Adam Lucio
EF5
I love stat threads. Here's mine:
Chases: 19 (slightly below average)
Tornadoes: 12. (near-slightly below average) 4/17(1) 5/18(2) 5/19(1) 5/20(1) 5/27(2) 5/28(1) 5/30(1) 10/4(1) 11/17(2)
States: IL, NE, CO, KS, OK, AR (Way below average)
Tornado Days: 9 (47% success ratio - slightly above average)
New career milestones:
- New record for consecutive chases with tornadoes: 6 (April 17th, May 18th, May 19th, May 20th, May 27th, May 28th)
- First time with 3 days in a row with tornadoes (May 18,19,20)
- First rear windshield blown out by strong winds instead of hail (October 4th)
- Latest tornado of any season (November 17th)
My phrase to describe 2013 has been "quality over quantity." While the tornado count is comparatively low, the tornadoes I did catch were almost all top tier both in terms of photogenic-ness and historical significance. After coming off the worst year of my career (2012) I entered this season with a new approach that seemed to pay off. Call it luck, call it me finally figuring out the style of chasing that best works for me, but whatever it is, I seemed to do just about everything right this year. My biggest blunder was missing El Reno after a bad navigation call while following other chasers I was caravanning with. At the time I questioned the move, but figured they knew some sort of shortcut since they were from the area, at least we got a different tornado near Tuttle to salvage the day from being a total bust, but still, missing the largest tornado in recorded history will always sting just a little bit...despite what it did.
Chasing with (and driving) the TIV was an awesome experience. I hope I get to have the chance again in 2014. I would love to put that thing inside a tornado, unfortunately the early April days I chased with it were flops. 6 consecutive chases in a row with tornadoes was quite an accomplishment and one that will be hard to beat. I chased in an unusual low number of states this year and had a below average number of chase days, probably due to the overall slow nature of the season. On a similar note, I seemed to do a good job picking and choosing which setups to chase. Unfortunately I do have a real job and can't be out there for every marginal 5% but my job is fleixable enough that I can get out there for all the big days, plus a few marginal ones that fall in between.
There weren't really any tornado days I didn't chase that I wish I had. Hattiesburg maybe, because I did consider chasing that setup, but chose to work instead. I missed a couple scuddy tornadoes in my home state on June 12th, but I purposely ignored that target in favor of sticking closer to home just in case something big happened there. There was a nightime wedge in TX (May 16th?) but night-time tornadoes do little for me in the satisfaction department.
The only reason this is not the best season of my career is the tornado count doesn't come close to 2010 or 2011, but it is definitely #3 - a very successful year for me. I eagerly await 2014 in hopes I can keep the momentum going.
Chases: 19 (slightly below average)
Tornadoes: 12. (near-slightly below average) 4/17(1) 5/18(2) 5/19(1) 5/20(1) 5/27(2) 5/28(1) 5/30(1) 10/4(1) 11/17(2)
States: IL, NE, CO, KS, OK, AR (Way below average)
Tornado Days: 9 (47% success ratio - slightly above average)
New career milestones:
- New record for consecutive chases with tornadoes: 6 (April 17th, May 18th, May 19th, May 20th, May 27th, May 28th)
- First time with 3 days in a row with tornadoes (May 18,19,20)
- First rear windshield blown out by strong winds instead of hail (October 4th)
- Latest tornado of any season (November 17th)
My phrase to describe 2013 has been "quality over quantity." While the tornado count is comparatively low, the tornadoes I did catch were almost all top tier both in terms of photogenic-ness and historical significance. After coming off the worst year of my career (2012) I entered this season with a new approach that seemed to pay off. Call it luck, call it me finally figuring out the style of chasing that best works for me, but whatever it is, I seemed to do just about everything right this year. My biggest blunder was missing El Reno after a bad navigation call while following other chasers I was caravanning with. At the time I questioned the move, but figured they knew some sort of shortcut since they were from the area, at least we got a different tornado near Tuttle to salvage the day from being a total bust, but still, missing the largest tornado in recorded history will always sting just a little bit...despite what it did.
Chasing with (and driving) the TIV was an awesome experience. I hope I get to have the chance again in 2014. I would love to put that thing inside a tornado, unfortunately the early April days I chased with it were flops. 6 consecutive chases in a row with tornadoes was quite an accomplishment and one that will be hard to beat. I chased in an unusual low number of states this year and had a below average number of chase days, probably due to the overall slow nature of the season. On a similar note, I seemed to do a good job picking and choosing which setups to chase. Unfortunately I do have a real job and can't be out there for every marginal 5% but my job is fleixable enough that I can get out there for all the big days, plus a few marginal ones that fall in between.
There weren't really any tornado days I didn't chase that I wish I had. Hattiesburg maybe, because I did consider chasing that setup, but chose to work instead. I missed a couple scuddy tornadoes in my home state on June 12th, but I purposely ignored that target in favor of sticking closer to home just in case something big happened there. There was a nightime wedge in TX (May 16th?) but night-time tornadoes do little for me in the satisfaction department.
The only reason this is not the best season of my career is the tornado count doesn't come close to 2010 or 2011, but it is definitely #3 - a very successful year for me. I eagerly await 2014 in hopes I can keep the momentum going.
Last edited by a moderator:
