I live in Nebraska myself, but I wanted to see where some of the viewers watching this are from. This list of states is from tornadochaser.net. If your state is not listed below please post a reply and let me know.

Question:
What is your location? (if you're in tornado alley)

Choices:
North Dakota
South Dakota
Nebraska
Wyoming
Kansas
Oklahoma
Texas
Louisiana
Arkansas
Missouri
Iowa
Minnesota
Illinois
Indiana
Ohio
Tennessee
other (not in tornado alley)

 

I live in Southeast Michigan, just north of Detroit. I believe someone had said on here that "Chasing should only be done by people who have EXPERIENCE doing that kind of thing". I completely disagree for one very simplified reason.

What if your state DOESN'T HAVE ANY TORNADO OUTBREAKS? My state's last outbreak of tornadoes (more then two) was in July of 1997. Worse yet, we've never even been put under a PDS watch in the entire history the program has been put to use. How are you supposed to build experience when you're not in a hotbed to acquire it?

Our winter seems to last five months. Whenever supercells build in western Michigan, you can just about assume by the time they get here they are either A.) weakening wholeheartedly and the storms are no longer even strong or B.) Squall lines which are not good for tornadic development. I've been trying to work on a kind of thesis showing this fact, that there might indeed be an urban heat and lake shield that somehow PROTECTS the area from supercells and tornadoes.

Out in the Plains, you have lots of opportunities to chase. Out here, we'd have to travel a good 500 miles to be even in a DECENT spot to chase. And that's not even prime-time area, that'll get you to about St. Louis.

StormHunter

Stormhunter not true just last month Michigan had quite an outbreak of tornados...

Ahhh...you mean the one that hit Williamston?

Williamston is about 75 miles West from where I am located. The other one in Kalkaska is about three to four hours Northwest. However, on that day in question, I had to work and I was unable to chase it.

We were put under a tornado watch that night around 11PM EDT, way too late to go chase something. What's funny was with that watch, there was not a single tornado within it from start to finish (during the watch).

They DO happen in Michigan, but they are few and far between and extremely unpredictable. It's just not a hotbed of severe convective activity or for tornadic development.

StormHunter

No I mean the 16 tornados from NWS on 10/18/07

There were tornados in the watch area ... I watched all day and right up until 2 AM when the watch expired. There was lots to look at on radar all day...

I didn't know there was sixteen in Michigan alone, but I do know the axis of highest instability and shear seemed to sit back over the Western part of the state towards Chicago and south towards Fort Wayne.

I have the mesoscale discussions of that day still and while we were under a moderate risk, about 6 or 7PM I just about knew we weren't getting anything. THE FINAL WATCH that was posted at around 11PM didn't have any warnings with it, in fact it was cancelled before 2AM and it was supposed to go I believe until about 6AM.

The other thing is, am I going to chase at night and possibly risk death? Remember, the sun goes down in Michigan about 6:30 PM BEFORE daylight savings kicks in. Now it goes down a little after 5.

I would rather save my money for a real chase in April or May in the Plains. I have family in Richland Hills, TX so that would be an ideal homebase. I'm not going to stay out as long as Dr. Josh and the rest of the crew, but I hope to be out there for at least a week or two.

You bring up a good point though, it was an unexpected outbreak and worth chasing if everything was right. However, in Michigan, being as unpredictable as it is, it was better to save the mileage and stay at home.

StormHunter

I would never advise to chase at night...however there were warnings in my area right up until 1 AM...and I was watching radar from right here at my 'puter..

to chase you MUST know the whats and wheres and hows..I don't think that you are there yet...

I lived in tornado alley until for 11 yrs..had my share of and a total loss of the small town I lived in on the date in my sn...

edited for spelling...

First off, I'd like to say that I am extremely sorry about your loss on that day. The outbreaks of that first few weeks in May were among the worst on record and many cities suffered incredible damage. I happen to remember the Pierce City tornado, which had awful devastation and not much was left. The idea of chasing loses its luster when in comparison to human lives, and the toll that it takes on every one of those people in those small communities.

Without experience though, how is one ever going to be able to say that they are ready for a chase? There is only one way to obtain it, and that is to actually participate in one. I've often said that seeing a tornado will either A. Open up the floodgates and I'll want to see a bunch more of them or B. Scare me and shock me to the point that I will never again take part in it.

In a chase, I realize there is no room for error. It's a do-or-die situation. If I make a mistake, I could kill or injure everyone that is taking part, including myself. I've been tracking weather here in Michigan for a long time, some 10 years. I know it's a far cry from what happens in Tornado Alley, but I'd give it a shot.

By the way, one last point. I had to work the day of that outbreak in October. I didn't get out until after 5:00 PM, and it would have left me an hour and half roughly to chase before night fell. I could possibly get to Jackson in that time frame, but I would have had only about 30 minutes to see anything. Henceforth, I watched it at home and ate dinner.

Again, you have my condolences on what happened on that day. I fully appreciate your insight and viewpoint.

StormHunter

im from michigan..i see that their are other ppl from the state to...

I'm 18 and I live Murray in the purchase area of west ky. Weather here has been weird for the last 5 years. Since 2003, Murray has gotten lucky on some close call tornadoes. They usually go a few miles down to the south of us. I remember one outbreak and that was on Nov. 15 2005. That was the one where Marshall county got hit, the county north of where I live. Then, around the same time, there was one that hit Paris, TN. I remember the first time the weather got really bad here for the first time in my life and that was on May 4, 2003..it was on a Sunday. Well, it went into Monday morning. Spring of 2006 was one to remember as well. I can't wait to get out there and chase these storms.