What is the point of storm chasers?

What is the point of storm chasers?

Storm chasers do exactly what it sounds like: they chase storms. These people chase various types of weather events, from tornadoes to thunderstorms, running after them with their equipment, tracking, recording and saving information they gather along the way.

Do storm chasers make good money?

A storm chaser makes a median salary of $18,000 a year, mostly from selling data, video, and photography they take. However a meteorologist makes far more than this, and are usually paid a salary by an employer.

Should I storm chasing?

Before chasing any type of storm, it should be known that storm chasing, despite what’s seen on TV and in movies, is not a safe endeavor. Nothing is ever guaranteed and nature is highly unpredictable, which means storms – whether it be thunderstorms, snowstorms, or tornadoes – are also unpredictable.

What skills do you need to be a storm chaser?

– Skill Requirements Being tech-savvy will help you be a good storm chaser. Knowing how to operate a camera and radio is essential for storm chasing. Even if you’re just videoing a tornado, you do need to record necessary data from it, which is valuable.

Why did storm chasers end?

Cancellation. On January 21, 2012, Tim Samaras and Sean Casey confirmed on their Facebook pages that Storm Chasers was cancelled by Discovery Communications. Tim Samaras was reportedly relieved when the show was cancelled as he thought it focused more on interpersonal drama than on the storms themselves.

How do storm chasers predict storms?

They watch for weather patterns that usually lead to dangerous storms. By looking at wind direction, storm chasers can tell which way the wind is blowing. Wind speed shows how fast the wind is blowing. Quick changes in air temperature and air pressure can mean a storm is brewing.

How did storm chasers get the profession?

For most people, storm chasing is just a hobby. The best way to become a paid storm chaser is to become a meteorologist. Meteorologists study weather events and get paid by a laboratory or university to chase storms for research purposes.

How do storm chasers find tornadoes?

Once they spot towering cumulonimbus clouds, they’ll know they’re on the right track. The storm chasers zero in on the storm while listening to SkyWarn reports. Once a funnel cloud forms and a tornado touches ground, one of the chasers will track its movement by watching it against a stationary background object.

How do storm chasers stay safe?

Pull off the road as much as possible if you stop. Better yet, find a safe pull off or side road. Plan on escape routes. Account for muddy or closed roads and the possibility of clogged roadways due to chaser congestion and local traffic.

What technology do storm chasers use?

These include portable radar, portable weather instruments, specially designed vehicles for storm penetration, computers and high tech communication systems. These storm chasers perform research that allow us to understand more about storms and how they form.

Is Reed Timmer still storm chasing?

One of the best-known is American Reed Timmer, a meteorologist who starred in the Discovery Channel series Storm Chasers. Reed is still chasing, gathering data and video, and experiencing the immense power nature can unleash.

What are jobs of the actual storm chasers?

Monitoring weather forecasts

  • Locating and following storms
  • Setting up meteorological testing equipment
  • Collecting data
  • Analyzing data and writing reports
  • Writing articles
  • Taking photography and video of storms
  • Selling photography and video to media agencies
  • How do Storm Chasers make their money?

    Some people do become a storm chaser full time, they sell date, photos, and video recordings to media agencies to make their income. They have to invest a lot of what they make into travel, equipment, and legal costs. If there are no storms, they don’t make any money.

    What does it take to be a storm chaser?

    No degree or certification is required to be a storm chaser. Local National Weather Service offices do hold storm spotter training classes, usually early in the spring. Some offices collaborate to produce severe weather workshops oriented toward operational meteorologists.

    What are the dangers of storm chasing?

    It just introduces another complexity to the situation. The most significant risks in storm chasing are lightning and hydoplaning. When encountering the core of a severe storm, risks increase of flooded roads, reduced visibility and also trees and debris being hurled onto the vehicle.