Thursday, October 12, 2023

Hurricane Lee At 165 MPH (9/8)

This as when hurricane Lee was over the open water with wind speeds of at least 165 MPH (well into the rare category 5 status) as of September 8, 2023. Fortunately Lee missed most islands and land, and weakened as it passed to the west of Bermuda. Any land in the path of such a storm at this intensity will suffer devastating effects at this intensity. Eventually, the storm turned north and re-curved, striking Atlantic Canada late the week of Sept 10-16 as an extratropical storm.


The images above show the HWRF hurricane research model (analysis) with the hurricane core during the morning of September 8. The image to the right is an IR satellite image of Hurricane Lee about that same time. Hurricane information is also available in my TROPICS section on this web-site, or you jump straight to the tropical activity page (TROPICS section) on my web-site by clicking the link below.

www.sky-chaser.com/tropics.htm

Major Hurricane Idalia In Florida (8/30)

The interception of major hurricane "Idalia" is completed and was the first hurricane chase of 2023. The full chase log is now available in the STORM CHASING section of my website under the TROPICAL section.


You can jump straight to the section on my web-site for the chase logs for hurricane Idalia by clicking the link below.

www.sky-chaser.com/idal23.htm

Saturday, August 12, 2023

Storm Chasing For Spring 2023 Completed (7/1)

Storm chasing in 2023 (from May 1 to July 1) is completed. All storm chases as well as a highly-detailed chase log are now available in the STORM CHASING section of my website under the section for MIDWEST 2023.


You can jump straight to the section on storm chasing in the central USA for spring of 2023 by clicking the link below.

www.sky-chaser.com/mwcl2023.htm

First Storm Chase Of 2023 (Apr 4)

The first storm chase of 2023 was done from April 3 to 5, targeting a moderate risk of severe weather on April 4, mainly in Iowa is completed. In the image below, a long elephant trunk tornado appears over the trees near Knoxville, Iowa at around 7 PM CDT on April 4. This is posted in the STORM CHASING section of my website.


Click the link below to go right to the section for STORM CHASING EVENTS in 2023.

http://www.sky-chaser.com/mwcl2023.htm

National Storm Chaser Summit (2/5/2023)

The National Storm Chaser Summit (convention) in 2023 took place from February 3rd through the 5th in Midwest City, Oklahoma at the Reed Conference Center. This was the second of a re-imagined chaser "summit" similar to the former "ChaserCon" event(s) ran by late Tim Samaras and Roger Hill. This was again another great event - With a large turn-out - Thanks to the great efforts of Erik Fox and his group - Be sure to check out this event in the STORM CHASING section of this website.


Click the link below to go right to the section for STORM CHASING EVENTS in 2023.

http://www.sky-chaser.com/picnic23.htm

Sunday, January 08, 2023

Happy Holidays To All (12/25)

Seasons Greetings ... Wishing everyone a happy Holidays in 2022 and may all your wishes come true ... As well as good health and prosperity in the upcoming New Year of 2023!



Hurricane Nicole In East-Central Florida (11/11)

Hurricane Nicole affected east-central Florida during the overnight hours from November 9 to 10, 2022 as a low-end category 1 storm, with sustained winds up to 75 MPH. Damage was mostly along the east coast of Florida, with devastating coastal damage extending well north of where the center made landfall. I was one of several storm chasers who went through the eye of the hurricane.


You can also click the link for this chase-log below as well.

www.sky-chaser.com/nico22.htm

Hurricane Ian Devastates SW Florida (9/28)

Hurricane Ian came ashore in SW Florida from Sanibel Island to Punta Gorda during the early afternoon of September 28, 2022 as a high-end category 4 storm, with winds up to 155 MPH. This is a devastating event. I was one of many storm chasers who went through the eye of the hurricane.


You can also click the link for this chase-log below as well.

www.sky-chaser.com/ian22.htm

Saturday, September 03, 2022

My Father Passes Away (8/6)

I finally mustered up enough strength to post this (in early September 2022) ... With a grieving and heavy heart, my father, Richard D Collura, sadly passed away peacefully in hospice during the afternoon of August 6, 2022 - With myself close by his side. He is survived my myself and my older brother, Ricky Collura. My father was 80 years old and suffered from severe dementia and muscle wasting after January 2022. My father was a great man, rough around the edges and stern, but always meant well, and brought up two great sons (myself and my brother). He served on the New York City Police Department (NYPD) from 1963 to 1983. After that his passion was security and protecting everyone he loved and strived for what was fair.


He was passionate in football, and worked / volunteered in anything related to the sport, from coaching and refereeing high-school football, coaching my soccer team as a kid, and worked many years for the Miami Dolphins (even been at four super bowls). He even owned two sports bars up in New York from 1983 to 1985, and continued his work in security after moving to Florida in 1985. He had a beautiful wife, Geraldine Collura, and enjoyed owning three boats from 1986 through 1995. My mom passed away peacefully in September 2013, and afterwards he spent time with Barbara Billadeau, his girlfriend from late 2014 until January 2022 (she became disabled from Alzheimer's).

A limited service for internment of my fathers ashes as well as my moms (both were cremated), will be at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery on September 14, 2022. Hats off and R.I.P to a fantastic man ... Keep him in all our prayers and thoughts.

Storm Chasing For Spring 2022 Completed (6/18)

My storm chasing trip to the midsection of the USA was from April 27 to Jun 18, 2022, and has been completed. A full chase log is now available in the STORM CHASING section (under the main "chase expedition" area for 2022) of my web site.


You can jump straight to the section on storm chasing in the central USA for spring of 2022 by clicking the link below.

www.sky-chaser.com/mwcl2022.htm

Friday, April 22, 2022

Storm Chasing For 2022 About To Start (4/22)

Plans for a storm chasing trip to the midsection of the USA are planned around late April / early May and continuing through that latter month. A full chase log will be available in the STORM CHASING section of this web site once storm chasing us underway and subsequently completed.


Click the link below to go right to the section for STORM CHASING EVENTS in 2022.

http://www.sky-chaser.com/mwcl2022.htm

National Storm Chaser Summit (1/22/2022)

The National Storm Chaser Sumitt (NSCS) conference took place from January 21 to 22, 2022 in Midwest City, Oklahoma at the Reed Conference Center. Be sure to check out this event in the STORM CHASING section of this website.


Click the link below to go right to the section for STORM CHASING EVENTS in 2022.

http://www.sky-chaser.com/picnic22.htm

Happy Holidays To All (12/25)

Seasons Greetings ... Wishing everyone a happy Holidays in 2021 and may all your wishes come true ... As well as good health and prosperity in the upcoming New Year of 2022!



Tuesday, October 19, 2021

Severe Fall Storms Across The Plains (10/12)

Some severe storms were observed during a quick chase to SW Kansas on October 12. This is during the so called "second season" (fall) for storms. A full chase log is available for this chase in the STORM CHASING section of my web site and is in an area for "other" chases for 2021.


You can also click the link for this chase-log below as well.

www.sky-chaser.com/mwcl2021.htm

Monday, October 18, 2021

Great Pacific Airshow (10/2)

The Great Pacific Airshow was in Huntington Beach, California on October 2 and 3, 2021 after it was canceled in 2020 (due to the Covid-19 Pandemic). The 2021 airshow was fantastic, featuring BOTH the USAF "Thunderbirds" and US Navy "Blue Angels". In the image(s) below, an F-35 "Lightning" II can be seen in full afterburner and approaching the sound barrier, creating a vapor "shock" cone.


Be sure to check out many pictures in the AIRSHOW section of this web site, including a link to video of this airshow and others. You can also click the link for my airshow content below as well.

www.sky-chaser.com/airshow.htm

To see an awesome video presentatin of this airshow (for 2019 ad 2020), you can also click the link below (YouTube)!

www.sky-chaser.com/asvid4.htm

Devastating Hurricane Ida In LA (8/29)

Hurricane Ida was intercepted on August 29, 2021 in Houma, Louisiana as a devastating high-end category 4 hurricane. A full chase log is available for this chase in the STORM CHASING section of my web site. Be sure to check out that, as well as any other hurricane chasing topics.


You can also click the link for this chase-log below as well.

www.sky-chaser.com/ida21.htm

Skydiving From Helicopter (8/7)

Skydiving is the ultimate sport to get high! See my skydiving pictures and videos in the SKYDIVING section of my web site. In the image below I am skydiving from a Sikorsky 58t "Screaming Mimi" helicopter over Perris, California on August 7, 2021!


You can also click the link for this chase-log below as well.

www.sky-chaser.com/skydive.htm

A link to a video for the Perris Sikorsky 58T helicopter jump can be seen below as well.

www.sky-chaser.com/skymvid5.htm

Hurricane Elsa Off FL (7/7)

The first tropical cyclone chase of 2021 was from July 6-7 in the Tampa Bay area. Be sure to check out that, as well as any other hurricane chasing topics, in the STORM CHASING section of my web site.


You can also click the link for this chase-log below as well.

www.sky-chaser.com/elsa21.htm

Storm Chasing For Spring / Early Summer (6/28)

Storm chasing for Spring and early supper of 2021 in the central USA (from April 24 through June 28) is completed. Be sure to check out that area in my STORM CHASING section (under the main "chase expedition" area for 2021) of my web site.


You can also click the link for this chase-log below as well.

www.sky-chaser.com/mwcl2021.htm