Weather Whys; Storm Chasing

This is weather wise. Storm chasing is a popular hobby among meteorologists and amateur weather buffs alike. In the spring they flock to the great plains, some driving hundreds of miles for that one weekend when conditions look just right for severe storms. They come with equipment of all kinds, various weather instrumentation, as well as video cameras and still photo gear. The object of the game is to predict where severe weather will strike and to be there when it does to document the occurrence. But that's more than idle sport. Sometimes the observations and film made by chasers will lead to new questions about the behavior of storms and that can provide a springboard for scientific investigation. In fact, the scientists are often out there chasing too. The National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, Oklahoma has three specially equipped vans for the purpose of intercepting storms. The vans are essentially labs on wheels with sensing devices and computers to record and interpret the data they collect.

Also, when the scientists reach a storm they may release balloons which carry packages of weather instruments high up into a storm cloud. Those devices transmit data back to the vans about such things as barometric pressure and electric fields within a storm. While storm chasing may sound like a highly dangerous pastime, in fact it doesn't have to be. Storm chasers may relate harrowing tails of their close calls with lightning strikes and proudly display the dents that hailed the size of baseballs left on their car. But experienced storm chasers know how to position themselves to observe a storm without placing themselves in harm's way. In fact, the most dangerous part of a storm chase may well be the high speed rush, braving highway patrolmen and slick streets to get to the right spot in time. If you'd like to know what you think about weather wise, please write to us at KGOU Radio, Norman Oklahoma 73019, for weather wise, I'm Drew Barlow.