Re-living chases

[Paul Knightley]

All,

Up until this year I have always been fairly content with each chase, learning from mistakes and generally moving on if something went wrong. However, this year I can't seem to shake a chase from my mind and wondered whether others have this happen too!

It was the May 23rd day: we were in Quinter as the 1st tornado warned supercell approached from the south. However, WxWorx didn't quite give me enough confidence on exactly where the centre of rotation was, and with it moving at a fair clip northwards we bailed and headed east, before gingerly moving back westward. We missed the 1st tornado.

Then we hung around a gas station for a while, helping out some other chases who lost the rear windshield and doing a bit of filming with the TV crew who were with us. The next supercell was now quickly approaching, and the sirens fired up. Once again, I was rather nervous about exactly where the tornado was, and how easily we'd see it, given the poor visibility. So we went east again. This time we got back west more quickly, and saw the 2nd Quinter wedge from about 5-6 miles away. This was an amazing sight, but I can't help thinking that we could have had a much better view!

And this is the problem - each time I watch the footage, and especially when I see others' footage of the tornado, I get so annoyed that we bailed. But at the time, it seemed a sensible thing to do, and it probably was. I think it's because we had the film crew with us, and it would have made some amazing TV!

Anyway, the long and short of it is I want some in-car Wifi next year to run GRL3!

 

[Sam Kennedy]

Well you know what people say, "Better Safe Than Sorry".
I don't have any experience chasing, but I would say if I was uncomfortable putting myself in a certain situation, then I wouldn't do it, especially when wedge tornadoes are concerned.

 

[Shane Adams]

And this is the problem - each time I watch the footage, and especially when I see others' footage of the tornado, I get so annoyed that we bailed. But at the time, it seemed a sensible thing to do, and it probably was. I think it's because we had the film crew with us, and it would have made some amazing TV!

You made the right decision both times. The number one rule out there is survival first, period. When your gut (or any other part of your body) starts to tell you something, listen. I agree completely with your artisitc frustration, I've been there before as well. But overall, making moves out there based on safety is the first priority. The fact you had a TV crew with you didn't affect your judgement to do what you felt was the safe thing, which is a great indicator that you have your priorities in check. Never let any outside influence trump your gut when it comes to safety; once you feel safe, then you can attack the storm and go for your shots.

A lot of people out there have that backwards these days.

 

[Damon Scott Hynes]

Never let any outside influence trump your gut when it comes to safety; once you feel safe, then you can attack the storm and go for your shots.

A lot of people out there have that backwards these days.

I second-guess about 80% of my chases, but at least I'm here to bish about it, rather than my widow selling the footage to Discovery Channel...

 

[AndyGabrielson]

The chase I relived the most the was Quinter day, I could have taken alot better shots as it crossed the interstate, I knew it was moving across it and now going to go down it, for some reason I hung back though, several times I did that during that day...

 

[Shane Adams]

The chase I relived the most the was Quinter day, I could have taken alot better shots as it crossed the interstate, I knew it was moving across it and now going to go down it, for some reason I hung back though, several times I did that during that day...

I keep seeing this perception that "hanging back" is a bad thing. You don't have to be a half mile away from a tornado for a successful intercept. Video cameras have a feature called "zoom". Just amazes me how chasing has evolved, with everyone so concerned with distance.

A great shot doesn't depend on distance, it's the event/scene itself. Just because some other chaser is closer to the tornado than you doesn't mean they're doing "better". Do your own thing, find your own comfort zone, and develop your own style.

 

[Rob Wadsworth]

The 2nd Quinter tube was cool; I also was at a gas station that was located just S of I-70. I was about 1 1/2 - 2 mi E of the tube. I often kick myself that I was not closer to the event. But the angle of the shot and its distance makes it unique. I just want to be closer the next tube when I get my pics. I am marginally satisfied with the shots that I got, but I can see too easily that there is room for improvement.
Now that I have a better camera and know how to use it, I'm all revved up for this coming season.
My hindsight is as good as anybody else's; that it is always 20/20.
The search is for the perfect storm that can never be found,

I was also at that same Quinter gas station (Sinclair?) that had a vehicle with a busted rear window.
Were you one of the camera crewman that interviewed me?
Shoot me a PM and discuss it if you want!

Paul K; where are you in this picture?
http://picasaweb.google.com/trebor171/StormChaseIowa#5222647693303471394

 

[Jeff Duda]

I must agree with Shane on this one. You're still alive, and that should mean more to you than seeing a tornado from a few miles closer. You'll probably have many more opportunities to see tornadoes from much closer. I would say unless you're insane or suicidal, always go for survival over a crazy shot.

I know how you feel. I went to western IA instead of northern IA on May 25th this year and ended up missing the Parkersburg tornado by an hour.

 

[Jason Boggs]

Anyway, the long and short of it is I want some in-car Wifi next year to run GRL3!

I take the same sentiments as Shane on this one, but....

Don't let radar make your important decisions for you. Remember that radar is not realtime. Trust me, I still have trouble remembering this sometimes. Yes, use the radar to your advantage, but don't get so caught up in it that you forget to look out the window and see what's really going on.

 

[Stuart Wilson]

I'll probably be running GRL3 with in car wi-fi next year but I admit that I'm aware of the risk that I might get closer to rotation than I might without it so there are mixed feelings there.

Rob. I can't see Paul Knightley in your photo. BTW he's a professional meteorologist (not a documentary maker).

 

[Tony Laubach]

We had a similar experience on the Greensburg storm back in 2007. My chase partners, Tom Dulong and Ed Grugg, along with myself were north of the storm as it was heading to Greensburg. We talked about it for a bit and came to a decision that it was too dangerous, and with that, elected not to jump south to pursue it. All three of us agreed with no second guessing that the storm was going to be too dangerous to get after dark, particularly having to go the route that would've been required. We all knew it was a history making storm, but the dangers just seemed too high and we all decided to pass on it.

My only hindsight on the day would've been to be south so we could've intercepted safely, but its not a nagging thing. Had we been south, obviously we would've made the play, but its not something we lose any sleep over.

I guess if I had any day to do over again, I would redo May 22. Again, not something I lose sleep over, but looking back, I would've chased down Windsor then hauled butt out to Kansas. Would've been a fun day to talk about, and had Kansas not shaped up like it did, I think the feeling would've been much worse, but looking back, the logistics were nearly impossible to make an intercept unless I was already north, which at that time, I wouldn't have been.

 

[Vicky Redwood]

I was also there at the gas station watching the tornado getting ever closer, we drove under the junction to get on the other side to get a better escape route and I'm kind of glad we did, we got a good view of the tornado as it passed over the interstate. When the sirens went off we couldn't actually see where the tornado was at first but when we did it was incredible to see, I was driving and wasn't filming it - unfortunately the other guys I were with all had new cameras and hadn't fixed the focus on them so none of them got any clear footage of it! Very disappointed

 

[Damon Scott Hynes]

I guess if I had any day to do over again, I would redo May 22. Again, not something I lose sleep over, but looking back, I would've chased down Windsor then hauled butt out to Kansas. Would've been a fun day to talk about, and had Kansas not shaped up like it did, I think the feeling would've been much worse, but looking back, the logistics were nearly impossible to make an intercept unless I was already north, which at that time, I wouldn't have been.

I have some regrets about May 22, too. After the two of us got whacked on I-70 at Collyer, my nerves were shot and I went to my hotel. Should have stuck around for the next one at WaKeeney...

 

[Verne Carlson]

I think that what makes great video or photographs is not the distance from the tornado but the precip and haze in the way. You have to get in close enough to get the 'greying' effect out. This is what makes mountains look greyish blue when photographed from miles away. Up close you risk your safety at the benefit of getting clear air between you and the tornado.

On May 22nd we heard about the tornadoes north by Hoxie, so that on May 23rd it jinxed us to head up by Hill City trying to get more tornadoes that might have formed on the Quinter #1 storm. It ended up being too far north of the warm front and took us out of position to see the awesome Quinter #2.

Hindsight is 20-20, I too would've been on the Windsor wedge if I had a time machine. But we don't.

 

[Robert Edmonds]

You could have target too far south and not been on the storm, like me, if memory serves me correctly. I too have been having some of these "hanging back" issues, but like everyone else I eventually got to see something and am still alive. That is something I emphasize to anyone, safety first. Eventually there are those storms that you'll be in the prime location to chase at a close distance and feel safe. Also, I'll echo what others say about the reliance on weather data. First, it's not real time, and second the data can be flawed. For example, there have been a few times when the WXWORX radar "placed" a storm several miles (up to 10s of miles) off from its actual location. Also, I too have been thinking of going to one of those data cards, but for me it's about what do I want to put my $$$ into for data.