Chris C Sanner
EF5
Once the Super Bowl ends, the official countdown begins! Unfortunately that countdown makes Feb. the unofficially longest month of the year 
Who's itching for spring season already?
- Thread starter Brad Berry
- Start date
Tarmo Tanilsoo
EF5
For me, count March in too... In 2006, I had year's first thunderstorm(it passed from distance) in mid-May.
Joey Ketcham
I am ready for the chase season. Chris Wilburn, Tyler Costantini, and I just got together Saturday to discuss the upcoming chase season and watched some chase highlights.. definately ready to get back out.
Mark Farnik
EF5
My itch is fast building to a fever pitch.Though I know we need it desperately, I am positively SICK to death of shoveling and driving on snow/ice. And if the current storm track persists, we're probably in for another 30-50 inches of snow in March as it is Colorado's snowiest month, and we've been known to have snowstorms as late as early May. I'm soooo ready for the spring thaw and the return of severe weather. I'm hoping to have all my new equipment (new laptop, new video camera, new car) purchased by the end of April.
I haven't seen a thunderstorm since August, and I'm getting so desperate I may try and chase one of the setups in March even if I don't have all my equipment. I just need to see some good structure and some lightning bolts, hear some thunder and feel raindrops pelting on my face at the very least; though realistically, I can't justify driving 1000+ miles just for that. So it would have to be a very conducive setup like the ones we saw in March of last year, sans the 50+ storm motions...
I have a strong feeling that 2007 will be a good season; not another 2004 or 2005, but a good season. I think there will particularly good oppurtunities for lee cyclogenesis induced upslope flow events here in the Western High Plains in May/early June; which is fine with me, because there is nothing like chasing in your own backyard.
I haven't seen a thunderstorm since August, and I'm getting so desperate I may try and chase one of the setups in March even if I don't have all my equipment. I just need to see some good structure and some lightning bolts, hear some thunder and feel raindrops pelting on my face at the very least; though realistically, I can't justify driving 1000+ miles just for that. So it would have to be a very conducive setup like the ones we saw in March of last year, sans the 50+ storm motions...
I have a strong feeling that 2007 will be a good season; not another 2004 or 2005, but a good season. I think there will particularly good oppurtunities for lee cyclogenesis induced upslope flow events here in the Western High Plains in May/early June; which is fine with me, because there is nothing like chasing in your own backyard.
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Jay McCoy
EF5
Now is the time to get serious about getting all my equipment and hevicle back up to par and have everything ready to go. Severe wx workshop here is next month and I am hoping to be chasing in 6 weeks.
Mickey Ptak
EF5
It is about this time of year I come out of weather hibernation and recap on the forecasting skills, get the gear pulled back out, and start budgeting for March - June. Plus, start looking long range for the slightest hint of moisture return on a good stiff southern bound short-wave.
I got the DVX100A fixed (it took a tumble 5/23/06 in NE) and it is back in my hands again so with that unit and my two Sonys I am good to go. The only thing I need for this season as of now is a shotgun mic for the DVX100A and a really good deal on 50 each of miniDV and Hi8 tapes. I will be using A LOT of tapes this season because I will be recording inside the car (wish I had that on 5/12/05 South Plains TX) and outside as well. IMO so much chase life is missed when you can’t see the chaser(s) behind the camera.
I want to be back chasing on the Caprock and Western Oklahoma again because that is where I feel right at home. I sure hope that the weather will be kind and give the southern chasers a good April and May before moving up north for you northerners. A good mix so all of us are happy with 2007.
Anyway, long story short, yep I am itching and ready to chase.
Mick
I got the DVX100A fixed (it took a tumble 5/23/06 in NE) and it is back in my hands again so with that unit and my two Sonys I am good to go. The only thing I need for this season as of now is a shotgun mic for the DVX100A and a really good deal on 50 each of miniDV and Hi8 tapes. I will be using A LOT of tapes this season because I will be recording inside the car (wish I had that on 5/12/05 South Plains TX) and outside as well. IMO so much chase life is missed when you can’t see the chaser(s) behind the camera.
I want to be back chasing on the Caprock and Western Oklahoma again because that is where I feel right at home. I sure hope that the weather will be kind and give the southern chasers a good April and May before moving up north for you northerners. A good mix so all of us are happy with 2007.
Anyway, long story short, yep I am itching and ready to chase.
Mick
Karen Politte
EF5
Yes I am ready and waiting to chase. In addition to taking four four-day-long weekends in May (and maybe a few in June), I hope to get out on the weekends at other times too if the setup allows.
Next month will see March come roaring in, thank goodness. I'll be pleased when we can stop getting into the 20s at nighttimes so I dont have to waste half of my evenings covering our prematurely-growing spring bulbs with bedsheets. We need a bona-fide start to the growing season.
March also is the time of year that I start watching Tds in the Gulf and also watching with baited breath any cold fronts that pass through, willing them to stop at the Gulf Shore if they get that far. Hopefully this year we won't see too much scouring of our deep moisture down there. It would be nice to have a chase season where true good moisture persists after April.
I don't have much in the way of equipment to get ready so that is not really of concern to me. Just a light dusting of a couple of still camers and a few rolls of Provia and I'll be set.
KL
Next month will see March come roaring in, thank goodness. I'll be pleased when we can stop getting into the 20s at nighttimes so I dont have to waste half of my evenings covering our prematurely-growing spring bulbs with bedsheets. We need a bona-fide start to the growing season.
March also is the time of year that I start watching Tds in the Gulf and also watching with baited breath any cold fronts that pass through, willing them to stop at the Gulf Shore if they get that far. Hopefully this year we won't see too much scouring of our deep moisture down there. It would be nice to have a chase season where true good moisture persists after April.
I don't have much in the way of equipment to get ready so that is not really of concern to me. Just a light dusting of a couple of still camers and a few rolls of Provia and I'll be set.
KL
Mickey Ptak
EF5
Ya, we don't need a 2005 all over again lol.
I am hoping though that we stay in this pattern we are seeing at least until yearly to mid March. I don't like the bitter cold temps nor the winter precip but we really do need this moisture here in OK and TX in a bad way. My hopes are that it continues and gives us a little more soil evaporation for April and May. Plus we still have many lakes and other water sources that need replenishing.
Much like you though I hope we don't get those strong artic air masses pushing the valuable moisture back to the GOM come April and May.
CraigFisher
EF1
Ooooh, I'm itching bad, real bad, despite the 20 degree weather we are having. Seems like it's been a long winter already, spent alot of time watching storms in Lousiana and Florida. Been reviewing any free weather related training on the internet, reading Tims books(3 of them now) and trying to make sense of it all. I think that I have reviewed all of youtube.coms tornado related videos.
Bought a Motorola E815 today, laptop in the near future.......so yes, got the itch!
Bought a Motorola E815 today, laptop in the near future.......so yes, got the itch!
Verne Carlson
EF5
Itching, scratching, ... still itching, applying ointment - still itching! AHHHH 
Cameron Redwine
EF1
Itching, scratching, ... still itching, applying ointment - still itching! AHHHH
I think that I have the same rash. Hopefully we will see a return of tornadoes to the Panhandles and eastern Colorado this year.
Wayne Sclesky
EF0
I know I am starting to get the itch. We are roughly 5 weeks away from Mid-March...when on March 12th of last year we had the huge tornado outbreak here in the Central U.S. It was also the day I was moving back to KC from Miami, FL. I got caught in the middle of all of that mess. I have been spending time today researching options for getting radar in the field. Came across the Garmin 376c in which you can get Nexrad feeds. Some pros and cons with it, buts seems interesting to have gps and radar integrated into one unit. If anyone has thoughts with this, let me know!
Shane Adams
What he said...
Aaron Kennedy
EF5
As I reached the office today after braving the ~-30F temps I looked out the window to see an overshooting top! Er... overshooting top from the smokestack of a local food processing plant over the temperature inversion.
Ya... I'm ready for spring!
Ya... I'm ready for spring!
Chris C Sanner
EF5
I've found a cure to SDS, at least a temporary one and it's called writing 3 papers a week for school. I'm really excited for Spring and I am counting down the days, but School and other side projects that must get done by spring are really keeping my mind off things all in all. I'm not seeing anything too terribly cold the next couple of weeks though (mostly 40s and 50s). I'll just be happy to keep things warm so I can quit wearing layers of clothes
