Greg McLaughlin
EF5
My first chase was on May 25, 1997 in central OK. The next day (Memorial Day) I chased for the second time and I saw my first tornado near Preston, OK on HWY 75.
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Your first time chasing
- Thread starter John Olexa
- Start date
Jeff Richardson
EF2
On my first pursuit of a storm, I had no idea what I was doing...but thought it was such a novel idea to not set at home and hope something photogenic passed by. That was way back on March 15, 1982...more years back than I care to admit have passed. Caught a couple of dark and semi-blurry images of a tornadic supercell over Bartlesville, OK. Little did I know that so many others were out chasing storms across the plains as well.
Dann Cianca
I went all by myself on my first chase. I didn't even know anyone who had a remote interest in weather.
I just found an account of my first storm chase, which was in 1997 in Southwest Montana. I was 16 at the time and completely exaggerated everything that happened. A corrected report can be found here:
http://blog.bigskyconvection.com/2009/02/my-very-first-storm-chase-16s-hina.html
I just found an account of my first storm chase, which was in 1997 in Southwest Montana. I was 16 at the time and completely exaggerated everything that happened. A corrected report can be found here:
http://blog.bigskyconvection.com/2009/02/my-very-first-storm-chase-16s-hina.html
Verne Carlson
EF5
My first chase was more of a 'it chased me'. But I watched an approaching storm from the third story deck of my apartment in Littleton, CO on June 20, 1987. It was the darkest green color with folds and a lot of motion. I grabbed my 35mm camera and snapped off this pic from the parking lot and watched it as it was lost in the trees to the east. From then I was hooked!
John Olexa
EF5
Wow! Awesome first chase /pic Verne!!
with a first time result like that I can see why you got hooked!
with a first time result like that I can see why you got hooked!
Mike Ridgeway
EF2
Besides chasing local stuff in southern Idaho, my first chase to the plain states was in 1991. All I took was my wx radio and a road atlas. I spent my first night in Cheyenne, WY and The Weather Channel was my best friend, giving me some guidance on where to chase the next day. I ended up seeing some "cool clouds" saw lots of lightning and drove through lots of rain, ending up in no man's land in the southeast part of the Colorado. Finally got to the little town of Kim, Colorado and everything was closed. Fortunately, I had enough gas to drive to Pueblo and stay the night. I still had fun though.
Adam Lucio
EF5
Its a hard one to answer.
Since I could drive in 1998 I would foolishly hop in my van and drive around during bad weather, following it as long as I could. Noone I knew had an interest so I was always going alone.
The 1st time I intercepted a storm was 4-20-04. I was not planning to chase, a friend and I were looking for a hotel room to book for after ozzfest that year, in the lobby they had a TV which was flashing the current warnings and radar so I told him he was coming with me. Managed to catch the storm after dark.
I count my 1st real chase [forecasting, picking target area, going out with gear etc etc] as 4-16-06. Easter outbreak here in IL. This was also the first time I chased with someone who had an interest in the subject too.
Since then, it gets better each year.
Since I could drive in 1998 I would foolishly hop in my van and drive around during bad weather, following it as long as I could. Noone I knew had an interest so I was always going alone.
The 1st time I intercepted a storm was 4-20-04. I was not planning to chase, a friend and I were looking for a hotel room to book for after ozzfest that year, in the lobby they had a TV which was flashing the current warnings and radar so I told him he was coming with me. Managed to catch the storm after dark.
I count my 1st real chase [forecasting, picking target area, going out with gear etc etc] as 4-16-06. Easter outbreak here in IL. This was also the first time I chased with someone who had an interest in the subject too.
Since then, it gets better each year.
Connor McCrorey
EF3
I had been learning on my own for a little over a year before I finally convinced my dad do go chasing after school one day, 4/7/08. We caught a very nice looking supercell in Archer County, TX. I realize now that no amount of reading books and learning online can really prepare you for what you get once you get out in the field. After one year of really dedicated chasing, it's amazing how much more I know now, and how much more comfortable I feel now, than I did then.
This is my video from that first storm. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU_xkV_5qXM.
This is my video from that first storm. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MU_xkV_5qXM.
Jason Boggs
My very first chase was in 97 while I was in college at WTAMU in Canyon, TX. A friend and I went out on a storm near Hereford, TX, but it sort of dissipated before we got to it.
Ric Burney
EF3
My first real chases were in 1981 when I would ride out west of town to meet approaching storms. Before that the storms seemed to seek me out growing up in west Texas. Back then it was a real luxury to have a CB in the car. Nirvana was when I finally installed a scanner to pick up the really distant WX broadcasts. Much has changed since then.
There is certainly a lot more effort to be expended putting together today's chase vehicle but is sure does bring back memories of the early days.
There is certainly a lot more effort to be expended putting together today's chase vehicle but is sure does bring back memories of the early days.
Maggie Kahman
EF2
June 4th, 2008 was my first time. I chased an HP beast (wasnt thinking and drove through the core) Didnt see jack squat, but i had fun anyway (except for driving through the core, that kinda sucked) Dont think Ill chase alone again, i need someone who knows what they are doing.
J Trueblood
EF0
My first time chasing was by myself, in a very small 93 volkswagen fox, around the suburbs of my hometown St. Louis. Basically a storm rolled in and i thought, "I want to see this up close!!" so I drove around. I remember the sky suddenly getting pretty dark, and it raining really hard. Once I noticed that all the trees on the sides of the road were bending over I turned around.
Looking back on it, I was probably in a wet microburst (which tends to happen a lot in st. louis storms I think)..But it sure scared me.... and made me want to do it again!
Looking back on it, I was probably in a wet microburst (which tends to happen a lot in st. louis storms I think)..But it sure scared me.... and made me want to do it again!
Glenn Dixon
EF2
FYI, Charles Edwards started a similar thread four years ago:
http://www.stormtrack.org/forum/showthread.php?t=2944
I just happened to see some news coverage (online) of the May 27, 1997 F5 that decimated Jarrell, Texas. One of the articles was about a couple who were chasing the storm, staying ahead of it. I had never heard of people doing that! I started chasing that year and finally saw my first tornado 6/13/98 near Guthrie, OK. In 1999 I was laid off from a job and spent my severance package chasing the plains. I saw 6 touchdowns that year, starting with May 3 in OKC.
http://www.stormtrack.org/forum/showthread.php?t=2944
I just happened to see some news coverage (online) of the May 27, 1997 F5 that decimated Jarrell, Texas. One of the articles was about a couple who were chasing the storm, staying ahead of it. I had never heard of people doing that! I started chasing that year and finally saw my first tornado 6/13/98 near Guthrie, OK. In 1999 I was laid off from a job and spent my severance package chasing the plains. I saw 6 touchdowns that year, starting with May 3 in OKC.
terra seright
We were totally out of our element and didn't know what the hell we were doing. We had a blast, and I caught plenty of pix of clouds that I thought were on the verge......not! We were excited tho and had a blast.
The following year, I found this site and learned quite a bit before chasing again.
The following year, I found this site and learned quite a bit before chasing again.
MClarkson
EF5
My first chase was Hurricane Frances. It went off suprisingly well, almost perfectly... thanks to this website, the experiences of a few other cane chasers I had read, and the NHC discussions that over the years taught me basically everything I know about hurricanes. We caught the right-side eyewall and our only problem was a couple half-empty gas cans getting blown away.
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