Storm chasing

Imladris · Post by **Imladris** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 9:31 am

Lately I've watched a couple of tv programmes about tornados and storm chasers were mentioned in both of them, it's not the first time I've heard of people doing that and I remember years ago hearing that you can book holidays during the tornado season to go storm chasing.

At the time I thought 'wow, I'd love to do that' but after watching these programmes and seeing the devastation that tornados cause it struck me as immoral to get enjoyment from other peoples suffering.

Studying tornados to predict them to allow for better warning makes sense to me.

What I wondered was how the members here who live in areas affected feel about storm chasing?

shelbell · Post by **shelbell** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 9:54 am

Imladris;1115234 wrote: Lately I've watched a couple of tv programmes about tornados and storm chasers were mentioned in both of them, it's not the first time I've heard of people doing that and I remember years ago hearing that you can book holidays during the tornado season to go storm chasing.

At the time I thought 'wow, I'd love to do that' but after watching these programmes and seeing the devastation that tornados cause it struck me as immoral to get enjoyment from other peoples suffering.

Studying tornados to predict them to allow for better warning makes sense to me.

What I wondered was how the members here who live in areas affected feel about storm chasing?

No way would I do it. I've seen a couple of tornados pretty close and they are too dangerous. Plus I agree with you on the fact that they are so destructive, how could anyone get enjoyment from following them around and watching them take peoples homes, and sometimes lives, away from them.

qsducks · Post by **qsducks** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 9:56 am

shelbell;1115277 wrote: No way would I do it. I've seen a couple of tornados pretty close and they are too dangerous. Plus I agree with you on the fact that they are so destructive, how could anyone get enjoyment from following them around and watching them take peoples homes, and sometimes lives, away from them.

Where I live we don't get tornados but your right Immy & Shel. Kind of sick to go doing that but I can see if they are weather people and getting information on them, etc.

YZGI · Post by **YZGI** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 11:16 am

I have chased storms in the past on a purely amateur level. I have witnessed a number of tornadoes. It's not about watching destruction and loss of life its more about seeing the power of mother nature and just being in awe of it.

Sheryl · Post by **Sheryl** » Wed Jan 21, 2009 12:42 pm

Stormchasers are very important part of weather warning systems. They are mostly the ones who phone in to the tv stations when there's a tornado on the ground and such.

I would love to go on one of the vacations or just go out storm chasing with some local folks. It's not about the destruction, it's about the raw power and beauty of tornados.

Imladris · Post by **Imladris** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 8:07 am

Thanks for the replies.

You've all hit the nail on the head for me really. Yes I think it's not really right because of the suffering but at the same time understanding is only gained by studying. To actually see one must be incredible and terrifying.

sunny104 · Post by **sunny104** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 8:27 am

I'm grateful there are people out there that have the balls to do it so that we can learn from them. :-6

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 8:30 am

Imladris;1115234 wrote:

What I wondered was how the members here who live in areas affected feel about storm chasing?Right off the top of my head Im inclined to believe that if I looked up and saw a tornado with cows and refrigerators tumbling around in the sky bearing down on me after soiling myself Id probably cry for mommy and then jump in the nearest dumpster.Same applies to hand feeding sharks, base jumping and wing walking on airplanes.

Odie · Post by **Odie** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 8:35 am

nope, not me, there have been threats every summer of tornado's and we have had some funnels, but that is it....there was a bad one just north of us years ago and that was bad enough.

would never live in tornado land!

YZGI · Post by **YZGI** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 8:39 am

Imladris;1116017 wrote: Thanks for the replies.

You've all hit the nail on the head for me really. Yes I think it's not really right because of the suffering but at the same time understanding is only gained by studying. To actually see one must be incredible and terrifying.
Blame that butterfly in Africa for flapping his wings at the wrong time and starting these storms.

Peg · Post by **Peg** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 8:43 am

I can't handle wind over 20 m.p.h. so there is no way in hell I am going to chase a tornado!

YZGI · Post by **YZGI** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 8:47 am

Peg;1116053 wrote: I can't handle wind over 20 m.p.h. so there is no way in hell I am going to chase a tornado!
20 MPH is just a light breeze here in Kansas.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:03 am

YZGI;1116059 wrote: 20 MPH is just a light breeze here in Kansas.

Yea but youve got that whole Alice in Wonderland thing going on.Not everyone has that kind of resource.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 10:11 am

One night in Brighton on the South Coast of England.....my home Town, I didn't have to go chasing storms as this one came to me:

BBC ON THIS DAY | 16 | 1987: Hurricane winds batter southern England

I was home alone that night and i truely believed a bomb had gone off. The destruction we woke to in the morning was devastating and i never want to see one again.

My sisters house in West sussex was very badly hit as was my parents home.

Never again.

:mad:

Odie · Post by **Odie** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 10:17 am

YZGI;1116059 wrote: 20 MPH is just a light breeze here in Kansas.

Aunty Em, I wanna go home!:-5:-5:-5

Imladris · Post by **Imladris** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 3:09 am

oscar;1116111 wrote: One night in Brighton on the South Coast of England.....my home Town, I didn't have to go chasing storms as this one came to me:

BBC ON THIS DAY | 16 | 1987: Hurricane winds batter southern England

I was home alone that night and i truely believed a bomb had gone off. The destruction we woke to in the morning was devastating and i never want to see one again.

My sisters house in West sussex was very badly hit as was my parents home.

Never again.

:mad:

I was living in Cornwall at the time and we were just gently blown on, I remember the shocking pictures on the news though.

Few years later I'd moved to South Devon and was Policing one night when we had really, really high winds. Was patrolling and we were checking a country road and came across a portakabin blown into a hedge. Nothing like a tornado but the winds that night brought down several trees and did lots of damage.

Clodhopper · Post by **Clodhopper** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 3:20 am

Immy: South Devon...The South Hams? Do you know Salcombe?

I remember the Hurricane. I was due in London the next day and woke to the news. Thought my friends were pulling my leg, but then saw what it had done on the train journey down and from the car on subsequent days - whole Forestry Commission plantations knocked flat as if by a huge arm sweeping across them. But that was a hurricane, not a tornado. Think they had a bad tornado (by British standards - took a few roofs off) in Birmingham last year or the year before.

Imladris · Post by **Imladris** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 3:30 am

Clodhopper;1116607 wrote: Immy: South Devon...The South Hams? Do you know Salcombe?

I'm round the coast from Salcombe - I went there last year on my birthday, took a drive out and just saw where we ended up, nice town but full of people with children called Archie!!!! :wah:

I remember the Hurricane. I was due in London the next day and woke to the news. Thought my friends were pulling my leg, but then saw what it had done on the train journey down and from the car on subsequent days - whole Forestry Commission plantations knocked flat as if by a huge arm sweeping across them. But that was a hurricane, not a tornado. Think they had a bad tornado (by British standards - took a few roofs off) in Birmingham last year or the year before.

We had a small tornado just off our coast a few years back, someone took pictures and they were in our local paper, didn't do any damage though, it was weird seeing the pictures knowing it was literally just over the road from my house! I'd forgotten all about that........ must be old age.

Imladris · Post by **Imladris** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 3:36 am

jimbo;1116611 wrote: thats why i never eat beans before curry

a few years ago i was working on a roof laying a hundred square yards of epdm rubber membrane in one big sheet the wind picked up and lifted 5 of us right into the air about 20 feet and gently put us back down again ,we downed tools and went home

:eek::eek::eek:

Raven · Post by **Raven** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 3:41 am

Lived in the belt buckle of the tornado belt most of my life. The only thing that has been learned from them so far, is that there is nothing you can do but RUN! And people still insist on living in trailers? Go figure.:-2

Clodhopper · Post by **Clodhopper** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 4:01 am

Immy:Re Salcombe: My parents had a house in the North Sands valley. Spent all the summer and easter school hols there. Sister married a local lad and lived there 20 years before emigrating to NZ. Beautiful, beautiful area.

Sorry. Will stop hijacking thread now.

Imladris · Post by **Imladris** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:20 am

Clodhopper;1116617 wrote: Immy:Re Salcombe: My parents had a house in the North Sands valley. Spent all the summer and easter school hols there. Sister married a local lad and lived there 20 years before emigrating to NZ. Beautiful, beautiful area.

Sorry. Will stop hijacking thread now.

Hijack away - love Devon and am happy to talk about it! :-6:D

Sheryl · Post by **Sheryl** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:31 am

Raven;1116613 wrote: Lived in the belt buckle of the tornado belt most of my life. The only thing that has been learned from them so far, is that there is nothing you can do but RUN! And people still insist on living in trailers? Go figure.:-2

Trailer parks are tornado magnets. But wind doesn't really bother me. Sustained winds of 15 to 20 mph are a breeze to us. We have days where the wind will blow from 40 to 80 mph all freaking day!

Raven · Post by **Raven** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:35 am

Sheryl;1116672 wrote: Trailer parks are tornado magnets. But wind doesn't really bother me. Sustained winds of 15 to 20 mph are a breeze to us. We have days where the wind will blow from 40 to 80 mph all freaking day!
LOL! OMG!! Sheryl! I grew up in Indiana. And when a twister grabs hold of a trailer, not even the insulation is left! Kills too many people. Now in Arizona where they have WHOLE ENTIRE CITIES that can move in ten minutes, (like Apache junction) no worries! No tornadoes there!:yh_rotfl

Sheryl · Post by **Sheryl** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 6:42 am

Raven;1116674 wrote: LOL! OMG!! Sheryl! I grew up in Indiana. And when a twister grabs hold of a trailer, not even the insulation is left! Kills too many people. Now in Arizona where they have WHOLE ENTIRE CITIES that can move in ten minutes, (like Apache junction) no worries! No tornadoes there!:yh_rotfl

Hmmm you've got a good idea. Just keep those houses on wheels, and you can just move out of the way. :yh_rotfl

Raven · Post by **Raven** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 7:22 am

I think they have followed me....getting them in London now! Not usually a paranoid type of person, me. But C'MON!! LONDON!!!???:yh_rotfl

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 10:27 am

Originally Posted by YZGI

20 MPH is just a light breeze here in Kansas.

Nomad;1116071 wrote: Yea but youve got that whole Alice in Wonderland thing going on.Not everyone has that kind of resource.

That made no sense at all. I confused Alice in Wonderland with Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz.

Im not sure I even understand the Alice story. I know I had a couple of bad acid trips back in the day that may have resembled that.

Anyway Im sure Im not the 1st person to get those two mixed up. They were both weird and they both had creepy characters. Didnt the mad hatter run around saying I like to eat poop ?

Thats freaky.

I remember Alice was fairly hot and in her own way so was Dorothy. You know in a 40's kind of way. She wasnt like 14 or anything was she ?

Who cares shes dead now and the statuatory of limitations has run out.

I have to go now. Im going to shape the snow on each side at the end of the driveway into lions.

I figure when people drive by theyll think "wow...someone really important and powerful must live there"

I like that.

Post by **Oscar Namechange** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 11:34 am

Nomad;1116948 wrote:

I have to go now. Im going to shape the snow on each side at the end of the driveway into lions.

I figure when people drive by theyll think "wow...someone really important and powerful must live there"

I like that.

Nomad..... What ever you have been taking.... please send some to :

Jimbo Kebab,

Bracknell,

The South,

England

1M MAD