Our cultural obsession with danger and extreme weather risks more than lives.

[Taylor Wright]

"The storm-chase culture has blown meteorology off-course." Funny that he says this a couple paragraphs after stating "The number of U.S. bachelor's degree recipients in meteorology shot up 47% from 1994 to 2004, compared with a 20% increase in college graduates during that decade." As if it's such a terrible thing that people are interested in learning about the weather. I now have a plethora of knowledge to help keep my friends and family safe in the event of a tornado. Something I did not have before I picked up chasing as a hobby. Even if some people are becoming meteorologists just to chase, is that really such a bad thing? That's their decision. I agree that it just seems more like a rant that was written solely for click bait and controversy. I'd say the less attention we bring to garbage like this the better.

 

[Mike Smith]

I saw a statistic that 45 people have died in snowmobile accidents in Ontario this winter. Storm chasing has had 3 fatalities in 43 years. I'd say that is a terrific record.

 

[Sean Ramsey]

Might as well shut down Yellowstone if the opinion is that taking photos and videos of nature is a problem. Much more traffic there too.

 

[Gene Moore]

This article was written two years ago and it didn't change anything of consequence; so I won't rehash what's already been stated. Individually the El Reno incident caused me to become more cautious and it cost me a number of tornadoes last year, like good shots at Mayflower AR. I was positioned well but refused to drive west on I-40 when turn around options were limited and the median had a steel cable. It also kept me from bolting out of Louisville MS on a road that led into that tornado's devastating path. My turnaround point was only a few hundred feet from the center-line of the EF4 damage path. From the east the large tornado was visible, but from my vantage point north and northeast it was just rolling black fog with a sculpted supercell structure above it. Amazing that the greatest supercell structure of the year would come out of Mississippi. Everyone needs to draw their own chase limits that are NOT based on what others are doing. Getting close has a whole new meaning these days and doing so without an armored vehicle is risky. Most any vehicle can be one satellite vortex away from getting lofted. On the plus side, no one got killed last year and there were quite a few less people screaming "we're in the wedge." That's got to be an improvement. So have a great season, I dread if it starts in Mississippi again but it looks that way... my greatest respect for the Dixie Chasers. Nothing will put your heart in your throat like core punching in the pine trees.

 

[James Gustina]

The first 3 sentences were enough for me to discredit your comment and roll my eyes before reading Professor Knox never stood in front of a green screen nor has he asked anyone to send him a weather picture...

Yet he seems willing to speak at length about a hobby which he has never participated in and takes the usual research professor's condescending tone in making his point. Do I agree with some of his points? Yes. That said, I have yet to meet anyone at OU that is here exclusively because of storm chasing. I had my interest in meteorology somewhat helped along by chasing, but the idea that people are using it as a crutch to justify undertaking a very difficult discipline is preposterous. You don't get through these programs with that.

 

[Paul Hadfield]

As this article has been blowing up over my social media the past few days, I've noticed an uptick of supposed "safety experts" high-fiving the author's intent at throwing chasers under the bus. I just smh because this activity is so overrated and especially when compared to other 'extreme' hobbies people get into either for enjoyment or revenue. Not sure what's worse, unethical chasers or people that call out the actions of one (or even some) and broad brush the rest as being in concert through the magnifying lens of social media. Grinds my nerves when people reference the events of 2013 for as horrific as that ill-fated day was, it eliminated the bogus stereotype that if you chase like so and so vs. such and such, you'll be fine. Spend any measure of time around bad weather and you will encounter an "oh crap" moment, it's inevitable and happens to everyone eventually. You learn from it, you move on and work the next event as it presents itself. The author would know this if they actually understood their subject. Dude faults the "Twister" effect and the surge of popularity via TV and tour groups as bringing more people into the activity yet as I've watched over time, the influx has correlated to the advancements in PERSONAL MOBILE TECHNOLOGY. Maximum respect to those who commented on this piece and blew it to smithereens but sadly, the common sense reality of chasing is almost always lost when presented to those with an ax to grind.

 

[S Kalka]

I think the point to this article is that the author feels that storm chasing has made meteorology 'sexy' leading to a glut of graduates competing for a very few jobs. This would naturally limit the wages and opportunities for established meteorologists. When I see all the college groups out chasing, I wonder just how many jobs there are out there for them.

 

[Warren Faidley]

Again, we need to remember that chasing is not a "sport." We conduct our business or hobby on public roads, shared by people who have nothing to do with chasing. There are laws to keep everyone safe. Just because you are a chaser does not give you the right to break the law or endanger other people. When boneheads do stupid things and get hurt, EMS and LEO's have to respond, often endangering themselves or taking them out of service for more important emergencies not involving boneheads.

W.

 

[Stephen Szulborski]

I think he misses a big point with respect to storm chasing/spotting. The information gathered and reported back to NWS allows for warnings to be worded stronger in necessary cases plus it puts eyes on the field get the verifications of tornadoes and other severe weather. Sure there are a few bad apples out there and 'look at me' types but most are out there for either the science or photography.

 

[Jeff Hawkins]

I agree with the other comments. He's full of it. Regardless, the author references a 2001 Chuck Doswell article in his piece. Reading that (again) I found Chuck saying this at the time (2001): "I shudder to think of what a "feeding frenzy" the media will have on the day when a chaser gets killed by a severe storm. I am certain it will happen eventually, if enough folks put themselves in harm's way. The thrill seekers among you, the adrenaline junkies (e,g, many of those who do bungee jumping, extreme skiing, freebase parachute jumps, solo unroped rock climbing, etc.) have to accept the fact that people die taking risks. That seems to be the thrill for some of you out there, and you hasten the day when the first storm-eaten chaser hits the headlines. When it happens, there may be talk of banning the "sport" or regulating it or whatever. I hope that I don't live to see the day." It doesn't seem to have gone that way thankfully, and I am guessing it's that kind of storm chaser Mr. Knox had in mind when he wrote this article in 2013.

 

[Jeff Hawkins]

Apparently I can't edit my previous comment? There's no 'edit' button. So I post another comment to clarify. In re-reading it I see my comment sounds like I was thankful that some adrenalin junkie wasn't killed but that the opposite occurred. Obviously that is NOT what I was thinking! To lose TS/PS/CY was worse than what Chuck envisioned. What I meant was that thankfully there wasn't the feeding frenzy of the media. They were as shocked it seems as everyone else.