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

[Daniel Beuchert]

Indeed John, indeed!

I've had one time, when I was fueling up, and a family caravan was next to me ... the father asked if I really was a chaser (I have stickers, so hand to forehead moment), and then tells his kids that I'm a storm chaser ... that was kinda funny but cute at the same time.

Probably the one I'll remember the longest is the time I was chasing in central MI, saw a white crown vic flip a U behind me, and looked down at my speedometer ... I slowed down and waited for the lights. When I looked into the rear view again, I noticed a Skywarn license plate, and pulled over to chat - he had seen the funnel cloud on the storm I was on before it turned into an HP hurricane. Funny how you meet other chasers sometimes!

 

[Marcus Diaz]

I always get that look when I pull in a gas station in another state, with my Texas plates, Skywarn decal, and my loud Mazda roaring to a stop, the look of "...you don't chase in THAT do you?" Haha, I always tell anyone I like to have the ability to get to or away from a storm quickly rather than slowly chug along.

 

[Ryanne Jobsian]

I have only one skywarn sticker on my back window. I have not ever been asked about it, probably because around here, not many know what Skywarn is. The only reason I have it on my car is to reduce the chance of some whackjob cop coming up to me while photographing storms and giving me a hard time. You never know what people might think since around here you cannot take pictures inside malls because of homeland security or some such bull. Once I was in an empty parking lot photographing a supercell and there was a cop there. Kinda odd and made me a little cautious but he may have been there the same reason I was. Damn the city!

It always funny people asking you, "how much does it pay," to spot/chase!!You get to hear all there tornado and hail stories some are interesting.Seem like everyone wants there own personal forecast like are we going to have a tornado here.

I love this. It usually is the first thing out of peoples mouths..aside from "Ooh like in Twister!" My general answer is "It costs more than it pays" and tell them that I do not do it for money and probably never would.

The personal forecast thing is rather irritating. My family are the ones that do that. They will ask me what is going on and when I tell them, they try to tell me otherwise. This is irksome when I am sitting in front of a laptop with radar up and all the forecast discussions..then they say "check TWC" -.- No, YOU check TWC

 

[Tyler Allison]

I don't have any stickers...but I did buy 2 kids Tshirts for my 4 and 6 year old.

They say: "My dad's a storm chaser. What does your dad do?"

I guess it's kinda bumper sticker

 

[Bryan Draper]

I had someone the other day see my truck with the skywarn decals on it and came up and asked me if I was on the "Storm Chasers" show. (Though i was on Vortex 2 and was on CSWR team and was on the weather channel) I said no. I find it funny how people assume that just because we're out looking at storms means we must be on TV or something..

 

[mskinner]

I've been spotting for a few years now and only have had a hand full of people make comments.

I remember being at Home Depot early this spring, loading up some landscaping material in my expedition and the store clerk noticed my antennas and skywarn stickers. He started to ask the normal questions as one would expect, but then proceeded to ask one of the best ones yet..."Whats it like to be inside a tornado?"...all I could do is answer with a simple "I have no idea". haha

Another instance happend this summer as I pulled up to a stop light. I noticed an elderly man in his car looking at the rather small skywarn stickers I have on my truck. He was pointing at the sticker and giving a huge smile along with a thumbs up. Made me feel proud for providing storm spotting services for the public. I have no idea if he just thought it was neat or if he was "thanking" me for being out there helping out. Maybe he had an encounter once with mother nature and it scared him...who knows, but he was happy and it made me feel good.

73's Matt

 

[Keith Mullen]

Our Skywarn program up here in the NW doesn't have any stickers, logos or anything. I would totally put one right next to my NaFC sticker - just cause I'm that kind of guy.

I wonder if I should ask them, "Hey, I've been spotting for you NWS guys for years - where's my sticker?"

Heck, just did the refresher/training last week again as a matter of fact. Still no stickers.

 

[Skip Talbot]

"Whats it like to be inside a tornado?"...all I could do is answer with a simple "I have no idea". haha

Matt, that is just begging for a Twister quote: "It was windy."

 

[mskinner]

Matt, that is just begging for a Twister quote: "It was windy."

Skip...good one. I didn't think of that.

 

[Zachary Lassiter]

And now I must ask this. . .and I feel bad for asking this, and maybe I shouldn't. But I'm going to anyway.

Has anyone ever noticed that at most, if not all SKYWARN meetings, there is AT LEAST one toothless. . .below par intellectual person sitting in the front of the meeting who has all of the mediocre . . .remedial questions that slows everything up, while most are sitting there to endure time and renew their ID cert?

I don't mean to be blunt, but jeez. . . It's like these people just walked out from the hills or something.

I don't know. I just wanted to see if anyone else noticed this as I have. Maybe I just notice too much.

Or the blind guy who talks about when he saw his trash bin blowing around

 

[Tim Shriver]

Or the blind guy who talks about when he saw his trash bin blowing around

Or the "know it all" chaser/spotter that tries to pin down the person giving the class and looks down at the others attending the class..

Life is Live ya know...

Tim

 

[Stephen Barabas]

Or the "know it all" chaser/spotter that tries to pin down the person giving the class and looks down at the others attending the class..

Life is Live ya know...

Tim

Man. I know what that's like. Not that I look down on anyone, but it is true that some people do ask common sense questions. It's as arbitrary as knowing the difference between touching a hot burner or not.

No equations involved.

 

[Jim Stovall]

The question I am asked the most by the locals when I am out, "is there a tornado coming this way" I just want to ask why are you gonna take cover or grab your video camera?

 

[James Hilger]

I had someone come up to me and asked if i was going to be around for a few minutes because someone really wanted to meet me. I said well i think so but that could change in a moments notice, and im thinking to myself why on earth does someone want to see me being that i was 200 miles from home and didn't know anyone. A few minutes later a car pulls up and a boy around 10 comes up to me with a few tornado books and tells me he has been buying weather books and studying them every chance he got since he was little and said he's always wanted to meet a real storm chaser and asked if i could sign them. I wanted to tell him i was a nobody, but seeing the look on the kids face i couldn't say no. Not exactly a bad thing i guess, just really caught me off guard from the usual "I hope your not intercepting here" speech.

 

[J Tyler]

The funniest thing my wife and I got was when a couple pulled up next to us and asked, "Is it so bad that YOU guys are here?!".

James, I'm so glad you didn't destroy that little boys dream. To HIM, you ARE a big deal! How cool is that?! This little boy grabbed all his weather books and brought them to YOU to sign?! The years will fade the details for him, but he WILL always remember....

This is TOTALLY off subject, but I just have to share....After years of saving money, I was finally able to buy my dream car. It was 1996, and the new blue and white striped GTS Viper had just come out and was a really big deal. I was going to a wedding in my home town(Ada Ok), and planned to arrive like a real big shot in my fancy new car. On the drive there from Texas, I stopped for gas in a REALLY small town, and this VERY old pickup came SCREAMING up next to me. The man driving asked if I could PLEASE wait just a second so his son could see my car. I told him I didn't have a lot of time, but I could. He jumps out, goes to a PAY phone (remember those?!). After a minute, he came back and said thanks anyway, but for me to go on. It would just take too long for his wife to get his son to us since he was in a wheel chair. I was stunned. I told him to lead the way, I would follow him to his son. We drove down the MUDDIEST dirt road on Oklahoma for at least 3-4 miles. I hate that I can't remember his boys name, but I remember us getting him into my Viper so I could drive him up and down that muddy road.

I made it to the reception, but I missed the wedding. My big chance to "show off" went down the tubes because my fancy car was absolutely COVERED in mud! But it was worth it to me a million times over. 14 years later, I still remember the boy. I hope he remember me. And I've still got the car.