STORMS

creston got their hospital hit by a tornado. Nik is out storm chasing this weekend im sure he will have some good info when hes back

 

Im not 100% sure, I think its hobby related

 

Yes guys it is a "hobby" and another DAMN expensive one at that! I did not see a whole lot, was in southeren Nebraska and just saw alot of rain and wind. Could've sat on my porch and saw that! LOL Woke up to some MAJOR destruction all around my house neighbors are still with-out power Big *** trees down everywhere. I live on 31st just behind Dahls on ingersoll and my neighborhood is a disadter area!

 

Have not got lucky this year, but yes I do get close and even super close if I am super lucky. Yes I take people and I also go with people (went with Tim from seascapes yeterday. Usually stay around Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa. But I have chased as far as Georgia, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, and points in between.

 

Cool I found another chaser. I kinda "retired" after witnessing the EF5 that rolled through Parkersburg, IA and Joplin, MO. Caught a bunch of cool lightning video from the weekend that I havent had a chance to edit yet.

I chased with Fox 28 out of Tulsa, OK for 3 yrs as well. That was fun. Worked as a PC tech at the NWS office in Norman while I was in Tulsa for school so that was the best job ever! No degree in meterology. Thought about it but it is just a hobby for me. I use Gibson Ridge Software for radar info. Google GR Level 3 and GR Level 2 Analyst to get the installers if you want to play with them. GRL2 is a 3d modeling application to see the actual vertical structure of the storm. Its all pretty cool stuff.

Since I've started family I tend to just play radar relay for those that go out after the storms and try to "bag" a tornado. Love all my chaser buddies. I have 97 of them on Facebook so I get enough pics that way lol.

 

The Parkersburg tornado was crazy. Was lucky enough to be missed by a 1/4 mile. It was intense watching it go by. Know a lot of people who weren't so lucky

 

Don't need school for this stuff. I have no formal schooling on weather. All ya need is a spotter class that kills two hours on a Saturday to become a NWS Storm Spotter. You re cert every two years as well. The software is fun to use. Look for the GRLevel group on Facebook. They'll help you get the software going. They come with 30 or 45 day trials then you gotta buy it. I have a weather radio that once it goes off once I unplug and then go to my apps to see what is coming and where the "good" stuff is headed. I practically live in my basement so no really need to take cover but I will move away from the only window down here just in case a tree limb gets lucky lol.

 

I watch the Tornado that hit Iowa City in 2006. I was at my grandmas house in Iowa City visiting and when the weather hit my dad and eye heading out side to look. As we peeked over the roof of the house next door I seen the top of the funnel that hit the Car dealers and watch it his everything from there to Dairy Queen. It seem to jump the river and hit the bus barn and things down there. I also seen two others over the downtown area, but they look like pencils compared to the big one. It was very scary, but very cool at the same time. The funny thing is I never felt in danger at anytime.I even let my 3 year out after about 10 minute of watching them all over and let them see it.It went back into the clouds with in a minute of him coming out. I was in Saddlebrook so justa few miles away from the big beasts.

 

A budy of mine got hit by the Halem tornado. He lives out in the country. Weird it took 26 foot horse trailer and put it on top of his riding arena hit the house good also but some of the other outbuildings were not harmed. Very strange how some buildings got destroyed and some did not. Horses in the pasture had cuts and minor injuries. The ones in the barn not so lucky.