Skywarn Spotter? Ever asked if you're a storm chaser from the decals on your car?

[Stephen Barabas]

Being a Skywarn spotter can be interesting, especially if you have the Skywarn logos on your vehicle. People tend to ask the most interesting questions. If you've had these kinds of experiences, whether it's on the road or at the gas station, tell them here!

 

[Stephen Barabas]

So. Even though I started this thread, I suppose I'll introduce one weird conversation I had with a person. I was coming out from Ritz Camera and a lady approached me once I got to my truck. She noticed the decals I have on it as well as the make shift rigged weather stations. Immediately she asked if I was tracking anything. . . but it was a perfectly calm and clear day. In any regard I replied to her with a simple no and explained to her that I am an atmospheric science student with a passion for severe storms, filming, photography and research.

Yes . . . I know, not that interesting of a story. But it's still funny to someone like me!

 

[Rob Wadsworth]

I have the eSpotter/NWS stickers on my rear windows.
One person thought I was hunting for illegal immigrants...lol!
Of course...I said no...

 

[mikedeason]

Can't say I get much reaction, but then again I don't display logos or anything unless I'm cruisin' for chicks.

 

[Jesse Risley]

I don't have stickers, just a few antennas, but it seems like every chaser convergence or pit stop for gas strikes up a conversation with the locals about nader chasing.

If you really, really want to pick up chicks, you need a lightbar as opposed to just those Skywarn stickers.

 

[mikedeason]

If you really, really want to pick up chicks, you need a lightbar as opposed to just those Skywarn stickers.

Dang, so that's what I've been doing wrong.

The only decals I ever put on my vehicles were ones I made of the plotting symbols for a cumulonimbus and thunderstorm. They were inconspicuous so that only anyone with a deep interest in weather an meteorology would have known what they represented. I guess I've never been one to advertise my presence while out chasing or spotting.

 

[Jason Boggs]

Since I have a local TV station sticker on my Xterra, I always get locals asking me about the weather when I'm out.

 

[Dean Baron]

There've been a couple times, not on my car but on people's car who I'm chasing with. Nothing real funny, just farmer Joe coming out to look at the scary looking clouds instead of going to the basement during the tornado warning.

Actually, there was a guy down in Missouri on June 7th this year who made for a pretty funny moment. Just imagine Larry the Cable Guy but not talking like that on purpose.

 

[Jim Saueressig]

Mennonites stopped to see what I was doing the other day with my fancy camera. They were pretty amazed at the little picture viewer since they didn't even own a TV.

 

[Skip Talbot]

The acrylic dome I'm using for a video camera enclosure always gets the locals going. On June 6 in Nebraska there was one bearded character at a gas station staring at it for a minute. He finally came up and asked, "You really think that thing is gonna save your life?" Hilarious.

 

[Joe beier]

"You really think that thing is gonna save your life?"

ROFL! That's bordering retardation ...

 

[Stephen Barabas]

ROFL! That's bordering retardation ...

Haha. I agree. Then again. . . most everyone who storm chases is asking to die when we go out and do what we do. That's what makes it so thrilling. You never know what the weather is going to do!

 

[Adam Lucio]

Ive gotten approached many times but nothing off the wall.

Usually they just ask where to go to stay safe and I tell them not to follow me.

A more interesting encounter I had was on June 5th in Nebraska with a local...one who appeared quite intoxicating.

He asked me what way the storm was moving and I said SE and that set him off.

"SEE!!! Will you tell them lying sons a b**ches at the NWS that this s**t ALWAYS comes from the northwest...not the soutwest like they be always saying" I didnt feel like going into the technics of it, but it was pretty funny.

 

[Tony Laubach]

My favorites are always the locals who have lived there for 30 years and come up and make chat with you about chasing, then say something along the lines of "its too *insert excuse here* for tornadoes"...

I always wish I can run into them later in the day after several tornadoes have touched down. The first, most memorable of these was the Cactus/Tulia day where someone said it was too cold for tornadoes that afternoon. Obviously that was not the case...

And this season, some guy in a church parking lot (my chosen accent to talk to this church goer was a story all on its own) mentioned how there wouldn't be any tornadoes saying the lack of a dryline and cold front were the main reasons. He forgot warm front, and several tornadoes touched down near the warm front.

Those are just my faves...

 

[jeremy wilson]

Had a gent come up to me this year about a mile from where the pig farm tornados in Oklahoma touched down in 2008. He told me and Jay Brock we were "in the wrong spot to see naders, they just didn't happen in these neck of the woods". I asked him when the last time one touched down around there and he said " we had three last year right over there". I guess they get so many up there that it's not a big deal when you have an outbreak the previous year!