Kind of confused about the rules here and chasing

[Allan Jeffers]

I enjoy poking my head out side when the weather starts acting up. I enjoy looking at clouds, from cirrostratus due to its ability to produce halos to towering cumulonimbus. I also like photographing this stuff. I gone out side more then once during tornado warnings hoping to catch a glimpse of a tornado. Fronts also bring in some neat looking clouds

However, I don't drive and getting some one to drive me to a potentially dangerous storm is tough. I also have a whacked out work schedule, if I wanted to take a day off to chase, I would just be told "no". So, most of the time I just hang out around my house trying to get shots, following the wunderground radar and while I am at work use my doid for weather alerts and I get the chance, sneek out and grab some shots.

After getting some shots near by I went to post them in the target area "post storm discussion" and ran into a problem???

What is a chaser? I am assuming a chaser is one who follows a storm cell or system where ever it goes. Since I am with out wheels, and a storm cell passes over my home or place of work, and I get photos, does this mean I am not a chaser? Am I not allowed to post in the target area because I am unable to follow the storm, or go to it?

What If I pull off to the side of the road on my way home from work and catch a few shots of a cell off to my North North East as it moves away from me? How far away from your house to have to go before you are a chaser?

I Kind of feel out of place here on stormtrack because I don't have the ability to drive and follow or meet a storm 100 miles away from my house. Does the fact that I do watch the radar (even if its on line) and run out side when I can with a camera not qualify me to post in the target area?

I also ran into the problem of, "no duplicate topics" meaning if some one post a report on say, 6/14/10 in the target area, but I got shots but since I did not chase, I just made the observation of a storm that passed over my house it would be a duplicate if I posted in the weather / chasing forum since I technically did not chase the storm so posting in the target area would be a no no.

I am not trying to start anything here, I am just curious. Am I allowed to post in the target area? Like the "Post storm discussion" I visit the forecast forum too but usually dont post anything because I dont know what half of the forecast post are talking about like the 500mb numbers and such ???

Anyway, I was just wondering if chasing was that black and white or if there was some gray area that I fit in that would allow me to post in the "post storm discussion" with out breaking the rules since I did not chase after the storm

 

[MatthewCarman]

I understand how you feel. I have a Explorer but I don't want to start chasing until I am done with college and start my new job which I should be doing soon. I have been on 4 local chases but I don't get out much like you. You are not out of place here. Not everyone at this site chases storms and weather enthusiasts are welcome here.

 

[David Williams]

Buddy, if you are peeking at the radar during work... you are a chaser. Just because you don't drive doesn't mean that you aren't a chaser. Someone recently posted about all the different sort of chasers out there, and I believe armchair chaser was voted onto the list. For that matter, if you are running outside to get photos, you are chasing on foot, and that is as good as anyone needs.

Look, don't sweat it. If you have some storm pics or video, I'm sure the guys on ST will be interested.

 

[Skip Talbot]

What is a chaser? I am assuming a chaser is one who follows a storm cell or system where ever it goes. Since I am with out wheels, and a storm cell passes over my home or place of work, and I get photos, does this mean I am not a chaser? Am I not allowed to post in the target area because I am unable to follow the storm, or go to it?

These are good questions. The Reports threads are for first hand chase accounts, meaning you actively went out to pursue severe weather. If you do not actively "chase", meaning journey away from where you're residing, you should not post in the Reports thread. You are, however, allowed to post pictures from an event that you got from home or at work in the Discussion threads. These threads are a little more relaxed and allow posting of third party reports, and pictures and info from those who witnessed a part of the event but didn't chase it. So yes, you can post in a Target Area Post Storm Discussion thread if you haven't chased, as long as its in the Discussion thread and its on topic for that event.

What If I pull off to the side of the road on my way home from work and catch a few shots of a cell off to my North North East as it moves away from me? How far away from your house to have to go before you are a chaser?

We can get into nitty gritty semantics arguments here, but the basic question is, "Did I set out to storm chase?" If you nabbed some shots on the way home from work, I'd say no you didn't. If you broke off your commute to pursue some severe weather, even if it was just a couple miles to get a better view of the storm, then I'd say yes you chased.

I Kind of feel out of place here on stormtrack because I don't have the ability to drive and follow or meet a storm 100 miles away from my house. Does the fact that I do watch the radar (even if its on line) and run out side when I can with a camera not qualify me to post in the target area?

This forum is specifically for storm chasers, but we do have a large number of weather enthusiasts who participate in all of the other Target Area threads on Stormtrack including Forecast, Nowcast, and Discussion threads, and of course the other forums outside the Target Area like Weather and Chasing.

I also ran into the problem of, "no duplicate topics" meaning if some one post a report on say, 6/14/10 in the target area, but I got shots but since I did not chase, I just made the observation of a storm that passed over my house it would be a duplicate if I posted in the weather / chasing forum since I technically did not chase the storm so posting in the target area would be a no no.

Again, I would post these shots in the Discussion thread for that event. Other general weather pics would go in Weather and Chasing. If they are more dated, I would also post them in Weather and Chasing (unless there is a thread for an event that was actually "historic" in the historical chase forum).

I am not trying to start anything here, I am just curious. Am I allowed to post in the target area? Like the "Post storm discussion" I visit the forecast forum too but usually dont post anything because I dont know what half of the forecast post are talking about like the 500mb numbers and such ???

Anyway, I was just wondering if chasing was that black and white or if there was some gray area that I fit in that would allow me to post in the "post storm discussion" with out breaking the rules since I did not chase after the storm

The bottom line is, the Reports threads are for those who chased. You are welcome to participate in the Discussion threads which are still a part of the Post Discussion Forum. Take some time to learn the ropes reading weather charts and soon you'll be posting in the Forecast and Now threads too.

 

[Jason Foster]

I've post a few "Reports" in the reports sections for local chases that were easily on 15 miles to 25 miles. I often also consider the context of what I'm posting. I chase a lot of long chases but never report because there is nothing really to show and other than describing the route taken, there isn't much to talk about. I've been the old slap on the back of the head for posting it. I would certainly make sure the storm got severe or tornado warned if it was a very short chase. It also helps to talk about how you forecasted, planned and chased the storm...even if local.

It's just my opinion, not necessary taking the rules into full account, but just my personal experience. Certainly Skip's guidance is overruling an opinion, but figured a little more feedback is worth it.

 

[Nick Nolte]

These are good questions. The Reports threads are for first hand chase accounts, meaning you actively went out to pursue severe weather. If you do not actively "chase", meaning journey away from where you're residing, you should not post in the Reports thread. You are, however, allowed to post pictures from an event that you got from home or at work in the Discussion threads. These threads are a little more relaxed and allow posting of third party reports, and pictures and info from those who witnessed a part of the event but didn't chase it. So yes, you can post in a Target Area Post Storm Discussion thread if you haven't chased, as long as its in the Discussion thread and its on topic for that event.

What if your chase target for that day was your backyard?

 

[Skip Talbot]

What if your chase target for that day was your backyard?

Then you have to get in your car and drive to your backyard, or drive around the yard if your car is already in your backyard. But seriously, if your target is where you already are then you aren't chasing. For my own logs, I count this as spotting and don't tally it is as a chase. This term might not fit everyone though as some are just out to shoot some pictures and aren't doing any severe weather reporting.

 

[Ben Holcomb]

What if your chase target for that day was your backyard?

You're from Michigan. Your target is never gonna be your backyard haha

 

[Jason Bolt]

I like what Skip said about this forum is specifically for storm chasers. There have indeed become a large number of "weather enthusiasts" here. I understand wanting to post the backyard pics you took. I would just say think about the context. If you bag a tube in your back yard most people would not frown on you posting that pic no matter if you intended to chase. If there are several posts in a reports thread about severe weather in TX/OK on a certain day and you post "look at the cloud that went over my house!" while there was no severe weather in your area well then most people probably would be annoyed. Make sense?

Most all of us could post some pretty neat pics that we snap stuck at work or home on a close by chase day. I know I could. I just don't b/c I feel if we all did that it would water down the quality of the report thread, one of the most important parts of ST.

Before I get flamed, again, that is just my OPINION. It may be different than other people's opinions. I apologize in advance to anyone who does not agree with my OPINION. Oh, and thanks Allan for an interesting post that has and will provoke discussion.

 

[Kevin Walters]

I have been fortunate enough to have one backyard chase. On 5/30/1989 I stood in my backyard and photographed two tornadoes one of which was rated F4. The set up that day was fairly marginal at best but the thunderstorm interacted with an OFB from early morning convection. In that high CAPE, very modest shear environment the storm became supercellular and produced four tornadoes.

 

[Nick Nolte]

You're from Michigan. Your target is never gonna be your backyard haha

LOL, touché.

Then you have to get in your car and drive to your backyard, or drive around the yard if your car is already in your backyard.

I can see the report now: Initial target was my deck, I was stretched out on a lawn chair watching the agitated Cu field developing to the west. Hopped in my car, drove over to my neighbors house to see if initiation had started, it hadn't...was concerned that the output from the neighbor's clothes dryer vent might be creating a localized capping inversion...

In all seriousness, when I first joined up here I was also concerned with not stepping on anyone's toes, I might still be in certain cases. I haven't posted in TA yet because I'm not confident enough with my own forecasting skills as of yet. I have no formal meteorology training.

I really think the atmosphere here is great, I don't think anyone is going to whip your butt unless you post something really inappropriate or way off topic. I agree, mostly, with Skip's assessment of "what is chasing" it's basically setting out to intercept a storm on purpose. I tend to agree with posting photos of a storm that rolls over your house in the DISC thread for that day.

All that aside, I figure just relax and jump in some conversations. Be mindful of the types of posts you normally see in a particular section and make yours in the same manner. As long as some common sense is exercised, I'm pretty sure it'll be fine.

 

[Chris Gullikson]

I will likely be tallying 4000 plus miles in the next 10 days chasing. I would hope I wouldn't get a slap on the wrist upon my return for posting a photo from my backyard of a significant event. (not that I could...I can hardly see the sun at times, the trees are so tall around me) I would also hope that non-chasers, weather enthusiasts, and people who happened to be in the right (wrong) place at the right (wrong) time would not be discouraged from sharing their experience from us. I am glad there is a place for those non-chasers to post their experiences.