Justyn Jackson, Josh Johnson, Todd Beal, and myself drove from Starkville, MS to Waco, TX and back... While it wasn't my first storm chase (2/24/01), it was the first chase I went on as one of the founding members of LDCT... We went about as hardcore as you can go... We drove about 30 hours straight with basically no sleep back and forth through a nasty squall line heading through the Mid-South/Deep South... On the night of the October 12th 2001 we saw two nice supercells with awesome wall clouds near Malone, TX... We followed the line back through Texas, Louisiana, and into Mississippi to intercept more supercells near Jackson, MS that were tornado warned... When we finally got back to Starkville it was quickly under a tornado warning as well... The Mississippi State vs. Troy State football game was going on when the tornado warning forced the evacuation of the stadium... While we didn't see any tornadoes that night/day, it was still a chase I'll never forgot! On that chase I saw something I have never seen since... I saw a CG do a complete loop... Yes, I saw a lightning bolt do a loop!!! Justyn was right next to me when it happened and we were both like WTF? It just goes to show that you can and will see things storm chasing that you don't always see in a book or hear from a professor...
The funny/ironic thing about LDCT is how many people laughed at us when we would go out... Most of these so called storm chasers that laughed would only chase if it was within a hour or two drive of Starkville, MS... Our Motto/Theory has always been go hard or go home... We wanted to experience everything we could no matter how hardcore it was going to be... None of this convenience chasing stuff... Still people used to say enjoy chasing the rain... The best part though, in only a couple of years everyone went from laughing at us to wanting to go with us... And when we came back from the Great Plains chase of 2004, NO ONE laughed anymore when we showed videos of the Attica, KS, Anthony, KS, Argonia, KS, Conway Springs, KS, and the Albany, MO tornadoes... Derek Cody with the help of Justyn also got on the Mulvane, KS tornado, which may be the most beautiful tornado I have ever seen... LDCT cleaned up that spring and honestly I doubt we'll ever have a chase season like that again...
In a 16 month span from 5/12/04 to 9/25/05 I had run that I doubt I'll ever see again... I saw at least 18 tornadoes including many unbelievable ones like Attica, KS (featured on storm stories), Albany, MO (Got 100-200 feet from a awesome multiple vortex tornado), Argonia/Conway Springs, KS (Two Massive 1/2 mile wide tornadoes, including 3 tornadoes on the ground at once), and the Anthony, KS/West Point, MS night tornadoes... What I'm most proud of is the 7 hurricanes (5 major) during this time frame... I was in hurricane Charley (Most amazing chase in my life period!!!), hurricane Frances, hurricane Ivan, hurricane Cindy, hurricane Dennis, hurricane Katrina (Gulfport, MS), and hurricane Rita... This amazing period ended with a mesocyclone induced F-1 tornado that hit my apartment with me in it on 9/25/05 from the remnant feeder-bands of hurricane Rita... About 24 hours earlier I was in the eye of hurricane Rita in Orange, TX which is just crazy!!! ALL of these chases were done under the storm chasing logo of LDCT... It was a great run that will probably be tough to replicate again... It's not impossible but honestly it's not very likely either...
Being one of the founding members of LDCT is something I'm very proud of... We formed this group because we wanted to learn as much as possible about weather! I was truly blessed to have great friends, great professors, and an amazing meteorology program, but I wanted to learn even more... I knew this was the best way to go about it! I don't storm chase for money or fame, I chase because I LOVE IT!!! I feel such a huge level or peace/tranquility when I storm chase... I know that may sound weird to most but it's always there when I storm chase... I'm sure many that share this same passion understand this... There is nothing like being in the eye of a major hurricane, or inside a 1/2 mile from a large wedge tornado, or even hearing thunder while snow is falling at 2 to 3 inches per hour... The power of God is AMAZING!!! I encourage everyone that loves the weather to storm chase with proper training... OBVIOUSLY that should be common sense... No professor, meteorology program, or book can replicate the real life learning experiences you will have while storm chasing!!!
Folks,
First of all, I want to thank all of you for participating in the chases on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Our teams saw many interesting storm features as well as lots of local flavor (Keeping It Real Detail being one). All of your efforts led to a better informed public; a goal we always hope to achieve.
Our Long Distance Chase Team (LDCT 1) consisted of Todd Beal, Justyn Jackson, Josh Johnson and Greg Nordstrom. They put several hundred miles on Todd's car in a chase that led them near Waco, TX. In fact, they spotted two wall clouds near Malone, TX. They have good video of at least one of them. They are to be commended for their enthusiasm and dedication to their future profession. They even had enough energy to chase a tornado warning near Jackson on Saturday after driving for nearly 30 hours straight.
I would also like to thank Gina Storey, Ryan Wade and Wayne Verno for their efforts in guiding LDCT 1 to a safe viewing point from which to see the storms. They stayed at the lab well beyond normal hours in order to provide the team with information and encouragement.
On behalf of those chasing on Thursday and Saturday I would like to thank Mike, Wayne and everyone else for their hard work in the Lab. Their efforts helped to keep the teams informed and out of danger as well as keeping the public informed. The teams saw many interesting things thanks to their efforts.
Keep up the good work everyone. NOMISSIT is only as good as its members.
Sincerely,
Tim Wallace
Climate Lab Coordinator
Mississippi State University
5 comments:
I remember looking at your website before I even came to Mississippi State. That run is quite amazing, but you never know, it could happen again. A long storm chase is definitely fun...just a bit taxing on the mind. However, if you ever going on another one, I'll be there.
Awesome write up! This time 8 years ago, we were about to be in Jackson with tornado warnings all around us!
Great story. I didn't know all of this history! Makes me wish I was there!
Thank you all... It's amazing that 8 years have past so quickly but at the same time we have achieved so much as a group in those 8 years!!! I'm very proud of all or our accomplishments!!! Persistent, determination, and hard work always pays off...
Mike you are welcome to come any time buddy! And I also wish you were there in the beginning as well... It would have been great to have another person with such a passion for weather on the team...
Ryan you know I'm going to chase until I can't walk anymore so of course I'll be going out again, and again, and again... Remember the goal is 100 hurricanes before I die... I still have 89 to go... haha... We'll have to set up a Great Plains storm chase trip this spring!
Yes, ever was the wrong word. WHEN you are headed on another storm chase...I'll be there.
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