What I Know Now

What I know right now is that nothing is going to stop me from chasing storms. 

Yesterday.......  I don't want to discuss in great detail the reason I didn't chase, but it is well known that I will not miss tornado days from this point forward.

The point is... There are reasons you have hopes and dreams.  Sometimes life happens and it gets in the way and sometimes things get in the way that shouldn't.

I know it all sounds cryptic, but the problems the happened yesterday have been corrected!  So now.... Let's have a tornado day again real soon! :D

Chase Off

Chase off for right now.

I think the main action is going to be further than I want to drive. 

It's been an active morning here though!  Fingers crossed for something local!

IT IS REAL!

Tonight is the eve of my FIRST real live tornado chase...

I have been wishing, hoping, and preparing for this moment for a long long time!  Now, it is HERE!!!

All day long, I've been planning and trying to pick a target zone.  I'm leaning very close to the Birmingham area!!!!!!  But I may run a little further west.

We'll just have to see how far the WIND takes me! :D

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Getting Philosophical

Well, Saturday is a big chance for me!  Giant problem.... No chase partner.

I knew this day would come.  A really nice opportunity, but no partner to chase with.  I have to be honest here... I'm scared crapless to go that far out on my own.  So... What do I do?

Stacey... he doesn't want to go.  I understand it.  Who knows what might happen out there?  We only have just a small sliver of the weekend, and I can understand not wanted to chase after a cloud or two.

So....  How do you do it?  Do you just go regardless of fear?  Jump in head first??  Do I wait until I feel comfortable??  When will that be?

This is when I get discouraged.  This is when I get down on myself.  If I stay home Saturday, I will hate myself for it. 

Chase Log-March 23, 2011

Right before work was over, I pulled up the radar and saw two options.  Drive NE towards Knoxville and possible miss all action or head to the wimpy action to my west and hope it explodes.  So as soon as I could I left work yesterday and drove west.  In my head, I thought it would be smarter to head towards Knoxville, and it really would have been much better if I had! 

I stopped in a parking lot to touch base with my nowcaster, Jo Nelson, TVN member and awesome friend.  I went to hook the Blackberry to my PC and then, boom.....  I realized I left my cord at home!!!!!  :(  So no radar other than my stupid Weatherbug App on the Blackberry. 

So I lost a bit of confidence, but still drove to South Pittsburg and slightly overshot the storms by going between them in a gap.  I dropped a little south and managed to hang out just under a little cell as it passed by.  It was..... rainy! Hahahah!

But after it passed, the sun poked back through and I got treated to a beautiful rainbow as I headed back towards home.  These storms were crawling so I actually passed through them again, and managed to make it back home before they made it to Ringgold.

Again, I was treated to a rainbow!  :)

Distance: 40 miles
What did I see?  RAINBOW.... Heavy rain and gusty winds

SPC says WHAT?

SPC took away my slight risk this morning!  I really don't understand why!

When I look at the models, there is still decent instability, shear, moisture availability....  I'm confused!  So chase is still on.

Chase ON!

Tomorrow I will be chasing unless something wacky happens!

Stay tuned for pictures, videos, and stories!

I'm so excited!  I really just want to see some storm structure!  Right now, my target is Manchester, TN around 5pm.  Honestly, I'm a little nervous of being on the other side of Monteagle, especially if the storm motion is fast.  If the storm motion is faster than I like, I'll keep it to this side of the mountain!

Stay tuned for details!  I'll be checking the models in the morning to see the timing of this thing!!!!  :D