Posted on 05/03/2022 4:56:45 AM PDT by EBH
Three University of Oklahoma meteorology students died in a tragic car crash on their return trip from Kansas Friday, where they had successfully intercepted a tornado while on a routine storm chasing outing.
According to a report from The New York Times, Nicholas Nair, 20, Gavin Short, 19, and Drake Brooks, 22, had been traveling southbound on Interstate 35 in Tonkawa, Oklahoma, a small town near the Kansas border, when their truck hydroplaned and stalled in the middle of the road before being hit by a truck. The students were pronounced dead on the scene, and the truck driver, who was hospitalized with injuries, survived the crash.
Their deaths have shocked the weather community, leading to touching tributes from across the field of meteorology.
In a statement, AccuWeather Founder and CEO Dr. Joel N. Myers and President Stephen R. Smith grieved the fact that such promising young lives had been cut short.
"The pursuit of science, especially for the ultimate purpose of saving lives and keeping people out of harm's way, is the most noble pursuit there is," Myers and Smith wrote. "Our hearts and prayers go out to the families."
Extreme Meteorologist and storm chaser Reed Timmer posted multiple tributes for the chasers and said that his future chases will be dedicated to the trio.
"Heartbreaking loss of 3 OU students in an accident on the way back from chasing. These students are close to my heart and a shining light in the weather community," Timmer tweeted. "Words cannot describe the sadness. My thoughts and prayers go out to their families and friends. RIP my friends."
(Excerpt) Read more at accuweather.com ...
Large dusty tornado 4 miles north of Herrington, Kansas. Filmed at 8:07 pm. We observed power flashes in the town. #kswx #kansasing @NWSWichita @NWSTopeka @MetCrewChasers @nic_nairwx @Wx_DrakeBrooks pic.twitter.com/GGtTrPZLpj— Gavin Short (@GavinShortWX) April 30, 2022
So Young!!
Sad story.
That needs some explanation.
I’m blown away by this story.
More here....
Hydroplaned, struck a barrier wall, became disabled crossways in the interstate.
Sounds like they were going too fast for conditions.
I’m shocked people driving towards a tornado died…
That said, very young RIP.
HydroPlaning in heavy rain is an issue that has been talked about for 50 years and yet the driver ignored the issue.
Oh indeed
Is there real!y such a thing as a routine storm chasing outing? It s not exactly like swimming with sharks, but still.....
If the driver was going too fast for conditions, then it’s just dumb luck the driver didn’t take anyone else, other than his two friends, with him.
“...when their truck hydroplaned and stalled in the middle of the road...”
“That needs some explanation.”
I’m thinking that they probably hadn’t changed the points in a while.
They thought they were invincible.
They took the risk. I feel bad but it’s not in like a school bus full of children were killed. Sometimes you die when you’re having the adventure of a lifetime.
I’m thinking that someone has the juice to see to it that nobody takes a good look at what the driver was doing at the time of the accident.
Three University of Oklahoma meteorology students died in a tragic car crash on their return trip from Kansas Friday, where they had successfully intercepted a tornado while on a routine storm chasing outing.
This is FR, I don’t have to read the article...
My bad, just woke up.
Sad. But accidents happen. How many of us lost friends to accidents in high school and college? I would say all probably.
True dat, but then you risk having to pay the Piper as a result. 🙂
My bad, just woke up.
Understood, completely. Done the same myself. 🙂
“This is FR, I don’t have to read the article...”
</chuckle>
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