Storm Season is on the Horizon

I live in the middle of the “fly over zone,” also known as the Midwest.  We are known for corn, cattle, ignorant conservatives, and tornadoes.  I happen to be one of those crazy weather geeks who gets a thrill out of chasing tornadoes in the spring.

It all started when I was in high school.  I became so enamored with the big storms, that I began taking a cheap disposable camera out to snap a few pictures as impressive storms would roll in.  During this time, I managed to get some cool pictures, but none of them came even close to the awesome display I saw.  At first I would go out and get pictures of the wall clouds and wind shear as it was rolling in, and then go home before the actual storm hit.  As my high school career began to near it’s end, I was getting braver and braver by going out when the weather was promising tornadoes and rotation.  Thus began my career as an amateur spotter.

I went out and bought a hand held CB radio (this was before cellphones were cheap and/or easy to get), and a hand held scanner.  The scanner was used to track when the spotters were called, and the CB was in case I spotted anything touching down so I could call it into the comm center.  Unfortunately, I never got a chance to use it.  I went off to college with the biggest tornado I ever saw being a large dust devil in a field about a mile away. 

While I was in college my chasing hobby took a huge backseat.  Not only was I never in the right place at the right time, but I still didn’t manage to capture a tornado.  I still managed to chase a few impressive storms, but none of the pictures turned out very well.

I really miss chasing, and haven’t done it for the last few years, mostly because I don’t have anyone to go with.  The “Storm Chasers” show that Discovery ran a few months ago only made it worse.  It’s like an addiction, always wanting to go see the storm, get footage, and just avoid the danger of the whole situation.  It’s like the X-games for geeks.  I’ve been asked a lot if I have a death wish, and I don’t, but I love the thrill of the chase.

Another reason is that I haven’t had any equipment with me to go spotting when the weather looks bad.  This year, however, I plan to return to chasing.  I now live about a mile from a weather station, and each year they host a day long course on storm chasing.  The people who attend can register to become official spotters for the county.  I plan on attending this year and securing myself a place among the unsung protectors when the weather is bad.

If all goes well, I’ll share some of my stories and photos later.  I’ve just really been been thinking about storm season lately and really have a strong desire to chase again.