Storm Chasing .. Photography .. Daily YouTube Vlogs
Weather
Weather Resources
Last modified on 2010-08-07 22:34:34 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
Below is a quick list of resources used for weather, forecasting and chasing.
NWS Mesoanalysis Page SW Sector
Spotter Network – Chaser Plotter
The Heavens Open
Last modified on 2011-03-17 16:59:37 GMT. 1 comment. Top.
Photographing weather takes a lot of skill and an equal amount of luck. Positioning one’s self to get the right composition in a changing storm while balancing light can be tough mixed with some luck.
The Heavens Open
On July 11th a storm built over Payson, AZ and moved southeast towards the east valley. The chase began by deploying out to the Apache Trail; an area on the north side of the Superstition Mountains. Shortly after arriving near dusk the storm hit.
At first I drove further out but doubled back to a state park so I could capture this. The entire trip out I was watching the storm, movement of the storm, amount of rain and location of the sun in relation to the storm for some back lighting.
Taking all things into consideration this absolutely worked.
Weather and the Arizona Terrain
Last modified on 2011-06-05 20:18:48 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
Casa Grande
Storm chasing is not as simple as driving to the clouds. To effectively chase one must forecast ahead, understand the terrain and how the weather reacts at different elevations. Next is the actual deployment and intercept, which thanks to the locations there never seems to be a road when you need one.
Arizona is an area with varying terrain, it’s not as simple as forecasting or chasing in the plains where things are commonly flat. The Monsoon, for instance, initially builds in the mountains east of the Phoenix metro area and around Tucson. As the season progresses it moves up into the valley; to which has it’s own special areas.
Gold Canyon
One of my preferred spots for intercepting a storm is east on US60 about 30 miles out. Due to the mountains in that corridor, the atmosphere receives the warming it needs making the storms appear to like that area. The area is nice with a mix of mountains and flat desert making intercepting, recording video and taking photos relatively easy.
SR-87
On longer chases throughout the state there are a few options. High mountains around Flagstaff allow for some great storms with high precip, however any storms building between the valley and Flagstaff are hard to intercept due to said mountains.
I’ve spent some time in the Globe area, about an hour east of the metro area here. There’s some elevation, enough to get some storm activity going, but over the years the road system has been improved some. My biggest hurdle is the 2 lane roads in the valleys… tons of rock slides. Who says hail has to be the only dangerous thing falling from the sky.
Picacho Peak
My preferred long distance route is the Tucson corridor. Flat, level, open desert. Not too many places to get off the highway but an easy drive. Tucson is known for some great storms and is where chaser and photographer Warren Faidley got his start years ago.
Any time I’m preparing a chase I take these factors into account. It’s not just about travel time and distance but also where I’ll end up, will there be enough area for quality video, will there be opportunities to do some photography. Through the entire trip I’m re-evaluating the weather conditions, thinking of where to deploy and safety… not always a relaxing way to spend a weekend but always amazing to see and capture the beauty out in the state.
Season Opener Approaching
Last modified on 2011-03-17 16:58:50 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
Due to complicated back problems I’ve been kept out of tornado alley for the time being, however, the monsoon season is rapidly approaching. I’ll be actively chasing the weather in the southwestern US this season. Video streams, pictures and updates will no doubt be showing up here very soon!
Storm Chasing, the Passion
Last modified on 2010-08-07 15:57:44 GMT. 1 comment. Top.
Weather. Mother Nature. Beauty. Power. Destruction.
Weather shapes our daily lives whether it be what to wear that day or how much home owners insurance to carry depending on where you live. It happens every day but for some it’s a passion, a fine balance between beauty and destruction. We’ve all seen storm chasers on TV or in the movies, but this time it’s going to be more… this time you get to sit on the front lines, live, as it unfolds.
Growing up I was terrified of all things weather. As I grew that turned into curiosity and a drive to capture the beauty of this destructive force. I’ve taught myself the science and spent years studying phenomenon. During that time I took advantage to become a volunteer for the National Weather Service and most recently was accepted into an elite chaser’s network, SevereStudios.
It’s been a long time coming and a few physical hurdles thrown in the way late in the game has put the possibility of this happening into question, until now. The gear is set, sensors up and running, tech equipment is working and the chase truck is running well. Last year I stayed in the area for the monsoon, testing out various connections with Social Media like Facebook and Twitter. Now the kinks are worked out.
Storm chasing season is set for the end of June. From there you’ll ride shotgun with me, as my guest, to experience just what nature has to offer first hand.
