HARPER, KS — After a three-week hiatus from chasing due to exams and lack of storms, I resumed chasing with a huge score in south-central Kansas. My initial target was storms along the dryline near the Kansas-Oklahoma border, adjusting north or south as needed. The morning model runs did show […]
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RINGWOOD, OK — A day that seemed destined for an epic bust in Western Oklahoma left me about 20 miles short of hitting the jackpot as the sun set on a line of tornadic supercells near the Kansas border. The day started like any other typical chase day…pouring over SPC […]
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NORMAN, OK — Two straight days of taking a gamble and targeting areas close to home left me with the two extremes as far as results go: one day put me up close and personal with a fairly serious tornado less than a mile from my house, and the other […]
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WOODWARD, OK — What will go down as one of the most memorable chases of the year netted me my first tornado of the new season and pounded me with hail well over 4 inches (softball size). My target for a few days had been the area surrounding Woodward. The […]
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CUSTER CITY, OK — A chase that began targeting the dryline in western Oklahoma concluded with one of the most spectacular storms I’ve ever seen. A rather complex setup was working its way into the southern plains, as I spent the better part of 2 days pouring over models trying […]
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Photographing lightning can be challenging, but is very rewarding. You can try to aim the camera at the sky and push the button when you see the lightning flash, but in 4 years of photographing lightning, I have been successful at that method a grand total of once. The human […]
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On March 31, 2011, nine tornadoes broke out across West Florida as a strong front moved across the region, leaving heavy damage in its wake. While the Tampa Bay area does see the most tornadoes per square mile than anywhere else in the country, the tornadoes it does see are […]
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NORMAN, OK — The first storm system of 2012 came rumbling through Oklahoma this week, but did not produce any severe weather in Central Oklahoma. Since the setup did not look particularly great this morning, I opted to storm spot from Norman instead of actively chasing. The decision to go […]
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All thunderstorms, from the smallest rumblers to the biggest supercells, go through the same 3-stage lifecycle. Like anything that is actually living, thunderstorms do require a healthy balance and a constant fuel source to maintain them. Stage 1: Cumulus Stage If you’ve ever been outside on a nice day, you’ve […]
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Thunderstorms are some of the easiest weather phenomena to document, regardless of where you are. The main requirement for stellar shots is to find a location where you have an open view of the storm and there are no trees or buildings to obstruct your view. Trees and buildings are […]
Read More 2011 has shattered all sorts of weather records across the United States. In Oklahoma alone, the state recorded one of its biggest snowfalls on record in February. It was followed by a very active spring tornado season and the hottest summer on record. Fall brought 3 of the 4 strongest […]
Read MoreNORMAN, OK — Coming to Oklahoma to study tornadoes and severe weather, earthquakes were some of my farthest thoughts. When I woke up this past Saturday morning, I saw on the news that a 4.7 earthquake had struck overnight northeast of Oklahoma City. Figuring that since it didn’t wake me […]
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