Chasing The Wind

Dark clouds form, thunder rolls and lightning flashes, planting fear and causing some to flee or hide. 

In my hometown there is a group of men called Storm Chasers who do not fear storms. They settle down in a specially outfitted van and go out to meet them. Their interest and love for storms developed at a young age and has intensified as they gained experience and knowledge.

Their first up-close and personal event was with Hurricane Rita. Later they chased Gustav, Ike and Isaac. When Ike made landfall, they stood on the seawall watching waves bounce 40 feet into the air, while being interviewed by Geraldo Rivera. They describe the experience as “exhilarating and amazing.”

Chasing hurricanes differ considerably from going after tornadoes. Hurricanes provide more warning. Experts track them long before they make landfall. Storm Chasers watch satellites and use other equipment. They know pretty well where and when the storm will hit.

A tornado is an entirely different environment. While weather technology provides immense data, no one can predict when, where or if one will develop. On a day when conditions seem perfect for activity, our local team may travel as far as Kansas and see nothing. On May 15, 2013, weather channels and other meteorological sites expected little or nothing. But sixteen tornadoes appeared that day, including the deadly EF4 that hit nearby Granbury.

As May 2013 ended, our team of chasers witnessed a historic event in El Reno, Oklahoma. A tornado developed a quarter of a mile from them. Internal winds of 296 mph twisted, drawing in debris from every direction. The 2.6-mile wide tornado, the widest reported in history, remained on the ground for 43 minutes. The van suffered damage but no chaser was injured.

In spite of the risk and danger, storm chasers hope the knowledge and data they collect will save lives.