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 ...
Cool, thanks
Exactly right. And in their adrenaline zeal, they zoom down back roads, blow through stop signs, etc. They have cause numerous accidents.
And we should just be honest. There is no “science” happening. Everything they learn is learned from radar, and walking around in the aftermath, and in a lab.
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