different replies with mid section 7 days difference, each. It really depends on how far south you'd like to chase and I'm a little unclear what you're going for, exactly.

End of May start of June, will certainly put you that much closer to home for many events if that's a factor.

 

[Skip Talbot]

Should I go on the end of April-start of May? Or end of May-start of June?

There's a bias toward the end of May, overall in the US for tornadoes:

If you're limiting yourself to the southern Plains such as TX and OK, then yes, I'd say you probably have a better shot going earlier.

Again though, it's a complete crapshoot. You could get burned either way. It's almost like asking, "Well, it's January now... what's a better day to go storm chasing, May 18 or May 19?" Nobody knows, and while there might be a slight statistical nudge one way or the other, the weather swings wildly on a weekly or daily basis.

Look at these monthly stats for the past few years:
http://www.spc.noaa.gov/climo/online/monthly/newm.html

Those bar graphics are all over the place, almost as if they are plotting random noise. So again, just pick a time in May or the start of June and hope for the best. Or better yet, sift through all of these statistics yourself and come to your own conclusion about when and where you'd like to chase, and maybe you'll come to the same conclusion or maybe you'll decide April is best.

You might start your trip May 1 and find that the biggest chase of the year was April 14 like it was last year. Or you may pick the last week of May and the first two weeks of June and find out that the biggest chase days were May 22, June 16, and June 17 like they were in 2010.

 

[Francis]

Well I was aiming more for Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, so I guess April would be better right?

 

[STexan]

Like was mentioned elsewhere "it's a crap shoot" whatever you decide. In 2012 TX was pretty much a bust outside of the April 3?? Dallas area outbreak, and of course April 14/15 was a big day in OK/KS, but anomalies are always a factor and any 2013 tornado season forecast that may be soon forthcoming must be taken with a grain of salt, too.

 

[Skip Talbot]

Well I was aiming more for Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas, so I guess April would be better right?

Why? What about CO, NE, and SD... or even WY, IA, MN, and ND?

 

[STexan]

I suspect his reasoning is sort of like mine would be .. if I wanted to plan a "chase vacation", I'd want to do the northern plains states because I can do TX/OK routinely living in TX, but would like to roam further north for change of scenery and new photographic opportunities. This guy resides in Manitoba and could perhaps do those northern chases in his "spare time". Maybe we need a "chaser exchange program".

 

[Francis]

Lol, yeah well I just want to go where I have the more potential to see severe weather and tornadoes for a given time. I finish school around the end of April, so I will probably leave as soon as I am done so end-April start of May.

 

[Skip Talbot]

Well, if you have to book time in advance, then generally you pick when to chase and the weather picks where. I just don't want you to limit yourself. If you were to book a room at a hotel for a week in Oklahoma City thinking that's going to be your chase base for your trip, you may instead find the first three chase days of your April chase trip are in Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri. I've chased Minnesota in March and Texas in June, and my guess is you're going to be all over the map during your trip. I'd only limit myself on location if there was some sort of financial obligation, like it costs too much to drive X number of miles, or the rental company doesn't let you take the car further than X number of miles.

 

[Patrick Martin]

For chasing, a wx radio is okay to have, but I've often not even turned mine on during an active chase. You will want to be sure you have some way of having mobile data/radar information. A wx radio won't tell you the dryline has shifted, the storm is dyring/intensifying, etc. If you are investing the time and money to chase for 2 weeks, you'll need to do it right and not rely on just a radio to chase warnings. You'll need data throughout the day to evaluate and adjust your forecast as necessary.

I personally plan my chasecation to avoid late April & early May, as my chase partner and I prefer June, but it does not mean we are exclusively headed north as we've chased everywhere from TX/NM all the way to MT in a single 10 day period. Among other things, storm motions are generally slower more manageable later in the season, and the earlier time frame is becoming increasingly more congested on the roads, especially in OK/KS and I don't particularly care for chaser traffic jams. As Skip said, don't assume the earlier time frame will keep you further south.

 

[Dan Robinson]

There is virtually no one who makes a full time, year-round living storm chasing. I'm not saying you can't be ambitious and creative and find a way, but just be realistic about it before investing too much time and money. Know that there are hundreds of us who are as hard-core chasers as they come, and would be all over a job/career as a chaser if they actually existed. Storm chasing is a hobby (a very expensive one at that), and revenue streams are paltry and unreliable. The best you could hope for is *almost* breaking even on a season running tours or selling video, but even that is quite rare to pull off, even for those of us who are experienced and dedicated.

 

[Francis]

Ok thanks, and no, I am not booking a hotel for a week, I am heading out with my own car and will sleep on the way wherever the chase takes me. Thanks for the info guys.

 

[Jacob Ferden]

I think if you asked 100 different members of this site each of these questions, you'd probably get 100 different answers for each one.

But I'll chime in a couple of things just because I can:

You can chase with as much or as little equipment as you desire and can afford. But if you are interested in saving money you don't actually NEED all that much stuff to chase. Priority #1 would be a vehicle that can handle wet roads an won't break down on a frequent basis. I've put more money into making sure I have a usable ride than I have into all other gear combined, and I'm going into my fifth chase season. Beyond that, some source of weather information provides an obvious benefit.

I currently chase in a front wheel drive sedan with a weather radio, smartphone, camera, and vidcam. That's it.

Also, as a couple others have mentioned, going with a reputable tour group, if you can afford it, is a great idea. When I started chasing, I did it all by myself, which I still do, but that involves a great deal of frustration and poor decisions. It's the way I have chosen, but it's NOT for everyone.

As far as how many storms / tornadoes to expect to see on a chase vacation, the answer is simple...absolutely nothing. You could get a 2004 with one outbreak after the other, or you could get a stretch like most of the latter part of the '12 season where you couldn't buy a decent chase setup for extended periods of time. Savor each day for what it is, and you'll have a good time.

 

[Bob Hartig]

Another thing to consider is that while the statistics favor May-June, the drought could toss those stats to the four winds like it did last year. The best opportunities may occur earlier in the season, possibly more to the east, unless we get some really decent soil saturation between now and the season peak. Otherwise, we may find that, like last year, March and April are the most productive months. I hope that doesn't happen.

 

[Shawn Schuman]

Another thing to consider is that while the statistics favor May-June, the drought could toss those stats to the four winds like it did last year. The best opportunities may occur earlier in the season, possibly more to the east, unless we get some really decent soil saturation between now and the season peak. Otherwise, we may find that, like last year, March and April are the most productive months. I hope that doesn't happen.

I was just going to mention the same thing. It's all but impossible to predict anything this far out, but if the drought continues I wouldn't be surprised to see a bit of an early start and eastward shift. Certainly far from the only factor, but it's something to consider. Let's just hope that isn't the case.