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Storm Chase 2009 Update:

I did make it out to chase, but there was nothing to chase this year. In addition to zero severe thunderstorms during my trip, I took fewer than 10 photos (almost none of which I think are worth posting, tbqh--they just don't have the composition I normally like or are missing the dynamics typical of good photos) and took <30 seconds of video.

For fun, I started blogging my forecasts and chasing thoughts (and I'll still forecast even though I won't be back on the Plains until May, 2010). Those can be found here:

http://stormdoctor.blogspot.com/

TORNADO IN JACKSONVILLE FL On June 26, 2009, a tornado hit Jacksonville FL causing minimal damage (likely EF0 at worst). However, it was an amazing storm for many reasons. Please visit my blog (link above or click here) for details and analysis. Terrific storm and a diamond in the rough to be sure!

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I have been chasing severe weather since 1990 when I lived in Denver, Colorado. My wife and I moved to Jacksonville, Florida in 1997 so that I could work for Mayo Clinic and have lived there since. I chase annually the last two weeks of May, flying out to catch severe weather on the Great Plains. I go wherever the storms will form--my travels frequently exceed 4000 miles during those two weeks. I marvel at the amazing landscapes and differences in geography that span Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, New Mexico, and Texas. My favorite areas to chase are the Texas Panhandle,Eastern Nebraska, and Kansas which both provide highly differing but spectacular views. I am an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic in the subspecialty of Hospital Medicine (I only take care of inpatients). The top four questions I get are:

a) How close do you get to the storms? I get as close as I feel safely that I can. Having chased for almost two decades, I have developed a good feel for the breadth and scope of severe weather. Education and trial-by-fire have taught me what's safe and what's not. Storm chasing is NOT for those without weather knowledge. A good starting place is: http://stormtrack.org/ for those interested. But more to the point, I have been within a quarter mile of a large tornado on several occasions, but mostly enjoy being at enough distance to capture the enormity of the storms.

b) Does your wife come with you? She used to, but stopped when she realized that 95% of chasing is driving; the other 5% are high-stress. She enjoys watching my tapes and loves my photos. She is the most amazingly supportive person I have ever met. And I love her tremendously. Her encouragement means more than she could ever know.

c) What's the most powerful tornado you've ever seen? I witnessed an EF4 which traveled nearly perfectly north and just missing the town of Quinter, Kansas. That photo is in this collection.

d) Do you go to the MidWest and chase storms by yourself or with others? The storm chasing community is fairly tight-knit and we all are familiar with one another. When I go chasing I am often "by myself" in my vehicle. However, it is exceptionally common for me to run into other chasers on the same storms I am chasing, and frequently I also run into others at motels or restaurants. Sometimes we will all team up; other times we won't. There is a good rapport between most chasers (with a few exceptions), so to me, I am never really alone. I usually chase with a couple of friends who also happen to be physicians, Dr. William Hark http://www.harkphoto.com/) and Dr. Robert Balogh. Bill has some exceptional accounts on his homepage and his links collection is the most extensive available.

Please email me with any questions at all. Please help support my photography by purchasing any photos you find call to you. I would also love to hear your thoughts about the scenes you see. Emotional reactions/thoughts are always welcome because I enjoy sharing these moments with others.

Thanks!

Jason

Jason@Stormdoctor.Com