Posted on 06/02/2013 9:52:39 AM PDT by jimbo123
Storm chaser Tim Samaras was killed Friday doing what he loved: chasing tornadoes. He and his son Paul perished in the El Reno, Oklahoma tornado along with frequent partner on storm chasing adventures, photographer Carl Young.
Samaras had a long relationship with National Geographic, providing some of our most memorable videos of storms.
(Excerpt) Read more at newswatch.nationalgeographic.com ...
“I’m told that when in a thunder storm and you feel your body hair stand on end, you’re about to get the big zot. “
I was out reading meters one day. Storm was approaching. An old lineman told me to quit, and take cover, so I went home. I was standing looking out a back window, just watchin’ the storm. Suddenly my hair stood on end! Kablamo! Lightning struck a big sassafras tree 15 feet from the window. Blew it to smithereens! Sassafras holds a lot of water, and all that water instantly flashed to steam. It was like a bomb went off.
Or Timothy Treadwell.
Very good points...
I agree.
Okay we’re in agreement. It was mentioned that these folks want to be in front of the storm so they can launch their probes into it. So I think there is some reason to their ‘madness’. It seems this is the weak link in the process though, and this loss certainly buttresses that take on it IMO.
It’s what happens when ya make really stupid decisions....
The rest of the world has very few tornadoes....
Yeah it's called risking your life to sell your video DO.
We've known what causes weather events for many years now..
There is no need to "chase these events" for anything other than profits....Profits regardless of consequences.
Here is a link to a map of historic Indiana tornadoes - nearly all the tracks are running SW to NE (unless it’s NE to SW).
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/iwx/CLI/IWX_Tors/kiwxtors.php
Another map here, from May 2011.
SW-NE.
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/rtimages/srh/stsd/Apr26-27/Tornado_Rating_Track_Image_5_2_2011.jpg
Knew a fellow whose toilet blew apart from a lighning strike.
Lightning hits tree in yard and travels through the roots are that growing into the septic field
To be honest, I lean more in your direction than not.
With the powerful lenses they have these days, you can get some tremendous video from a safe distance.
You do not have to be at the base of a storm like this, to get marketable video.
As for probes, there has to be a way to set those up so they can be launched safely. Look at all the expensive equipment and vehicles, and yet the probe launch systems seem to be wanting.
>> “only a telephone pole across the street got hit!” <<
.
That would be because it had a ground rod.
Tall oak trees get hit often for the same reason, their roots go into damp soil, sometimes as deep as 20’.
We have one oak that has been hit three times in the last 12 years.
His death wasn't his goal, so you can't describe this as suicide in any sense. What he was doing included mortal danger, but that is true of everything from commuting to work to driving a race car.
That’s pretty scary! Good thing he wasn’t relieving himself!
“Suddenly my hair stood on end! “
Had that happen once in front of an approaching storm. Freaky feeling indeed.
Yeah at the very least a Nascar style roll cage, seats, and restraints.
The guy from Climate Change Channel (Mike Bettes) who rode this out in a Suburban was very lucky to get out alive.
“Good thing he wasnt relieving himself!”
Blowing the bowl apart would be the all time epic bathroom story.
One of the Weather Channel stormchasers got killed a year or two ago, but not by a tornado or storm, but by being hit by a car going the wrong way on the highway.
can’t seem to access the videos anymore on the web site....
As dumb as it seems to us that he got too close to such a monster of nature, we have gotten so much useful scientific knowledge from these types of storm chasers. Throughout history we have benefitted from those that have taken such exceptional risks.
RIP Storm Chasers...and thanks.
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