Storm Chasing:A Beginner's Guide

Many people today are more in tune with the hobby that's know as Storm Chasing. As shows such as Discovery's Storm Chasers or movies like Twister reach the public eye, the need to learn more about what storm chasing is and how to get started are on many new enthusiasts minds.

So to start out here's basically what storm chasing is:

Storm chasing is a hobby in which people literally "chase after" or pursue severe thunderstorms or other forms of weather such as hurricanes to obtain photos/video, gain scientific data, or just for the love of weather, and so on. Storm chasers go after all sorts of weather as well including: tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, hurricanes, and snow storms.

Now you're probably wondering "how do i become a chaser?". Well there's no simple route. Everybody has different ways of getting started. Here are some ways you can get started:

-Join your local Skywarn organization. Skywarn is a nationwide program organized by the National Weather Service that trains people to be storm spotters to provide timely information on severe weather. They can teach you about basic storm features and help you report severe weather in the future.

-Go on simple, local chases. This could be chasing a pop up summer thunderstorm for a couple of miles to learn about the structure of thunderstorms. Begin to challenge yourself more by chasing farther, making forecasts for where you will chase and try your hand with larger storms(be EXTREMELY careful with what you chase. Beginners are discouraged from attempting to chase tornadic thunderstorms due to their complexity and many dangers).

-Go check out other sites that have information on storm chasing or have a forum where you can ask questions about what you might have seen while chasing, questions about forecasting or about what gear you'll need. There are many experienced chasers on the web that can give you tips that helped them in the early years.

-Purchase books on weather. This can be simple books on cloud types, low/high pressure systems, fronts, etc. which will later let you move up and learn more about severe weather, how to forecast it, and the workings of it.

If you're gonna be a storm chaser, you of course have to know what you're dealing with. Even the smallest thunderstorms can pose extreme dangers to you whilst chasing. There is a wide spectrum of thunderstorms that you might encounter. But the four main types area these:

-Unicells

-Multicell clusters

-Multicell Lines

-Supercells

Each type has smaller subsets within. An example being supercells, which can be classified as LP(Low precipitation), Classic, and HP(High precipitation). Now each type has different threats, structure, and life cycles. But we'll cover each type in different posts. Right now we're gonna focus on the basic definition of each of those types.

Unicell-A unicell is a thunderstorm with one updraft and one downdraft. This means that the thunderstorm is usually short lived(30 minutes usually) because the air currents inside of it cancel each other out. They produce brief bouts of severe weather including small hail and gusty winds. Extremely brief tornadoes can form in the strongest unicells. Unicells may sometimes be referred to as pulser severe storms, meaning, they go severe for maybe 10 minutes then quickly from severe limits. Unicells hold little in the way of chase

Multicell Clusters-A multicell cluster is basically a cluster of storms that share updrafts and downdrafts. The way the cluster sets itself up is like this: on the upwind side(the side against the wind) new updrafts form to prolong the cluster's life. Then on the downwind side, the updrafts decay as the downdrafts take over, causing brief downpours. They can produce sizable hail, damaging winds and on a rare occasion a brief tornado. Multicell clusters can offer some opportunities for video or pictures if you get to them early on and position right.

Multicell Lines-When thunderstorms orient themselves in a linear fashion, you have a multicell cluster. These lines have multiple updraft and downdraft areas and can last through the night into the morning. In extreme cases they can morph into extremely violent windstorms known as derechos which can rage across multiple states for a day or longer. It is to be noted that updrafts tend to be in front with multicell lines with the precipitation and downdrafts on the back. Multicell lines are more commonly known as squall lines. They tend to be damaging wind producers, sometimes with large hail and can produce tornadoes in certain cases. These are extremely good if you can position yourself in front of one to view the gust front, or where cold air is separated from the surrounding air, due to the amazing cloud formations they sometimes have.

Supercells-These are the big boys of the thunderstorm world. Supercells are extremely powerful thunderstorms driven by a very powerful updraft. They can last for many hours due to the fact that, in contrast to unicells, their updrafts tend to be tilted which prevents the downdraft from clogging and choking off the updraft. They have the tendency to rotate and form a rotating updraft known as a mesocyclone which is the parent to any tornadoes that may develop. These storms are rare outside of the Great Plains and are sought after by more experienced chasers. They can produce large hail, damaging winds, and tornadoes(weak and violent). Supercells are responsible for most of the violent tornadoes that strike the U.S. each year. Depending on the type of supercell(LP, CL, or HP) beginners must choose wisely. Beginners are discouraged from chasing classic and high precipitation supercells due to their rapidly changing nature and unpredictability. LP supercells are an ideal target for new chasers, although if you live outside of the High Plains you are unlikely to see one. They offer a clearly visible updraft area, little to no rain, and are relatively small in most cases. But they do pose a threat of extremely large hail and the occasional tornado. Also beware that they can morph into a classic or HP supercell in a matter of 5-10 minutes so be careful.

Glossary:

Updraft-A current of moist, warm air that rises within a thunderstorm. It's what you see at work with those huge, billowing thunderheads in the summertime.

Downdraft-A current of cooler, usually drier air flowing down out of a thunderstorm as the updraft air cools in the upper level.

Storm chasing even for veterans, holds many many many many dangers. I'll put down a list below. These are just the big ones that you can encounter in the storm and waiting for initiation and so on:

Under the Storm/Observing:

Hydroplaning

Large hail 

Damaging winds that can blow you off the road

Bogging down in mud(dirt roads)

Road flooding

Multiple tornadic circulations

Lightning

Various poisonous critters(depends on location)

Waiting for Initiation:

Beware of Diner Food! Food poisoning is probable.