"Recreational chaser" What's the difference?

[rdale]

It was a general tstm day with <%2 probs of tornadoes, hail, and high winds.

I've never heard of spotter groups deploying (or not deploying) based solely on the DY1 probabilities... When the storm blossomed, that's the point that I guess I'd make sure spotters are in the field, or based on rotation I'd send the fire trucks out to their points.

Just seemed like an awfully nice storm in semi-populated areas to have zero people out watching.

 

[Scott Weberpal]

I've never heard of spotter groups deploying (or not deploying) based solely on the DY1 probabilities... When the storm blossomed, that's the point that I guess I'd make sure spotters are in the field, or based on rotation I'd send the fire trucks out to their points.

Just seemed like an awfully nice storm in semi-populated areas to have zero people out watching.

And who said "zero" people were out watching it besides TWISTEX? It was an HP storm with a heavily rain-wrapped tornado. TWISTEX was in the right place at the right time, but that doesn't mean that no one else was out watching the storm - from a different vantage point.

 

[rdale]

I was just going on Tony's comment that he was the only one who reported a tornado to the NWS. Even if it was so rain-wrapped that you didn't know until it hit, I guess I would have expected somebody somehow to have phoned it in too.

 

[Mike Johnston]

Recreational, non-recreactional.....those terms are all in the eye of the beholder, so no use worrying about that.

The only distinction that matters is whether you're a professional chaser or not.

For that, IRS has some pretty clear guidelines. You receive more than $600 a year from any one source, it will (or should) be reported on Form 1099-MISC as non-employee compensation. That put's you in business and from that point on you need to keep track of your expenses - mileage, equipment depreciation, film, out of pocket expenses, and so forth.

Not only income tax, but self-employment tax applies, and that can add up. So, $600 is the magic number - not what the press says. Keep track of your stuff. Even if you bought a piece of equipment before the year you hit the magic number, if you're still using it in the year you did become a "professional", it will still be depreciable. Keep track of yourself and don't worry about the labels.

 

[Jim Zandonai]

The only thing that stuck with me was Reed complaining about how frustrating the traffic situation was with the amount of chasers and I understand how that could be frustrating in his situation with his wanting to intercept. But hey Supercells are open to everyone.. anyone wanting a view can watch,report or study from wherever. Spotters,chasers,or the Discovery crew no particular group has right to the best seat so to speak or the 'right of way'. As long as no one is blocking traffic in the middle of the road and are pulled over off the road thats the way it is. No one likes traffic jams but thats part of the game in cases like this and being late is never fun.
I personally didnt care one way or another about the recreational comment..

 

[Joshua Nall]

There are different types of recreational chasers. As a kid I watched the weather 3 times a day, kept records of daily temp, rainfall, and even barometric pressure, tracked all the tropical systems on tracking charts, first lightning picture was using a simple 35 mm point and shoot film camera that I modified (broke).... held the shutter open with a toothpick wedged in the back there... to expose the film I manually opened the lens cover in the front and manually closed it, etc... could sit and watch radar loops for ever... was the first one I knew who actually understood what radar was, what it was picture of. My first chase was on foot (have I mentioned this before? ) A tornado warning popped up on TV and it looked like the storm was going to go just to our north... ran out of the house and up the road to a field and watched a funnel pass over downtown. Thank you mom and dad for not being overly protective. I even sketched a picture of what the storm looked like on radar... still have it. First time to actually get in a vehicle and chase after a supercell was probably 8 or 10 years ago... back when I thought Warren Faidley was the only one doing it, and it gradually progressed from there. I chase to witness the beauty and power that is on display, and recently, capturing what I see on film has become a bigger part of what I do. Weather has always been a huge part of my life.

Then there are those that chase because of shows like "storm chasers"... not that there is anything wrong with that, but just to show the difference.

Another difference... someone mentioned forecasting... It was a bit of a surprise when I first started reading Stormtrack, that so many considered personal forecasting important... as I never even considered it. It's never been a part of what I do.

 

[Shawna Davies]

Ah, June 7th... I don't know about "recreational chaser", but I was definitely a "recreational drinker" that evening after chasing that hellish day.

 

[D. Hayes]

This is the same narrator that said "every storm chaser in the country was in Missouri that day" -- let's not put all the blame on the participants for his quotes.

Dory - in what way did the storm chasers interfere with spotters? As I watched the show, I was amazed that Twistex was the only team on that storm. Where were the spotters?

We would need a spotter from that area to tell us how that flood of chasers affected them.

I know from experience numerous kids and locals out chasing with out a clue in the world to what they are doing. They do interfere because they always come up asking the same questions over and over when the spotters need to be focused on the environment, not shooting the bull.

This is how things unfold for a spotter... We generally won't jump till the NWS says to. We'll get updates through out the day just like anyone else does through WX radio/internet/email. When the weather starts to initiate, we get the word from our local Skywarn coordinator through a mass text message/email that we are active. I'll head out to my vantage point and be the eyes on the ground for the NWS to protect my town and surrounding areas.

Point that needs to be made is, if it looks like there's a situation evolving, everyone needs to be willing to take one for the team and step back.

 

[Marcus Hicks]

Point that needs to be made is, if it looks like there's a situation evolving, everyone needs to be willing to take one for the team and step back.

Take one for who's team and step back for what? I'm confused. I only step back for LE and emergency vehicles. I as well as most involved in this discussion are fully able to contact the NWS and give report.

 

[Adam Lucio]

So basically you sit around waiting for the NWS to tell you when to go? A storm/tornado can form faster than they can update their text products...just like June 10th. If you spotters are so noble you should be on alert the second you hear a rumble of thunder.

Here is clip from one of my chase logs from this year of my encounters with a local super spotter in the ICT area.

"A tow truck ended up pulling infront of the van, thinking it was some angry farmer or something I went back down there to see what was up. The guy was nothing more than a local spotter, one who seemed to be a bit under the influence and a little confused as where to look. He clearly wasnt there on his own will. So I stayed with him and explained where I would be looking for anything significant while I listened to the reports coming over his radio...nothing significant."

Chasers absolutely do not hinder spotter efforts at all. Many of us play the role of spotters as well.

Edit: The day I speak of is June 14th.

 

[Skip Talbot]

I think chasers interfering with spotters is a rather moot point because chasers ARE spotters, and experienced ones too. If you have a large influx of chasers into your area, a good portion of them are in contact with the NWS through phone, radio, or Spotter Network. I wouldn't view an influx of chasers as a curse, but a blessing. "Hey, look at all these additional spotters we have coming in." Sure, not all of them are reporting, but if there are enough chasers that they are actually filling the roads, you can rest assured that there is a good percentage of them reporting in.

 

[Danny Neal]

So seasoned chasers that see probably three times to one in the amount of storms each year, should step back from their chase just so Joe Ham Radio can sit in his driveway and report rain shafts? It makes no sense to me. We are all doing it for the same reason more or less. When it comes down to it, who isn't going to cue up the NWS or call 911 if something significant is happening? I am a chaser, I was chasing June 7th, we went north when everyone went south. Sure we hit the core, but you know what we like to EXPERIENCE the storm. We had clear visual of the area of interest to the south and only got golfball hail and you know what... we didn't see another chaser. Not one. The videos are on my website. Only after we hit I 35 did the armada of chasers come. For about 75 minutes it was us on an east road out of King City, MO, looking at the most beautiful supercell 09 had to offer.( I take that back, the one near Greensburg in June was also amazing) I find it comical that it is being suggested that chasers yield a storm to spotters.... I don't want to make it sound like chasers have more knowledge than spotters or turn this into a chaser > spotter thing. However I would think that having as many eyes surrounding a storm would be more beneficial than having one fixed pair of eyes. I am not sayin' I am just sayin'.

By the way.... I am a firefighter/emt..... wouldn't you want my help if something went down in your community? Or should I stay 2 counties away :-/

Dory, I am not bashing you, just disagreeing with your logic. I think it is commendable that you are doing your job and your main priority is your community, I just think your logic maybe a bit skewed.

 

[Randall Cooper]

Dory, do you have a lightbar by any chance? Just askin...

 

[Marcus Hicks]

Danny, Funny as hell and a very valid statement about more eyes. And I'm still laughing

 

[Jason Boggs]

Hmmm...I just had to look back up to the title of the page. I thought it might have changed to Spotters and Chasers...What's the difference.