*New Users. Meet and Greet Area*

[John Vandehei]

OK, I signed up about a week ago and I figured it's time for a proper introduction. I been interested in weather since grade school. I saw some tornado pictures in a school library science book (tornado pictures were rare back then) and have been hooked ever since. I worked as a Meteorologist in the private sector in the 90's and early 2000's, producing newspaper weather forecasts, on-air TV weather graphics and aviation forecasting. With the impact of 9/11 on the aviation industry, my career potential in weather became quite limited. I had the opportunity to change careers, so now I work in the more lucrative commercial real estate appraisal field. I still retain weather as a hobby. Due to financial limitations and family obligations, I keep my chases local. Anyways, being in Lower Michigan, Lakes Michigan and Huron do limit how far you can travel when severe weather hits the region. As part of my job, I do travel a lot across southern Lower Michigan. Thus, I've learned which areas have favorable terrain and views for chasing, and which areas to avoid. Thus, if you're coming into Michigan to chase, I can give a few pointers as to where are the better areas to go. As of now, I haven't got any tornado pictures; the few that do occur here are hard to spot due to trees. Most of my captures are squall lines and lightning. I am envious of the plains chasers who are able to witness the great storm structure. Here in Michigan, trees often obstruct the lower part of the storm until its almost right on top of you. Some day, I'll get out there. Well, that about it for now.

 

[Karla Dorman]

Welcome, Nathan and John. =]

 

[Jill Nash]

Hi all, my name is Jill Nash and I currently reside in Tulsa, OK with my family, having moved here from S. Florida last year. I have become quite intrigued with the various weather patterns out here and have totally enjoyed learning about them while following the various other weather stories from everyone. Having 4 seasons here has been like a breath of fresh air after just living with the "hot" and "not so hot seasons" in Florida. I continue to learn more and more about weather events and forecasting on this board on a daily basis. Thanks everyone!

 

[Christel Danning]

A blanket welcome to all the new members

 

[Eian Greene]

I'm Eian. I reside in the small town of Calhan, CO. My interest in storms has been a part of me since the time i could walk. In my 23 years of life, I've lived in Middle Tennessee, Northern KY, around Owensboro for about a year, and then back to TN, for about 11 years, and finally, moving to the Colorado Springs and finally, 8 years ago, to the Calhan area.
While in Middle TN, I have personally seen the following events: 1/24/1997 Smyrna tornado, 4/16/1998 tornado (a separate storm produced funnel clouds over our neighborhood earlier that afternoon) and a few nocturnal storms too, scary in itself as a child!

Living in Calhan (proper since 11/2003) has given me the chance to see several funnel clouds, plenty of hail, a wall cloud or three, and a tornado at under 1/4 mile away.

Ironically, while living in a trailer-home from '01 to 11/03, all I saw there was hail and lots of rain and lightning. No tornadoes, and one funnel and wall cloud...

 

[Melissa Jablonski]

Welcome Eian!
Melissa

 

[Mark J. Dempsey]

Hi All

Hi All, I'm Mark Dempsey. I joined stormtrack a couple of months ago and have lurked long enough. Thought I would say hi. Spent most of June chasing with Tempest Tours. I was fortunate to witness the tail end of the Goshen Wyoming tornado and later that month witnessed the Aurora Nebraska tornado. They were both pretty awesome. Thanks to Bill, Brian, Jen and Doug!
I go to Hunter College in NYC. I'm working on a paper for my Fluid Mechanics class. Have some theoretical questions, but perhaps this thread is not the place. Need to look around here some more to find the right spot. In any case, here's a howdy do to all. Nice to meet you.
mark

 

[Jen Metcalf]

Like many others on this forum I am new here. I have always been fascinated by weather and I think that comes from living in Nebraska (grew up in Grand Island). Professionally I work in the medical field so I have very little weather knowledge and sometimes very confused as to what you are all talking about but with time I think it will all come together. I was wondering if there is any good books were I can get more of the terminology down? Again thank you for everyone's vast information and I hope that maybe at some point I will be able to contribute.

 

[Wes Carter]

Welcome Eian, Mark, and Jen.

Here are some things you all might find interesting:
Stormtrack Library

 

[Mark J. Dempsey]

Hi Wes,
Thanks a lot for the library link. I'm writing my senior thesis paper on my chase this past June and there are so many fine links there to look at. I'm writing a bit about the history of the storm chase. Too, I'm writing about (and coming to understand) tornadic theory in terms of the different scales it happens at. It's the interplay of scale that really bowled me over this year. So much power only two miles away, and yet the birds are chirping away and the wind had come to a lull where we were standing. It's almost incomprehensible, but there we were.
I'm glad to meet you and glad to be here. and hi to Jen and Eian!
mark

 

[Eric Baker]

Howdy...

Hi I have been chasing a couple of years, and am relatively new to stormtrack. I tried to join in last year, but didn't figure out the whole "don't use a username thing." Anyhow, I have chased my fair share of storms. Storms of note are, May 3, 1999 (I was just 14, however my dad put us right where the tornado crossed the HE Bailey Turnpike, that's where it all started), the May 5th, 2007 Sweetwater tornado (chased this one with no data, just the radio), May 23, 2008 Ness City Supercell (saw several satellites and ridiculous lightning), and May 24, 2008 northern Oklahoma tornadoes (counted more than 8 for sure tornadoes, including more than one instance of multiple tornadoes on the ground).

And as a side note, for all of you chasers that chase Oklahoma, be careful driving through Blanchard. There is a speed trap as you are coming into the town from the north (west) on 62, and I got popped last night, so be careful.

 

[John A. Sellers]

HELLO and WELCOME to all the new members and HI to everyone else. I hope your summer is going well. Its been a record cold July here in N. Indiana but, we're still having fun! So good luck to all!!!

 

[Ian Contreras]

Hello all,

My name is Ian Contreras and I am a 20 year old college student presently attending one of the Community Colleges of Chicago on the city's NW side. I've finally decided that meteorlogy is going to be my educational target. I've always loved weather and looking back, I couldn't tell you why I didn't take the plunge earlier!

I have not had the opportunity to see a tornado yet simply because I have not devoted much if any of my time to the skies. I've come close on 07/25/05 (I was in Janesville, WI while a tornado was on the ground NE of Milton, WI), 08/04/08 (First time I've heard tornado sirens go off in MY neighborhood) and 07/15/09 (Out getting dinner in Kenosha, WI while a tornado touched down briefly, 4 miles to my W/NW. I might have the retreating funnel in one of my pictures.) I hope to change that starting now. The more I learn about the atmosphere, the more I am driven to go out and observe/photograph. I love reading and interpreting all types of maps so I figure this might attribute to my love for weather as well.

In addition to the skies, I love to play guitar, keep up with the MLB (Go! Go! White Sox!) and railfan.

 

[Cammie Czuchnicki]

hello from English Storm Chaser wannabe!

Hi all. I live in England and am storm obsessed. Myself and my mate have just discovered our mutual appreciation of all things weather-based and are starting to plan a trip out to the US next year.

Our initial thoughts are to fly out to Dallas and roam around Tornado Alley for 3 weeks or so from the last week of May to mid-June. We have until then to get as clued up as possible to make our trip worthwhile.

Our main concern is how we are going to travel about. There's no point hiring a car as I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate a returned vehicle with a smashed windscreen or hail dents, so maybe it would be best for us to buy an old banger to last the 3 weeks (but obviously not too old as we realise it's going to need to be able to clock up the miles).

Any advice would be awesome.
From a virgin chaser (but not for long!)
Cammie x

 

[Chris Hayes]

Hi all. I live in England and am storm obsessed. Myself and my mate have just discovered our mutual appreciation of all things weather-based and are starting to plan a trip out to the US next year.

Our initial thoughts are to fly out to Dallas and roam around Tornado Alley for 3 weeks or so from the last week of May to mid-June. We have until then to get as clued up as possible to make our trip worthwhile.

Our main concern is how we are going to travel about. There's no point hiring a car as I'm sure they wouldn't appreciate a returned vehicle with a smashed windscreen or hail dents, so maybe it would be best for us to buy an old banger to last the 3 weeks (but obviously not too old as we realise it's going to need to be able to clock up the miles).

Any advice would be awesome.
From a virgin chaser (but not for long!)
Cammie x

Good luck on chasing next year. One thing you want to do before you come here to chase is get familiar with storms and storm structure as much as you can. Renting a car shouldnt be a problem as most rental places have an insurance form that you fill out. Just dont core punch and you should be okay. We've been chasing since 2001 and have only gotten one big hail dent. That is more luck than anything though as we've been in hail numerous times.