Tour 2 Underway - Meet The Chasers

[Paul]

Tour 2 gets underway today, so here is an introduction to the chase team:

Staff:

PAUL SHERMAN - TOUR LEADER & DRIVER TOURS 1,2,3 & 4

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Paul is a 37 year old Company Director from Leigh On Sea in Essex. I am married to Louise and have 3 Children named Chloe, Abbie & Sienna. Work takes me to Central London 6 days a week, but I manage to get staff cover when anything extreme weather wise turns up in the Uk. This will be my 7th year out in the States and the more I go the more my hunger is for Severe weather. Last years Chase was certainly no 2008 but everyone on all the different Tours saw some Severe weather and all saw Supercells. I am hopeful it is a more normal May/June season and the slow start is just a build up to an active period.I am really looking forward to pooling my forecast experience with Nick F (Back in the Uk) and also Tom Lynch who fitted it very well last year. Once again this year we will be Live Streaming for all you armchair chasers and with dual datacards things should run a lot smoother this year. Still lots to do technical side wise for the trip but cannot wait to forge new horizons and see where the road takes us. I say this every year but the Tornado is really the icing on the cake for me, but just seeing these incredible Statues in the Sky does it for me and being able to see Mother Nature at her most incredible Fury gives me my yearly fix. See you all at DFW Airport in April, May and June :lol:

TOM LYNCH - FORECASTER & BARONS OPERATOR TOURS 1 & 2

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Tom Lynch is 57 years old and was born in Manchester. I work as a Repairs Operations Manager for a Housing company in the Lake District. I have had an interest in the weather since I was 8 years. My dad took me for a day up to the lakes and the clouds were draping the mountains. That was a big deal for a young lad from Manchester. My interest became more intense during an 18 month stay in Arkansas, where I had my first brush with a tornadic storm. I took this interest up to the next level in 2000 when I saw my first large tornado in Brady, Nebraska. I have every year since then, only missing the year my daughter got married.. I love the freedom of the plains, the open road and sharing my passion of storms with like minded people. I love the odd bottle of Bud, country music my favourite song being "You are the reason my children are ugly". The weather on the plains this year has already proven to be more interesting than normal and the vibes are that we may well be in for a good storm season.

IAN CAMERON - GPS OPERATIVE TOURS 2, 3 & 4

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Hi all my name is Ian cameron and I am 31 years old. I am currently a civil servent in Central London. My main hobbies are traveling the world when I can! Sport all types, cooking, going to the theatre, reading, oh and severe weather.

This will be my 4th year in the plains with Paul and I am on the last three tours, if we can get anything like what we experienced over the last 3 years I will be one very happy man indeed. You know theres nothing better than supping on a cold beer and eating some pizza after a really good chase day watching a lightning show from a squal line into the evening then planning to do it all again the next day so will see you all out there or online. And if anyone wants to take my Big Texan crown the challenge is there

Guests:

ARRON HISCOX (Smokes) - TOURS 1 & 2 GUEST

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My name is Arron Hiscox, I’m 28 years old and live in Aberystwyth, West Wales. I’m a self employed sports trader, having previously worked in IT.

This will be my second time out in the US with Paul and the team after deciding to go on last years tour just a few days before it was due to start! I had an awesome time chasing everyday last year and have been allowed out this year for two tours.

I’ve been into storms since I can remember and always watched any documentary on tornadoes. I never really understood how Supercells and Tornadoes formed until I went last year. I learnt a lot very quickly! This year I hope to be a bit luckier than last year and get to see one, two tours should hopefully sort that

I’m not very savvy with cameras and the like, but have decided to trade in the point and shoot this year for something a bit better so hopefully I’ll be able to share some decent pictures this year once I get my head around using it Oh yeah, can’t wait for the beer and steaks either!

DANNY WATSON - TOUR 2 GUEST

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Hi, I am Danny 28 years old from Wigan. I live at home with parents I have a sister called Lisa. I am currently working at a Tesco distribution company. I have an NVQ Level 3 in IT from Wigan Leigh College. My hobbies are watching sport especially football, Ruby League and Golf. Also playing golf, computers, cycling and going to the Gym. I have been interested in weather for years especially thunder storms and tornadoes.

This is the second trip for me going to America storm chasing with Netweather . I enjoyed it so much last year, I have to go again. The Netweather team are very experienced, made some good friends. The storms in spring in Tornado Alley are amazing, as long has they stay out over the plains and out of populated areas. The technology we used to track storms (Baron System) is very accurate. It enables you to chase storms and stay safe. I don't think there is anything better. Over the last year I have been learning more about weather and weather charts and I hope I understand more this year. I saw some amazing storms last year. I know the storms last year weren't great, for US standards but anything like that or better will be great this year.

Looking forward to Storm Chase 2010!!

DAVID VICARY - TOUR 2 GUEST

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Hi guys n girls, I’m Dave, I am 23 and currently living in London. To make ends meet I am working as a Catastrophe Risk Analyst, which consists of working out the potential financial losses to property and business from various natural hazards mainly in the US, Caribbean and Canada.

I have always had an odd fascination with extreme weather and natural disasters; I think most of the blame can be attributed to watching the Discovery Channel as a kid. I try to travel when I can and have managed to find myself in some unusual places with just my backpack for company. I am getting more involved in photography and am hoping to get some great shots on the trip with the help of the other guys.

Anytime a storm kicks off I will head out to try and get a good view I have seen some pretty good storms in the UK, France and Africa. The most awesome storm experience I have had so far was taking off through a large storm in Nigeria sitting in the cockpit of a very old cargo plane. I ‘chased’ my first storm near Newcastle on the 31/08/05 and it was great fun, and a great storm with some very close CG strikes while I was perched on top of a hill.

I am trying not to get too excited about the chase as I know how unpredictable the weather can be on the plains, 2008 anyone? I will be more than happy with a couple of large well formed, photogenic super cells, an out break while I am there would do nicely, and to witness a tornado of any kind would be unreal.

JO FULCHER (ClippyJo) - TOUR 2 GUEST

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Hey All,

I guess the first question really is - why am I going Storm Chasing? Well, I blame my parents....

Here's to my mother, who put on the Wizard of Oz one fateful day so she could get a bit of peace and quiet. If only she'd known I'd make her watch it nearly everyday after for a good few years...

To my father who, whenever there was a good thunderstorm, would sit with me in our porch and listen for thunder, counting elephants and waiting for the lighting.

And to my 30th birthday - the reason I am coming along this year - the best gift I could possibly get myself.

I haven't had any amazing weather experiences, other than when I saw a funnel cloud outside pitsea station last year. I do like to go and sit on the golf course in a good storm though and watch the clouds roll by.

My most embarrassing storm moment was missing last years Benfleet tornado as I was in bed, on the phone with a friend, discussing what to wear to my birthday party that night! Rubbish, Rubbish, Rubbish - I'm so ashamed.

My biggest achievement is getting my sister Anne-Marie and niece almost as obsessed with the weather as I am!

Listening to a 6 year old argue at me why she should be allowed to storm chasing with me was hilarious.

So what do I hope to see on my holiday? Obviously a good ol' thunder storm or two would be good, some baseball size hail and maybe a tornado if I'm lucky. The thing which would absolutely make my holiday would be to see a big UFO supercell formation, oh, and the opportunity to buy a proper pair of cowboy boots! LOL

And what do you need to know about me? I'm 5.4, brunette, work in TV, love a good steak and make great cakes!

MARK PRITCHARD (MCT) - TOUR 2 GUEST

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I'm Mark Pritchard, 22, from Stanley, County Durham. I work in sales admin for a food production company.

I have always had an interest in severe or interesting weather from a very young age, and ever since I knew it was possible to chase tornadoes and storms in the States I knew it was something I had to do one day.

Last year that day came and I was on the third tour of the 2009 Netweather Storm Chase. Despite being an awful season by normal standards it was still an amazing experience and we witnessed storms greater than I would ever see over NE England! I honestly saw more flashes of lightning in those 10 days than I have seen in the rest of my life put together.

It was also great to see so much of the States last year, I was surprised how much I liked the place and didn't think I would come away saying I want to move there one day.

I am also into photography, which goes well with weather so I'm hoping for plenty of lightning and structure shots. If this season is better than last year, hopefully we'll have some funnels and tornadoes too.

PAT CARTER (dogs32) - TOURS 2 & 3 GUEST

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Hi everyone it's dogs32(Pat Carter)

I decided to go on StormChase again this year after a fantastic year StormChase last year.

After getting back from last year's chase I was hooked! Saw the most incredible Storm's of my life. I am very lucky to be going this year as I had some personal problem's back here.

I have been watching Storm's since 1970. Every year I would listen to the radio for crackle's caused by lightning. And waiting to listen to Radio 4 weather forecast for any Spanish plume from the South. Over the year's I have collected a library of Video's of the Storm Chaser''s in the State's. And to actually go last year was a dream come true.

I heard of storie's from Paul and Nick how wicked the lightning was but never truly believed it could be that good. The lightning I saw out there was breath taking more than I ever imagined possible. Truly breathe taking experince!!

And how to see the inflow wind's being sucked into a Supercell or a Supercell gusting out.

Incredible!! I have seen and collected ThunderStorm anvil's on film through out my life.

I would go abroad four time's ayear from Spain,France,Greece and Turkey

filming violent Storm's

But to see a Anvil go further into a Space ship Supercell in the USA was spectacular.

So if I get any Storm's abroad this year it will be a bonus. Untill the main event USA!!! The best Photogenic cloud's I have ever seen and recommend this trip to anyone who as a passion for Storm's. So this is my second StormChase this year and I realy am looking forward to it. Learn't so much on the first tour last year ,so this year can only expand my knowledge further. So for me personally Storm Chasing is the best it get's as far as extreme weather is concerned.

Last year I took 65gig's of film and picture's of the entire trip.

Of which I have hundred's of lightning and Supercell shot's .

On closing all I can say is word's or Youtube or video can not realy portray

what it realy is like out there...

Best StormChase experience of my entire life and hope to go on many more.

PETER HULBERT (gpspete) - TOUR 2 GUEST

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Hi my name is Pete and I am 55 years old. My interests are anything weather related have my own weather website www.bicesterweather.co.uk

dabble in photography and interested in dragracing see http://www.californiahotrods.co.uk/

support London Wasps rugby union team

hobbies Surfing, Snowboarding, xcountry skiing and bassfishing, weather watching

also likes travel have visited 16 countries

first storm experiance see the Barton Headinton Oxford Tornado 16th October 1966 was out on the traditional family sunday afternoon drive just driving into Barton past Oxford Cremitorium when we saw a large cloud on the ground (not nowing what we were looking at) with lots debri and tree branches swirling around in it some of it landing on road around us the car was shaking as my Dad had stopped because the wind was so violent as it past we drove into Barton where we saw the devistation several prefab houses completly destoyed 1 or 2 down to there footings plenty of roofs missing up the hill ,

one prefab the roof had lifted the curtains had come out and had gone back down in its correct position there were lots of people walking about in shock the prefab residants,

the emergency services hadnt arrived as we had missed witnessing the destruction by about 1 or 2 minutes at the most I now realise that the tornado must have passed within a couple of hundred foot of our car this tornado used to have its own website and details on torro both seam to have dissapeared i know torro have redone there website perhaps both will return oneday.

next tornado was in the late seventies canot remember date was actualy a large water spout I see of the coast of Dorset near Lulworth Cove I was on a seafishing trip out of Weymouth I was the first to recognise it on the boat it was sometime before the coastguard put out an alert on channel 16 it passed a couple of miles to our east where we see it go ashore and continue inland as a tornado on the Lulworth Firing Range never heard any more about it in news etc.

also in the seventies was working in a building at the Warnford Hospital also in Headington Oxford when I heard a roaring noise I at first thought it sounded like a harrow being dragged along the road by the hospital tractor looked out of window to see a lot of debri flying around whent outside and see a tornado had just destroyed a polly tunnel and a green house there were severel people working in both when it hit them how nobody was badly injured beggars belief as there was pains of glass from green house everywhere some embeded several inches in ground scattered around the people who were working in them this made the local news paper and the local tv

next see a water spout heading straight for our hotel in Pathos Cyprus in July 2005 stood my ground an took some photos now unable to find them lost on some old pc im afraid, this dissapated right in front of Hotel as it came ashore,

I have seen a few funnel clouds in recent years admit some may have been scuds but i am convinced some have been funnels as i always keep a weather eye when tornados lightly

I spent every opertunity last summer trying to get a daytime lightning photo with my Lightning Trigger it set of my camera several times but camera was always looking in wrong position hope to fix this on stormchase

pet hates the press always describe tornados in uk as a mini tornado whats mini about them either its a tornado or its not how can it be mini to cause damage they must be just as large as most smaller us ones

they also like to describe large waves as freak waves or rip currents as freak currents no they both happen all the time and are quite natural i have seen and been in both several times

they even describe the Severn Bore as a freak wave no this happens several times a year I have watched it and ridden on it it several times

see youtube

http://www.youtube.com/user/gpsranger

[craig1uk]

Good luck everyone, have a great tour !

[Wilxy]

Wish you all good luck and should be a intresting tour 2 especially tomorrow

[Stuart]

Good luck Team 2

[icbinb]

It seems strange watching you guys after being there yesterday. Hopefully you will get some good action on Monday. Its good to get one in the bag early on.

Good luck everyone and stay safe!