Moved out of tornado alley- how do you handle chase season?

[Josh Murfield]

Actually Keith, you know you're not too off-base. Very strange how much you have to go through when reporting severe weather to the NWS out here. However, working with KIRO has been an enjoyable experience and with their front office staff being from Kansas and Oklahoma ironically; they're open for new ideas in weather coverage out here.

Unfortunately, you'll find the #1 priority is always = the "commute." Marching corporate ants need their commute information (gotta be at work by 4am and stay 'til 9pm), and that takes center-stage as far as any breaking news focus. Sigh... I digress.

Anyway... you'll also enjoy chasing other types of weather systems in addition to just convective systems. The wind storms, cold core lows, flooding rains in November/December and the occasional lowland snows make for interesting challenges in forecasting and positioning yourself just right for capturing the best "action."

As you guys get settled in, feel free to PM me and perhaps we can all meet up for a fun weather event chase here locally. And Rocky; if you're reading... you still have your trip to make out here, so look us up!

Thanks, it would be great to meet up sometime when there is an event to chase out here. I will PM you whenever that time may come.

 

[T. W. Miller]

Having moved to Reno, NV a few years ago, I know quite well about missing the Spring chase opportunities I enjoyed when I lived in the DFW area. However, as you and others noted, living in this region somewhat outweighs the missed chases due to the other perks of scenery (local and relatively near compared with Texas), overall climate (especially do not miss hot and humid Texas summers), and numerous places to visit within a day's drive; for instance, San Francisco is only 4 hours away. At least I have relatives living in the Amarillo area, so when I have the money and time off from work can plan chasecations in that region. Although can be a bit tough terrain to chase around here, do occassionally get some interesting storms in the Spring and Summer; lightning with mountain backdrops is spectacular. Anyway, welcome to the west and enjoy.

 

[Josh Murfield]

Having moved to Reno, NV a few years ago, I know quite well about missing the Spring chase opportunities I enjoyed when I lived in the DFW area. However, as you and others noted, living in this region somewhat outweighs the missed chases due to the other perks of scenery (local and relatively near compared with Texas), overall climate (especially do not miss hot and humid Texas summers), and numerous places to visit within a day's drive; for instance, San Francisco is only 4 hours away. At least I have relatives living in the Amarillo area, so when I have the money and time off from work can plan chasecations in that region. Although can be a bit tough terrain to chase around here, do occassionally get some interesting storms in the Spring and Summer; lightning with mountain backdrops is spectacular. Anyway, welcome to the west and enjoy.

Thanks! I agree with you- part of our reasoning for the move was that there are SOOO many other things to see and do in this area that it more than made up for the lack of good storm chasing. So we are loving it out here, and are excited each weekend about the possibilities of what we can go and see. Back home all we could hope for was a good severe weather outbreak over the weekend.. that was about it.

 

[Ryanne Jobsian]

Living and chasing here in the Hampton Roads area of VA is unique at best. I have lived in NE before, but most of my life here in VA. When I got into chasing in 2004, I knew very little of..well..everything. Especially that our storms here are NOT really crap like I once thought. I used to complain about storms falling apart while sitting and watching radar. I almost became an armchair chaser for life. I actually chased a few times here and there but never really did much more.

Then one day I was driving home from an appointment and there was this storm...or rain cloud or..whatever, I had no idea but I went after it. I was practically chasing blindly with only my cellphone with a near dead battery so I only ran my camera and nothing else. I made my way through the busy afternoon traffic tracking this storm that wound up throwing down some really nice CGs and went severe warned by the time I got home. Despite the traffic, trees and buildings that are huge issues with chasing, I found eventually the sweet spots in the area..and some sweet storms.

I got a few supercells last year and awesome structure. If you can hack the traffic, trees and buildings that tend to be in the way, you can chase here. There are rural areas that I have yet to explore and I never had quite enough cash to get out there, but I will be seeing how that goes this year. However, if you are chasing for a tornado, you will be disappointed. We do not get them all that often. The last major one was Suffolk 2008, which I missed because I was in the hospital. Standing at the window watching the rotation pass over head and not be able to be out there chasing was really frustrating. Regardless, I stole the front page of the newspaper the next morning

So, it really is not too terrible here, I just love going out and chasing, regardless of what I end up with when I head home.

 

[filasntiels]

I used to think I knew what severe was growing up in VA. Now that I am in SW MO, I laugh at myself. Now I REALLY know what severe is.

 

[Jason Boggs]

I used to think I knew what severe was growing up in VA. Now that I am in SW MO, I laugh at myself. Now I REALLY know what severe is.

Move to the Texas Panhandle and you'll really know what severe weather is! Myself, I would never move out of tornado alley unless a lot of money was at stake.

 

[Ryanne Jobsian]

Severe warns around here are mostly due to winds..and no, it does not compare to the midwest at ALL. I miss REAL severe. When I do not chase for whatever reason, I will at least go outside as the storm comes in..often I say "THIS is severe???" and go inside again. I try to not ever have any expectations, but it is hard not to expect a LITTLE more out of a severe warned storm than just a huge gust of wind

However, severe or not, if it has good structure, I'm there.