Hi all! My name is Robert Forry, but my friends call me Rob. I quess I'm pretty much a Noob to chasing and to Stormtrack. I’ve had the privilege of meeting many of you over the last year or so, and many of you have been a huge help to me. I've been a weather enthusiast (NUT) since the ripe old age of 8 when the '74 Super Outbreak occurred. Living in Dearborn Heights, MI at the time, my community wasn't directly affected, but the thunderstorms that occurred in and around our area had a major impact on me. Not from a fear aspect, but from a raw power severe weather produces. From that time forward until today, I still get the same "wow" feeling when I see weather doing what it does.
I began my chase career officially in 2001 when I chased on my May 21st. That day I learned not to chase using the freeway system as the EF2 I was trying to run down near Hartland, hit the TRW Automotive Plant at Center Road and then crossed US Hwy 23. Debris from the plant, the party store next door and overturned cars and semi tractor trailers blocked the north and south bound lanes of the highway. I ended up caught in the backup in the northbound lanes of US 23 at M-59 before pulling a u-turn in the median and heading back south. Funny how things work out in life, I'm now a Supplier Quality Engineer in the very TRW plant the tornado hit.
While living in west Tennessee I spotted locally for several area storms and then got active in chasing the night of the Super Tuesday Outbreak on February 5th, 2008. I think I may be the only chaser to capture video footage of the EF4 shortly after it hit Union University. Of course, because it hit at night, our only glimpses of it came as it was illuminated and back-lit by lighting and power flashes from exploding transformers. Due to my work schedule I chased sparingly while living in south Texas from 2009 - 2011, but then became very active once returning back to Michigan in May 2011. My first Plaines chase occurred during the High Risk Kansas outbreak on April 13-14. That day I chased with veteran chasers Bill Oosterbaan and Bob Hartig. I highly recommend that to anyone new to this. Always first chase with someone who’s been doing it awhile, and knows what they're doing. Be a big sponge and learn as much as you can from these guys and gals. I owe the two of them a lot because on this trip I scored my first Plaines tornado.
I've enjoyed studying and learning the severe weather forecasting process. I call it a process because I'm a process guy. I had used to chase strictly by using the SPC Outlooks, but now delight in using them to confirm my own forecast. Nothing I'd ever boast about, but there is a sense of satisfaction when your forecast something and it actually happens.
I live stream video with ChaserTV and KDR Media, and will launch my personal website/weather blog in 2013
http://www.mi2wisterchaser.com
Come follow me on twitter: @mi2wisterchaser and on Facebook: Robert Forry
Thanks for this thread
Regards,
Robert (Rob) Forry
WX8RLF
