I need some information

[Rob H]

I hope some experienced chaser takes you under their wing, or you get on a tour. May 20th-June 20th you're almost guaranteed to see good storms. Be open to chasing anywhere from TX to Canada, and from CO to IL, because you go to where the storms are.

Don't fool yourself on the experience and intuition that you've gained driving into MCSs near where you live. Plains storms are different, in that they're the biggest and meanest storms you'll find anywhere. It's not uncommon to have a 60,000ft storm, 60mph speeds, or 5" hail - from a storm that explodes from nothing to tornado-producing supercell in less than two hours. A lot of good, experienced chasers have had close encounters with strong tornadoes.

 

[Mothra]

what kinda chase vehicle you got?

 

[Francis]

I just bought a car, 2013 Hyundai Veloster. The only thing I'm afraid of is hail because I have a sunroof

 

[Marcus Diaz]

If you're going to chase, be ready for hail dents. There's been several times where I thought I was in a safe area, and then the storm starts chunking tennis ball sized hail out of the updraft back towards the west. Be ready to take on some rough, muddy roads too. Even if you don't intend on driving in mud, there's no telling when map programs are wrong on pavement and you're only option is down that road.

But most of all, be prepared to be frustrated. Sure you may be on a beastly tornado warned storm, but that doesn't mean there's a tornado. And if there is, it could be buried in rain. It took me until my second year of chasing to get my first tornadoes. Even then I was graciously taken under the wings of some veteran chasers that taught me a lot of what I know. I've driven from Amarillo - Cameron, Missouri for a 4 hour forecasting class, then back the next day. I'm on my fifth year of this hobby, and sure I've been lucky enough to see some incredible tornadoes. But without Steve Polley, Corey Sloan, and Chris Rice...I'd still be noobing it up. I still don't understand some things to chasing, and I still make horrible decisions that leave me angry and frustrated with myself. In this hobby I've lost a job, a pickup, a LOT of money, and a LOT of nerves. Not only do you have to understand how to forecast to a certain degree, you have to know how to navigate. And I don't mean pointing at a map and driving there, I mean deciding what your next move will be. If you don't know where you'll be 10, 20, 30 minutes down the line, you'll fall behind.

Don't get me wrong, you'll have a shot at once-in-a-lifetime moments (my avatar for example, where it was just me an 1 other chaser on that storm). But your success ratio as a newbie will be embarrassing at first. But don't worry, every single one of us started off terrible. You just need to actually have knowledge about this hobby, more than what a spotter class will do for you. Then you need experience, and learn from the mistakes.

 

[Jacob Ferden]

I just bought a car, 2013 Hyundai Veloster. The only thing I'm afraid of is hail because I have a sunroof

Get a helmet or something. Seriously. Previous chase vehicles of mine had sunroofs, and listening to golf balls blasting into the glass on top of your car, and wondering if you're about to get your skull smashed, is not the most pleasant experience. Hence why my current ride doesn't have one.

 

[STexan]

Besides the obvious dangers we're aware of chasing after the severest of storms ... one thing some may not consider until perhaps it's too late ..
if you find yourself trying to get around and out into a visible location of a known tornado, be aware of downed trees and power lines in it's prior path. Tornadic activity spawns all sorts of other damaging winds (besides the tornado itself) spreading downed tress and branches across a very wide path. Often these will occur near dark and downed trees and lines can jump out of nowhere as your busy trying to otherwise manage the situation and looking elsewhere momentarily.

And the odd golf-ball size hailstone colliding with the top of your vehicle, out of nowhere, with no advance warning, does happen as your skirting around some elevated storms. Also when you see lightning activity nearby increase significantly, keep a look out.

 

[Francis]

Any thoughts on what radar maps or equipment should I have with me? I had in mind these two options:

1) A USB Modem that you plug in your laptop that gives you access to internet pretty much anywhere;
2) or buying an Iphone and download applications (like RadarScope, etc) that allows me to have access to radar anywhere.

Any thoughts before I make a purchase???

 

[Skip Talbot]

A laptop and the accompanying software gives you a lot more features and screen real estate than a phone. On the other hand, it's a bulkier setup with wires, needs to be mounted, takes up a lot of space, and requires more time to setup. Personally, I don't think I could chase with just a phone unless that's all I had. The screen is just too small to look at while driving. Tablets are becoming more popular for chasing, but the software and hardware hasn't quite matured to the capabilities of what laptops can do.

 

[Marv Radtke]

Last year, I scored tornadoes on back to back days.... June 5th in Great Falls, and then on June 6th in Denton, MT.... only about 70 miles apart.

 

[Jeff Duda]

A laptop and the accompanying software ... needs to be mounted...

That's not an absolute necessity. When I chase with partners, someone holds the laptop in their lap. I've chased solo before just leaving the laptop sitting on the passenger seat with little to no problem. Obviously, if you leave it unsecured, you have to be more careful about jerking your car around.

 

[Francis]

If I buy an LG Optimus L7 and the RadarScope app for android, would it be the same as the Iphone app???

 

[Francis]

Any predictions on which month would be best if I had to plan a vacation and choose between May or June?