Just before initiation - where do you like to be?

[Cstok]

Just curious as to what everybody's preference is when it comes to that hour - 30 min before it starts to break open?

Of course it depends on what location, dry line, the TP, the front, but in general to you like to be to the west and catch them as they go up traking NE, or to the east and let them come to you, or another general location?

 

[David Drummond]

5-10 miles or so east of my target initiation.

 

[Jason Boggs]

I like to set up generally 20-30 miles east of the dryline. I would always rather be too far east than too far west of the initiation. It's a lot easier to meet the storm half way than to play catch up all day if I'm too far to the west.

 

[Marko Korosec]

Similar like David said, about 10-15 miles ESE of my target location.

 

[Greg Stumpf]

Like everyone else - downstream a few miles. I allow greater distance when anticipating faster storm motions.

In a rare non-supercell tornado situation (i.e., "landspout") having large instability and a quasi stationary boundary with tons of boundary-layer vertical vorticity where the wind direction on opposite sides of the boundary is about 180 degrees different - I opt for directly underneath.

 

[Shane Adams]

East of initiation within an hour or less of the storm. It usually take s a sup 45 min or longer to mature, even in the most extreme conditions, and this gives me plenty of time to move into position.

 

[Jason Foster]

I love starting with storms that fire in series a little north, and have the ability to choose 1 of three storms when that situation is available. This is mostly talking about dryline and similar set-ups. I like starting north, as long as I'm well east enough and have a fast option south. I am quick to leave a northern cell for tail-end charlie, especially if one of the more northern storms has already produced. I'm not a 'tornado exclusive' chaser. I love to be away from the storm and view the entire thing, with lots of sunshine, and setting suns, etc.

 

[John Wetter]

Like everyone else, just a but downwind of where they're starting... Trying to stay within about 15 miles of the storm itself. This is the time that I'll check the maps and kind of plan it out knowing the main road numbers so they're in my head as I start driving so I don't end up in a dead-end or with something big to go around to get back to the storm. When it's initiating is the time to plan that!

 

[Andrew Revering]

Assuming its clear sky and you're waiting for it to happen... I sit at the target and wait right there. (maybe I'm not understanding the question right)

I want to be under the storm at its birth (assuming I think I can keep pace with it).

I've found (for me) that once a storm starts you can get 'locked in' on the updraft and that helps to make sure you're in the right spot during its whole lifecycle.

I guess I'm just thinking of those cases when you're running 10 minutes late and you are 10 miles downwind, and now you have to navigate around an established storm to try to find the updraft...wasting time.

If I can get on the updraft and stick with it from birth, thats what I'll do. It's also easier to navigate when you already know where your interest on the storm is. It's harder when you're just outside of visible range (assuming its going to come to you or whatever) and you have to factor roads with where you *think* you should be.

again... I may not be getting the question... or maybe I'm just odd.

 

[Laura Duchesne]

Being ahead of the game... preferably east of the action, easier to intercept that way. Get in or near target area, hang around for a bit, maybe get some pre-chase food, and when something happens, it's easier to get into position. I hate playing catch up games.

 

[Melissa Jablonski]

I"m with Laura on this ,munching food and sitting 10 to 15 miles east/soth/ east .
Give or take a little on the direction.
Melissa

 

[Sean McMullen]

I'm finding that since I now use mobil broadband I don't go and sit in a target area as much anymore. Now we do a lot of forecasting on the road instead of sitting in hotel parking lots. Its not always like that. I still like to go sit in the middle of nowhere and set up shop for the day waitng for storms to fire and play catch while my wife whips out the lawn chairs and gets a tan. God that sounds really good right now.

 

[joel ewing]

Where do I like to be before initiation??

About 60 minutes prior to initiation, I like to be holed up in some sleezy little shanty with some nubile little fuzzbutt, smoking my granddad's hookah pipe, and after a while I'll ......oops.....sorry...this was a flashback from college...my bad...my bad.
Err uhhhmm, depending on what type of cell we're dealing with, and of course, depending on what type of road networks are available...I too like to be far enough east to be able to access my road options as needed when things start coming together. Even as I've garnered more experience over the years, in my mind I still feel as though I'm going to make every mistake in the book....and as a result, I savor leaving myself road options. I'm not into core punching like I used to be, but I'll do it if I have to. So the quick answer is....I like to stay south and east...several miles, but I'm willing to get pretty darn close if the spirit moves me. Joel

 

[Warren Faidley]

Now that I have stopped cracking up from Joel's post.......I think pre-initiation location depends a lot on the type of chase day. If the storms are moving fast, then a more (in front of), e.g, easterly position is required. The road systems in the target area are also considered. If HP cells are suspected, then I chase closer to the initiation point in hopes of catching a **visible** tornado in the early stages. I almost always avoid HP cells and I'll take a long shot back further west or even hundreds of miles away to avoid them. (Thus people have seen me driving away from tornadic HP's). Later in the season, I prefer to stay more westward. I prefer to be as close to initiation as possible later in the season. There are several reasons for this, including, again, the chance of early tornadic development, or the amazing tornadoes that can occur on a retreating dryline.

W.

 

[Larry J. Kosch]

What the Hell??

I would probably be at home, playing poker on my laptop, while keeping an eye on the Weather Channel and checking the VIS SAT and...what the hell? Let's Go Chasing!!