Sky-Chaser's Web BLOG Page

S Florida EF-2 Tornado (10/18)

2011-11-16T09:21:00.002-05:00

An EF-2 tornado affected Sunrise, Florida in Broward County on October 18, 2011 during the late evening - I was chasing this storm and encountered the tornado (barely visible by lightning and power-flashes)!

The storm was a classic supercell that originated over the rural areas of western Miami-Dade county (south of Miccosukee in the Florida Everglades) and moved north and northeast over a two to three hour period through the western sections of Broward and eventually southern Palm Beach counties (where it weakened). The storm produced a destructive tornado, with winds at least 120 MPH (EF-2), from Plantation to Sunrise, just north of I-595 and east of NW 136 avenue.

The tornado was about 150 yards wide, and had a damage path, oriented SSW to NNE, over a mile in length. Some information on this chase can be seen in the STORM CHASING section of this web site (in the "PICTURE Log For 2010 And After Chases" section) or you can go right to that area by clicking the link that is provided below.

http://www.sky-chaser.com/stplog4.htm

Remembering Sept 11 (9/11)

2011-09-11T12:13:00.001-04:00

September 11, 2001 was one of the darkest days in American history. It has been exactly ten (10) years since that fateful day. This year (and every year) is a good time to remember those who lost their lives because of a hostile and down-right cowardly act of terrorism inflicted on the United States by the Al Qaeda / Taliban groups.

Who can forget the heroes that fateful day? To skip to more details on September 11, 2001 and many other subjects about the US, click the link that is provided below.

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

US Tropical "Protection"? (9/7)

2011-09-11T12:10:00.001-04:00

The tropics are very busy as of September 7 ... However, little or no threats exist for the US anytime soon! As of September 7-9, hurricane Katia and tropical storm Maria are churning in the open tropical Atlantic, and NOT expected to affect any land. Tropical storm Nate has formed in the Bay of Campeche, and expected to move into Mainland Mexico later this week. As I mentioned, VERY busy Atlantic tropics, but no threat to the USA at this time.

The graphic above shows the general weather pattern during the week of September 7, 2011. Note (in the graphic above) that despite quite a bit of activity in the Atlantic, the combination of a persistent trough off the US East coast as well as weak high-pressure ridging in the southern Gulf of Mexico, the southeastern and eastern US / northern Gulf regions are sort of in a "quiet zone" (blue area) and nestled in between regions of above-normal risk for tropical cyclones (red areas).

Hurricane Irene (8/28)

2011-09-11T11:16:00.002-04:00

My interception and hurricane chase for hurricane "Irene" was on August 26-28 in North Carolina after a coastal observation of its effects in South Florida on the 25th.

Hurricane Irene caused over 10 billion dollars in damages and at least 55 deaths, especially in the mid-atlantic region of the United States. A full chase log and write-up is completed and has been posted in the STORM CHASING section of my web site.

You can go right to the link for the chase log by clicking the link that is provided below.

http://www.sky-chaser.com/irene11.htm

South FL Tornado (8/2)

2011-09-11T11:14:00.000-04:00

A small tornado in its late stages was caught on camera late in the afternoon of August 2, 2011 from a 5-10 mile distance. In the image below, the distinct funnel stretched along the gust front can be seen just before the tornado dissipated.

Damage was to some homes (roof torn off) with winds near 90 MPH (EF-1). The view is to the north from near Fort Lauderdale Airport as the storm was weakening and just before the tornado lifted.

Tropical Storm Arlene (6/30)

2011-07-06T19:35:00.001-04:00

With the main part of the the devastating 2011 tornado season behind us, the focus turns to the Atlantic hurricane season that runs from June 1 through November 30.

Tropical storm "Arlene" was the first named storm of the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season, forming in the Bay of Campeche (SW Gulf of Mexico) on June 28-29 and moving into Mexico as a strong tropical storm on June 30.

Be sure to keep up-to-date with both tropical activity and hurricane chasing operations by checking back here often. I have a page showing tropical activity that can be seen by clicking the link that is provided below.

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

Tornado Alley Terror (5/31)

2011-06-06T21:28:00.002-04:00

Once again, a major chase trip / expedition has been wrapped up and completed for the central USA from May 20 through May 31, 2011. I have finalized a detailed chase log for this trip.

Unfortunately, this heightened activity came at a very hefty price, especially with a devastating EF-5 tornado in Joplin, Missouri on May 22. These updates can be seen in my STORM CHASING section for MIDWEST 2011 on my web site. You can also go right to that area by clicking the link that is provided below.

http://www.sky-chaser.com/mwcl2011.htm

For a documentary video of the May 20-31 trip storm chasing in the central USA, click the link below!

http://www.sky-chaser.com/m12vid2.htm

Walking On Clouds (5/16)

2011-06-06T21:22:00.003-04:00

The image below shows a bunch of skydivers just about to exit a Cessna Caravan 13,500 feet over Clewiston, FL. What's so interesting about the picture? The plane is in a zero-G maneuver (Hint: the guy in the upper-left floating to the ceiling)!

Skydiving is an awesome sport allowing man to become "superman" with only you and gravity being the driving forces once outside of the airplane! See my collection of skydiving pictures and videos in my SKYDIVING section of this web site). Click the link below to see my section on skydiving.

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

You can also click the link below for a cool video of a jump over Clewiston, Florida, buzzing past clouds with my new Saffire 150 canopy and Javelin container!

http://www.sky-chaser.com/skygpv6.htm

April 2011 Record Tornadoes (4/29)

2011-05-07T19:50:00.003-04:00

April 2011 went down as the busiest April in history for the sheer number of tornadoes in the United States for that month. The last week in April 2011 also brought one of the deadliest and devastating tornado / severe weather outbreaks in US history. The below diagram is a composite of all the storm reports during a mere one-week period from April 22nd through the 29th. A total of 2,793 severe storm reports were posted by the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) with a staggering 403 tornadoes (red dots), 1,074 hail reports (green dots if 1" or more and black triangles if over 2"), and 1,316 high wind reports (blue dot if 58 MPH or more, black square if 74 MPH or more)!

Unfortunately, this event took a heavy toll on human life and property, including around 300 people killed. The intercept done on April 24, 2011 by myself (see the STORM CHASING section of this web site for details) in Texas was the START of this horrific outbreak. May God be with the families and people affected by this recent disaster.

For my April 24, 2011 chase (also in my STORM CHASING section of my web site), please click the link below to go right to it...

http://www.sky-chaser.com/mwcl2011.htm

First 2011 Central USA Chase (4/24)

2011-05-07T19:45:00.004-04:00

Storm chase season 2011 has BEGUN ... So check back often to see my storm chasing plans for 2011. I have finished a short chase trip to Texas as of late April (with the main chase April 24, one chase day out of an extremely active tornado pattern for April of this year).

This first April (weekend) chase yielded at least three tornadoes near Baird and Abilene, Texas ... Hopefully the start of a fantastic chase year. Storm chase 2011 is ON ... So check back often, as well as my on-going section for storm chasing in 2011 (under construction) that can be seen by clicking the link that is provided below.

http://www.sky-chaser.com/mwcl2011.htm

For a documentary video of the April 24, 2011 trip storm chasing in Texas, click the link below!

http://www.sky-chaser.com/m12vid1.htm

Saint Patrick's Day (3/17)

2011-03-24T14:19:00.003-04:00

Happy Saint Patrick's Day to all (March 17) ... Ever wonder what Chicago, Illinois does on Saint Patrick's day? They dye there river a bright GREEN to celebrate!

See these events and much more in my OUTDOORS section of my web site, or jump right to that section by clicking the link for it below...

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

Japan Earthquake & Tsunami (3/11)

2011-03-24T14:14:00.003-04:00

What is today's world coming to - 2012 (for real)? A massive (yes another) earthquake series (the strongest one officially measuring at a staggering 9.0) rattled central Japan (near Honshu) on March 10-11.

Since the earthquake was offshore, it also generated a destructive tsumami that struck the Japanese coast only 10 minutes after the offshore quake. The tsunami also propogated across much of the Pacific ocean with the speed of a jet airliner, affecting many islands (including Hawaii) and eventually the west coasts of North and South America.

The quake and tsunami caused MANY thousands of deaths and even a nuclear disaster as well. Some disturbing video of the Japan Tsumami can be seen by clicking the link below ... Note: video is courtesy of Russia Today media and is an external link to YouTube and might be time-sensitive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY2HPT7obWE

It's Still Winter Up North (3/5)

2011-03-24T14:10:00.001-04:00

Despite it being quite warm down here in Florida and the south, winter is still in full force in the northern part of the country / Canada.

In the images above, the differences in Horseshoe Falls in Canada can be seen between summer (left) and winter (right). See more winter weather photography and subjects in my WINTER section of my web site. You can also check out the link for it below ...

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

Site Video Upgrades (2/22)

2011-02-22T12:53:00.005-05:00

Most of the videos for this site has been re-done and upgraded via links to YouTube for a MUCH better resolution and claraity. Basically, the video sections on this site work the same, but should be much better in quality. You still should see an embedded video on the screen. If some video links do not work, please let me know.

The video hosting is on YouTube to releive some load off this site, and offer a far greater resolution than the less-compatible (former) RealMedia format. If you want to jump directly to my channel on YouTube, you can follow the link provided below ...

http://www.YouTube.com/cdcollura

ChaserCon 2011 (2/20)

2011-02-22T12:50:00.002-05:00

The National Storm Chaser Convention, or "ChaserCon", takes place in mid-late February each year in the Denver, Colorado area. I attended the convention this year for February 18-20, 2011. This exciting event offers a large storm chaser and scientific collaberation with guest speakers, presentations, vendor area, banquet dinner, and video presentation night. Over 300 storm chasers showed up at this event.

You can also jump right to the area for storm chasing events in 2011, including the storm chaser convention, by clicking the link provided for it below ...

http://www.sky-chaser.com/picnic11.htm

For official information on this event, you can also visit their site at the link below ...

http://www.ChaserCon.com

2011 Everglades Boogie (1/30)

2011-01-31T16:02:00.002-05:00

The annual 2011 Everglades Skydiving Boogie took place during the weekend of January 28-30 in Clewiston, Florida. This boogie continues to be a fantastic skydiving event, with multiple aircraft (including a helicopter and "specialty" aircraft), the rare opportunity to ride in an L-39 fighter jet, and a great crowd of skydivers to boot!

Year after year, it continues to be an awesome event, put together by the great folks at Air Adventures! You can check out this event, along with many others, in my SKYDIVING section of my web site. You can also jump right to the link by clicking link provided below ...

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

FL Tornadic Supercell (1/25)

2011-01-26T12:08:00.001-05:00

The first major chase of 2011 was on January 25, 2011 with the interception of a tornadic supercell storm to the south of Sebring, FL in Highlands County. The storm was developing ahead of a squall line of severe storms and quite possibly produced the first tornado to be observed in 2011!

I have pictures posted in my local chase log in the STORM CHASING section of my site, and you can click the link provided for it below to jump right to that section.

http://www.sky-chaser.com/stplog4.htm

Aero Engines Section Added (12/26)

2010-12-27T12:49:00.002-05:00

I have put together an interesting section on aircraft flight and propulsion principles. It is valuable for any aviation enthusiast, especially students, and has diagrams and illustrations for reference purposes.

I added this to my section on FLYING as an additional link off that page, as well as my main site page. You can also click the link below to jump right to this new section.

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

Lunar Eclipse (12/21)

2010-12-27T12:44:00.006-05:00

There was a Lunar eclipse during the overnight hours of December 20-21, 2010 (late night / early morning). In south Florida, the eclipse lasted from roughly 2:30 AM through 3:30 AM EST. Clear and cool conditions made for perfect viewing of the event, where the Earth's shadow is cast on the sun-lit face of the Moon (the opposite of a solar eclipse, where the Moon's shadow is cast on the earth).

Click the link below to see a short video of the event (links to YouTube videos) that has been posted. The video is about 3 minutes.

www.sky-chaser.com/lunevid1.htm

New 2010 Chase DVD (12/1)

2010-12-27T12:35:00.005-05:00

See storm chasing highlights from 2009 AND 2010 in "TWO YEARS OF STORMS" DVD! Nearly two hours of compelling footage starts with two chases in 2009, including June 5th in Nebraska and Wyoming. In 2010 see the devastation and emergency response in Yazoo City, Mississippi, just minutes after a violent tornado struck the town.

Awe at the beautiful storm structure across the Central USA in May 2010. See a mile-wide violent tornado grinding its way across the farmland north of Bowdle, South Dakota, plus many other storms and tornadoes. See Pike's peak in Colorado at over 14,000 feet above sea level, then it's off to Bermuda to chase Hurricane Igor!

For more information and how to order this DVD, please check out the special OFFERS section of my web site, and you can click the link provided for it below to jump right to that section.

http://www.sky-chaser.com/offers12.htm

Hurricane Season Ends (11/30)

2010-11-17T14:54:00.006-05:00

The Atlantic hurricane season ended on November 30, 2010. Despite it being the third busiest season in history, NO hurricanes made landfall in the United States. Actually, only weak tropical storms, including Bonnie ever affected the US mainland directly. Anything even worth chasing in the USA was the northern fringes of hurricane Alex (extreme southern Texas in late June), tropical storm Bonnie (near Miami, Florida in late July), and the weak western fringes of hurricane Earl (outer banks of North Carolina in early September).

Major international chases were a bit better, and included hurricanes Alex and Karl in Mexico and hurricane Igor near Bermuda. Other than that, MOST major activity stayed in the far eastern Atlantic with storms recurving out to sea long before reaching any land. My hurricane chasing / tropical weather section is updated each year and is in my STORM CHASING section of my web site, and you can click the link provided for it below to jump right to that section.

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

California For 2-Weeks (11/15)

2010-11-17T14:54:00.004-05:00

I just got back from a two week trip to California visiting best friends of mine and enjoying the never-ending outdoor and scenic activities to be had there. I covered all scenic aspects of the state, from Los Angeles to San Francisco, from down to the sea and up to the mountains! If you love the great outdoors, California is the place for you ... Heck, I did so much hiking and outdoor stuff I still lost 10-15 LBs despite drinking lots of wine and eating more!

I posted many pictures in my OUTDOORS section of this web site, and you can click the link provided for it below to jump right to that section.

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

Skydive From 18,000+ Ft (11/13)

2010-11-17T14:51:00.000-05:00

One of the extreme activities I did during my 2-week stay in California was a visit to the Skydive Monterey Bay drop zone. They take jumpers to at least 18,000 feet (supplemental oxygen is available) on many skydives and I have a video of two of them I did.

You can see video of this skydive by clicking the link for that area on my web site provided below.

http://www.sky-chaser.com/skygpv3.htm

Storm Chase Vehicles (10/25)

2010-11-17T14:48:00.002-05:00

You have seen them on the Discovery Channel and may have seen them on the road while chasing in tornado alley. Myself being a storm chaser, I see them nearly every day when I am chasing during tornado / hurricane season. These are the storm chase vehicles, and they range from privately owned cars, to exotic scientific machines, and even aircraft.

Check out this special new section in my STORM CHASING part of this web site, or click the link for that area on my web site provided below.

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

Wow - Typhoon "Megi" (10/17)

2010-11-17T14:45:00.001-05:00

The true violence of a tropical cyclone at maximum intensity is a sight to behold when typhoon "Megi" affected the Phillipines and China a half a world away from the US in the western Pacific basin in mid October 2010. Typhoons are the same systems as hurricanes, just the name if different in that part of the world.

In the image above, typhoon "Megi" reaches maximum intensity as it bears down on the NE coast of the Philippines (Luzon), with insane core winds exceeding 180 MPH with higher gusts. Chasing something like this is like driving into an EF-5 tornado that's 40 miles wide! A handful of chasers intercepted the storm, including James Reynolds (Hong Kong) and Geoff Mackley (Australia). Fortunatly, the landfall area near Davilican Bay was rural and mountainous. This made it hard for any intercepts of the typhoon core there.

Hurricane Paule (10/14)

2010-11-17T14:43:00.000-05:00

The "good luck" streak for a non-hurricane landfall in 2010 continues with a very small hurricane Paula weaking to a tropical storm over western Cuba around October 14, 2010. Although "good luck" for most people in the USA, this is very "bad luck" for storm chasers seeking hurricanes to intercept. Paula seemed to be a rather promising prospect as the W Carribbean / Gulf of Mexico is normally active in October. Paula was a very small storm with a core flow barely 50 miles wide, even at maximum intensity when it had 100-MPH winds (the hurricane forced winds barely exceeded 15 miles from the center).

In the images above, note that the storm center (depicted by the red "X" in the satellite images) is on the SW side of the central overcast as strong vertical wind shear / mid-level dry air causes Paula to weaken rapidly over western Cuba.

Skydiving Past Clouds Video (10/2)

2010-11-17T14:32:00.002-05:00

Here is another video of a skydive I made using the GoPro "Hero" HD camera. This video shows what it's like to fall through / past a cloud deck (altocumulus undulatus) at speed.

You can see video of this skydive by clicking the link for that area on my web site provided below.

http://www.sky-chaser.com/skygpv2.htm

Skydiving HD Video (9/26)

2010-09-27T15:14:00.003-04:00

With last week's chase of hurricane "Igor" in Bermuda, my new GoPro "Hero" HD camera was indispensible for getting some of the amazing shots. With such a rugged waterproof and stable enclosure, it can be mounted just about anywhere. This time I did one of my "regular" skydives with this tiny tapeless camera affixed to my left wrist. The HD video it captured was awesome, and all extreme sports (skydiving included) are taking advantage of this.

The images above were captured during one of my skydives with the camera on my wrist, offering a unique perspective. You can see video of this skydive by clicking the link for that area on my web site provided below.

http://www.sky-chaser.com/skygpv1.htm

Hurricane Igor Chase (9/21)

2010-09-27T15:11:00.001-04:00

I am finished with a pretty successful hurricane Igor interception in the tiny island of Bermuda. The hurricane chase was from Saturday, September 19 through Tuesday, September 21, 2010. I am back in Florida in the United States and I have prepared a chase-log for the storm.

You can see my intercept of hurricane Igor (my chase log for it) by clicking the link for that area on my web site provided below.

http://www.sky-chaser.com/igor10.htm

Hurricanes 2010 (9/15)

2010-09-27T15:06:00.002-04:00

The Atlantic hurricane season of 2010 has been a very active season so far (as of mid September 2010); however, none of the most violent storms have affected land. The above-normal sea surface temperature anomaly in the far eastern Atlantic is producing more hurricanes, but fortunately the development so-far-out east is actually causing the Eastern US to be spared, with hurricane Earl being the closest shave of one of these missing-the-US storms.

In the image above, two powerful hurricanes (Igor and Julia) are raging in the far tropical Atlantic, far from any land. The image to the right is a close-up of the eye of Hurricane Igor at maximum intensity on September 13. None of these storms were affecting anyone at this time; with fish, birds, and whales most likely the only "beings" experiencing the fury of these hurricanes! Even ships do not travel through that part of the ocean very often.

During the Cape Verde season (September), tropical waves normally move off Africa and do not develop into a close circulation until making their way across the ocean (near the Windward Islands). An "open" tropical wave, like a wave in a river going across the current, can propagate THROUGH a trough / weakness in the steering flow (still move WEST although the trade wind flow is SE). Tropical cyclones that develop RIGHT OFF the African coast, often gain latitude (they do NOT move due WEST, but more WNW). This is because a CLOSED low always moves with the flow it’s embedded in (if the trade winds are SE nearing a trough, the low moves NW, not WEST like an "open" tropical wave would).

By the time these systems reach the western Atlantic (near longitude 60 to 65 west or so), they have already missed the northern Antilles / Puerto Rico, and are more susceptible to be picked up by a stronger trough and re-curve into the westerlies and into the North Atlantic. Sometimes the tiny island of Bermuda is affected by these, but a DIRECT hit there is rare.

You can also check my area on tropical weather and any associated activity / chase plans by clicking the link for that area on my web site provided below.

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

Why No EARL Chase? (9/2)

2010-09-02T20:19:00.001-04:00

Hurricane Earl is passing to the east of the outer banks of North Carolina giving folks (and many chasers) there the WEAKER side of the storm (left side), a night-time event, and a weakening system due to shear (strong winds aloft). I was a go for this storm just a day ago, packed up and ready to head to North Carolina from south Florida.

The chase was cancelled at the last minute with both careful consideration and great deliberation. As good as the storm looked early on Thursday, September 2, increasing wind shear caused steady weakening of the system, as well as a jog OFF the coast (no landfall). Storm chasers there, even on Cape Hattaras, should only experience hurricane forced gusts (at best) and big waves, and in total darkness.

You can also check my area on tropical weather and any associated activity / chase plans by clicking the link for that area on my web site provided below.

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

Remembering Katrina (8/28)

2010-08-30T19:08:00.002-04:00

August 28 marks the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina in the Northern Gulf Coast in 2005. This storm was a devastating storm, with a record storm surge approaching thirty feet in height, that caused massive devastation and loss of life from New Orleans and eastward to Mobile, Alabama.

You can read more about Hurricane "Katrina" in 2005 and see a full chase log / story in the STORM CHASING section of this site. The link to this incredible chase log has also been provided at the link below.

http://www.sky-chaser.com/kat05.htm

US Protection? (8/26)

2010-08-30T19:05:00.000-04:00

Tropical activity in the far Atlantic basin is picking up quite a bit as of late-August / early-September 2010, however, a persistant trough off the US East coast may deflect any intense activity out to sea for the time-being. Bermuda may offer some very remote chase prospects, but happens to be a very small (and unlucky) target if hit directly.

Right now, the US East coast will remain "vaccinated" from anything coming across the Atlantic. Intense hurricane Danielle and MOST storms behind it may actually follow the same path by recurving out to sea (hurricane chasers call these "fish storms". This pattern is good news for most people, but HORRIBLE news for hurricane chasers, who intercept / study tropical cyclones. But, it "is what it is".

You can also check my area on tropical weather and any associated activity / chase plans by clicking the link for that area on my web site provided below.

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

Remembering Charley (8/13)

2010-08-30T18:59:00.003-04:00

Friday the 13th in 2010 marks the 6th anniversary of Hurricane Charley in Punta Gorda, Florida (2004). Hurricane names are re-used every 6 years for the Atlantic basin, unless a storm causes devastation and / or deaths. Hurricane "Charley" was a strong and devastating category 4 storm with 145-150 MPH sustained winds at landfall.

The name "Charley" has been retired and THIS (2010) year's replacement was "Colin", which occurred in early August as a weak and minimal tropical storm and was barely noticed by most. You can read more about Hurricane "Charley" in 2004 and see a full chase log / story in the STORM CHASING section of this site, or click the link to go right to it below.

http://www.sky-chaser.com/char04.htm

Tropical Storm Bonnie (7/23)

2010-07-31T18:53:00.004-04:00

The tropics will continue to get more active as we move into late July and early August. As of July 23, tropical storm Bonnie has formed and hit south Florida as a weak tropical storm. The storm crossed Florida and weakened in the northern Gulf of Mexico a day later.

This system was also my first tropical cyclone intercept of 2010. A chase log for tropical storm Bonnie in July 2010 can be seen by clicking the link provided for it below.

http://www.sky-chaser.com/bonn10.htm

You can also check my area on tropical weather and any associated activity / chase plans by clicking the link for that area on my web site provided below.

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

Canada Trip (6/20)

2010-07-31T18:50:00.002-04:00

With storm chasing done as of the start of June 2010 and hurricane season for the Atlantic basin just around the corner, a trip to Canada was a great get away from Florida. I finished a great trip with a best friend of mine and visited the Niagara Falls / Toronto area for a few days.

You can check out details on my trips to Canada as well as MANY other places by clicking on the link provided below.

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

Main Central US Chase (6/5)

2010-06-14T14:54:00.002-04:00

The third and MAIN storm chase trip to the central USA in 2010 (May 18 through June 1) is completed and a full chase log is finished and available. This trip also boasted some high-risk chasing as well as at least 20 (yes, TWENTY) tornadoes and numerous supercells, some with large hail and / or incredible storm structure.

You can also visit my chase logs for this main chase, as well as others in 2010, in my STORM CHASING area on my web site. The link to jump right to the are for this main chase trip for May 18 through June 1, 2010 is also provided below.

http://www.sky-chaser.com/mwcl10b.htm

Oklahoma Tornado Outbreak (5/15)

2010-05-17T10:57:00.001-04:00

The second storm chase trip to the central USA in 2010 (May 8-13) is completed and a full chase log is finished and available. This trip boasted some high-risk chasing as well as several tornadoes and / or supercells, some with some incredible storm structure.

You can also visit my chase logs for 2010, which includes this event and others, in my STORM CHASING area on my web site. The link to jump right to the storm chasing area for 2010 is also provided below.

http://www.sky-chaser.com/mwcl2010.htm

Central US Storm Chase (4/26)

2010-04-26T23:30:00.005-04:00

I have completed the first few days of storm chasing in the Central USA from April 21st through the 25th. This was the first chase of 2010 and it landed me with HIGH-RISK chases, tornadoes, supercells, and - Unfortunately - A devastated Mississippi town (Yazoo City).

You can also visit my chase logs for 2010, which includes this event and others, in my STORM CHASING area on my web site. The link to jump right to the storm chasing area for 2010 is also provided below.

http://www.sky-chaser.com/mwcl2010.htm

Tornado Destroys MS Town (4/24)

2010-04-26T23:21:00.003-04:00

On Suturday, April 24, 2010, a violent tornado, rated at EF-4 (out of 5) and nearly two miles wide, struck the town of Yazoo City, Mississippi just before noon. I was out in the Central USA for a storm chasing trip and witnessed this devastating storm, and it's parent fast-moving cyclic HP supercell first-hand.

The damage to the south side of Yazoo City, near the junction of Highways 49 and 16, is extensive. Four peoplw were killed and the tornado had winds of at least 170 MPH, with a path (on the ground) for over 100 miles, with the supercell crossing nearly twice that ... This long-track storm crossed the entire state of Mississippi in the matter of hours.

My heart and prayers goes out to all affected by this disaster. I am happy I was there to be among those who stopped chasing the storm and lended aid to those in need. Every person helps in such situations!

You can also visit my chase logs for 2010, which includes this event and others, in my STORM CHASING area on my web site. The link to jump right to the storm chasing area for 2010 is also provided below.

http://www.sky-chaser.com/mwcl2010.htm

Volunteer Work (4/11)

2010-04-26T23:13:00.001-04:00

In addition to church every Sunday, why not get up a bit earlier and help out a bit with some churches and temples around the area? In the pictures below, I am helping with some gardening at a local Buddha monestary with a few other guys in their garden area.

This is a start of a major rennovation / construction project, and the garden / meditation area is being cleared of some unwanted plants, along with some other "wildlife" (see the little snake we found in the center image)! Any volunteer work is a great way to get out, help out, make new friends, and have some fun in the process.

City Flight Photos (4/5)

2010-04-26T23:08:00.006-04:00

Flying is an awesome way to experience the world and skylines from above ... Whether flying for sightseeing, pleasure, or business. In the image below, the beautiful cityscape of Toronto, Canada can be seen from about a mile up upon departing Pearson International Airport on a sunny spring day (after a business trip).

You can check out this and MANY other pictures taken from flights I have been on over the years in my FLYING section of this web site, or jump right to that area by clicking the link for it provided below.

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

South FL Severe Storms (3/29)

2010-04-02T10:28:00.003-04:00

Some severe thunderstorms affected the south Florida (Fort Lauderdale and Miami) area during the early morning of Monday, March 29, 2010. A strong EF-0 tornado affected the area of Oakland Park, FL during the morning "rush hour" and after that, the small HP supercell storms moved offshore and produced waterspouts.

One of the supercell storms, with a wall cloud and funnel / possible waterspout (center) appears in the left image above as the storm was moving offshore northeast of Miami Beach. Driving in south Florida during this weather was a nightmare, and I myself was rear-ended by a careless driver after the brief storm chase. Minimal damage was done to my vehicle, but the same cannot be said for the driver (to the right in the image above) involved in another accident near I-75 (the driver escaped with injuries but their car rolled over).

You can also jump right to the chase log and pictures for this (and many other events) by visiting the MAIN CHASE LOG in my STORM CHASING area on my web site. The link to jump right to this area is also provided below.

http://www.sky-chaser.com/stplog4.htm

FL Keys Chaser BBQ (3/20)

2010-04-02T10:15:00.001-04:00

Storm and hurricane chaser Jim Leonard hosted a fantastic chaser party and BBQ at his place in upper Metacumbe Key in the beautiful Florida Keys on March 20, 2010. The turnout was great and we all had a great time ... Thanks Jim!

Some pictures of this yearly event are posted in my STORM CHASING section for PICNICS and PARTIES on my main web site. You can also jump right to this area using the link provided for it below.

http://www.sky-chaser.com/picnic10.htm

California Trip (3/17)

2010-04-02T09:52:00.005-04:00

I just got back from a week and a half trip in Northern California spending time with best-friends of mine, taking advantage of time off as I am between jobs. California is a place where you can literally surf and snow-ski in the SAME day, and can be an outdoorsman's paradise for hikers and sight-seers alike.

My last trip involved some awesome hiking, skydiving, beach and surf fun, and great weather to boot. Check out my pictures from the "Golden Bear" state, with anything from 25+ foot waves to the 3,000 foot cliffs of Yosemite in my OUTDOORS section of this site. You can also jump right to the link provided for it below.

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

Nothing To Chase? (3/2)

2010-03-18T17:37:00.007-04:00

For the past WEEK, the National Weather Service had some "strong wording" about the "severe weather potential" associated with a strong low pressure system and front that was forecasted to affect the state of FL around March 2, 2009. A day before the "promising" event, SPC issues a slight risk, then the day of the "event", its DOWNGRADED to a "see text", then the "event" turned out to be a 30 MPH wind gust and some moderate rain.

Of course, the SPC "storm reports" for March 2, shown to the right in the graphic below, says "No Reports Received" ... In fact, February 2010 goes down in history as the first month with no reported tornadoes anywhere in the USA since the 1950's! This certainly is NOT encouraging.

The other two images above to the left and middle show the grim effects of the 2009-2010 "El Niño", with some of the coldest weather (for Southern Florida) in a very long time. And, to add more to the lack-of-storms and shivering frustration ... The 10-15 foot high northeast swells THAT NORMALLY accompany strong cold fronts in FL also NEVER happened. Flat surf, too cold for the beach, yes - Even surfers in FL are probably more frustrated than storm chasers! My SeaDoo watercraft sits in the storage - too "cold" to even take that out to enjoy on the water or the lake, which is choked with water weed and dead fish because of the "killer" cold weather since January!

This cold pattern, persisting into March, is not normal. Normally, El Niño causes MORE storms in FL, but this one is very different. This will also result in cooler water temperatures and probably hurt the potential hurricane / storm chase seasons in 2010 - I am not ready to repeat 2009.

Lost Job / Blessing In Disguise? (2/26)

2010-03-03T12:12:00.003-05:00

Longevity at ANY employment in my line of work (IT) is simply an idea and / or expression and never something I can (or ever will) experience. Quite suprisingly, I lost my job as my position at a firm in Miami as "Senior Programmer" was terminated this week.

I was the kind of person who stood by his work, was never late (always came into the office early) and rarely left before the quitting time of 5:30 PM. Even worse, I foregone many opportunities for storm chasing in 2009, because of this job, trying to make a difference. My work was of the best quality and during the entire year of 2009, my attendance was next to impeccable.

So what was the results of all this hard work and such? In the end result, basically I was "canned" ... Used for my services, and thrown right out into the street (quite literally). The corporate world sure can be a very hostile place.

Exactly six months before my termination date - I mean right to the EXACT day - I was written up for the stress, as well as trying to be a "hero" and do someone elses job.

The stress of this past job has taken a MAJOR toll on both my health and my sanity. The same week I was terminated, I found out that I had the start of a bleeding stomach ulcer. Not good. This and on top of seeing all that "stuff" I MISSED in mid June 2009 in Nebraska!

Now out of a job, I am collecting unemployment, and drawing on some money I saved for such "rainy days" ... In retrospect, not really so "rainy" after all. The unemployment should pay the rent. My car is paid off. My ulcer should quickly heal ... And if anything happens in the central US in this coming spring for chasing, I just GO ... No haggling with time off.

Maybe this time off ain't so bad after all?

South FL Severe Storms (2/24)

2010-03-03T11:51:00.007-05:00

Finally some interesting weather rolls through South and Central Florida on Wednesday, February 24, 2010. Some of the thunderstorms contained brief / shallow mesocyclones and some areas (near West Palm Beach) reported golfball sized hail.

This is a nice change to have a warm and moist air mass (ahead of a strong cold front) with strong and severe thunderstorms ... Hopefully chasing will be good as we head into March 2010 in the south.

Snow In EVERY State? (2/15)

2010-03-03T11:43:00.003-05:00

The image below, courtesy of the National Weather Service and the US Air Force, shows the snow cover over the continental United States on February 13, 2010 (6z). The scale is in inches. Not suprising is the amount of snow cover over the northern states, however, check out the snow swath over the deep south, even into the panhandle of Florida! It is very unusual to see the entire 48 states having snow covering a portion of them.

Alaska, obviously has snow cover as well, and even Hawaii, but only on the peaks of the tallest mountains (Mona Loa and Mona Kea) on the big island. This means that at this point, the entire 50 states of the US have snow. You can check out anything about winter weather on a special page I have for it on this site in the WINTER section of my site by clicking the link provided for it below ...

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

ChaserCon 2010 (2/14)

2010-02-16T12:22:00.004-05:00

I attended the National Storm Chaser Convention (ChaserCon) in Denver, Colorado from Febuary 12-14, 2010. This event continues to be a "must-not-miss" event for storm chasers year after year. This year was a very impressive turnout and I have put together some pictures of the event in my STORM CHASING EVENTS area on this site.

You can also jump right to the area for storm chasing events in 2010, including the storm chaser convention, by clicking the link provided for it below ...

http://www.sky-chaser.com/picnic10.htm

Skydiving / L-39 Jet Fighter (1/30)

2010-02-02T18:50:00.006-05:00

The last week in January is the weekend for the annual "Boogie Over The Everglades" event at Air Adventures Skydiving in Clewiston, Florida. This weekend is full of great skydives, great people, and great aircraft.

In the image above, I am aboard an L-39 fighter jet pulling near 7 G's and travelling near 500-MPH! This event keeps getting better and better each year. Read more about it (as well as more updates) at the SKYDIVING section of this web site.

In the additional images above, we see some of the activities at the onece-a-year Everglades Boogie. Althouth the weather was bad for almost half the event, we all still had a great time and made up for it the best we could, with one jump from nearly 23,000 feet!

You can also check out the FLYING section of this site, with more details on the L-39 jet by clicking the link provided for it below...

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

For more information on skydiving and boogies (events) such as this one, be sure to check out my section on skydiving below via the link...

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

You want to see what its like to RIDE ABOARD a jet fighter? Glad you asked ... Check out the video link (to YouTube) provided for it below...

www.sky-chaser.com/l39vid.htm

A Bullying Subject (1/24)

2010-02-02T18:43:00.004-05:00

Ever wonder where your kids are, or what might be happening to them? School yard violence and bullying is no laughing matter, as a matter of fact, it can turn deadly. Read about this report (including personal experiences and important advice) regarding bullying and how a parent (and child) can properly deal with it before its too late in my AMERICA section of this site.

You can jump right to the section on AMERICA and school "bullying" by clicking the link provided for it below...

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

Frost In South FL (1/11)

2010-02-02T18:40:00.004-05:00

In the images below, taken a day or so later, with temperatures still near freezing - even in Miami, Florida - Frost covers the vehicles in the morning and the ice needed to be scraped from the windshields! This was one time I regretted throwing away my ice scraper I used every day a couple of years back when working in Chicago in the winter ... This would have come in handy as it is not easy to scrape off ice using my fingernails!

Hopefully storm chasing will take a turn for the better (for me at least) in 2010 (hopefully putting 2009 behind us, right?) ... My chase logs for 2009 are on-line and can be viewed in the STORM-CHASING section of this web site. You can also jump right to this area by clicking the link provided for it below...

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

Cold Southern New Year (1/9)

2010-02-02T18:38:00.001-05:00

The first couple of weeks of the new year of 2010 have been plagued with bitterly cold weather over much of the US. Folks coming south to the tropics to escape the cold have to travel WELL into the tropics, as some of this Canadian air has penetrated as far south as Central America! In the images below, taken on January 9, 2010 in Deerfield Beach, Florida ... Something appears very strange with the Atlantic Ocean.

Steam fog is rising from the water, which is about 75 degrees F, in chilly air that is hovering just above 40 degrees F! A temperature differential of nearly 40 degrees causes the relatively warmer ocean water to "steam". This is in South Florida in the afternoon, and the beach normally packed with tourists is completely deserted. Cold spells lasting this long (over a week) are unusual. Snow flurries were even reported farther north in the state!

Digital Conversion (1/7)

2010-02-02T18:34:00.002-05:00

Is going digital totally worth it? If you have the time and make the effort, the short answer is YES ... In the images above, over 220 audio tapes containing music, diary, chase logs, and sentimental memories were painstakingly digitized and re-mastered over 4 months time to 221 separate 64 Kbps MP3 files, totalling about 6.5 GB in hard-drive space. The pile of 220+ tapes can be seen surrounding a tiny 8 GB thumb drive (USB drive).

All the tapes, once digitized, can be stored entirely on the 8 GB drive, with much room (over 1 GB) to spare! To the right is the thumb drive in front of the old analog recorder (barely working) and a newer digital voice recorder to it's right (tapeless recorder that saves MP3 files in stereo). The tapes and old analog equipment can be scrapped, and the digital media used instead. The digital media can also be easily copied, backed up, burned to CD / DVD, with no need to search, rewind, cue, etc.

Digital conversion can also involve scanning old photographs and cleaning them up, and / or converting video to tapeless format (such as VHS to DVD and such). This is the way to go to preserve un-reliable / old recording media and the memories cherished with it.

Winterfest Boat Parade (12/13)

2009-12-23T08:11:00.003-05:00

Every year, in south Florida (Fort Lauderdale), there is the Winterfest festival (usually the second weekend in December). One of the major attractions to this tradition is the "boat parade", where boats and yachts are decorated with Christmas lights and cruise up and down the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway from Fort Lauderdale to Pompano Beach.

Be sure to check out my section on OUTDOORS on my main site for more amazing pictures of boating and outdoor / special events. You can also click on the link provided below to jump to that section ...

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

Sunset At Over 42,000 Feet (12/4)

2009-12-23T08:08:00.003-05:00

The images below were taken during a recent end-of-the week trip to Toronto in Ontario, Canada (not far from Buffalo, New York). Quite impressive is in the image to the left, taken in the gloaming twilight at an altitude of just above 42,000 feet aboard WestJet airlines. This is pretty much the service "ceiling" for such commercial aircraft (Boeing 737-700). The plane is this high to fly over an area of turbulence.

The inset shows the speed and altitude, and the curverature of the earth is clearly visible in the photo. To the right, is a shot of downtown Toronto just after sunset, with the 1,500 foot+ CN Tower rising high above the sky-scrapers into the night sky. Be sure to check out my section on FLYING for more amazing pictures of flying / arial views. You can also click on the link provided below to jump to that section ...

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

A Slow Chase Year For Me (11/12)

2009-11-12T16:20:00.003-05:00

For storm chasing, at least for me, 2009 was one of the slowest and one of the worst chase years ever encountered. Shear in the tropics, ridging in the plains, work, Murphy's Law? - Oh My!

What happened? A brief explanation on the why's and how's of such a bad chase year for many are outlined below.

1). El Niño ... This is a warming of the eastern tropical Pacific off South America near the equator. It's a 2 to 5 year cycle (ENSO) and causes a "trough-east and ridge-west" pattern over North America with the "dreaded" Hudson-Bay Vortex pattern in the late Spring. The ridging over the western US is very BAD for storm chasing prospects there, especially during prime chase season, from Mid May to Mid June. The same pattern also caused most low pressure systems entering the central USA to be generally weaker than normal. Forecast models also performed very bad this year, making a planned chase trip very difficult. A three-week-long "death ridge" also plagued the central US in May 2009, forcing me to cancel my 10 day chase trip there.

2). Unusually inactive Atlantic Basin hurricane season. Also due to the effects of El Niño, which ruined chase prospects for severe weather in the central USA, also ruined any hurricane chasing opportunities. The El Niño causes strong winds aloft, not over the central US, but over the tropics, due to the "tough-east" pattern. The upper-level shearing associated with such a pattern supresses development of tropical cyclones, along with dry air in the mid levels. Any tropical cyclones that did develop were short-lived, generally weak, or over unusual areas of the Atlantic Basin. In response, the Pacific basin, especially the western Pacific, was ABOVE normal in 2009.

3). Bad timing - This was the most serious problem in 2009. Anyone may disagree with me, especially seeing other chasers success, especially in Mid-Late June of 2009 (if you see Reed Timmer on "Storm Chasers", you'll know what I mean). Not everyone had a bad year in 2009. Fellow chaser Jim Edds even went to Guam for a while to take advantage of the ABOVE normal Pacific typhoon season in 2009. My situation was very bad timing, and work conflicing with available chase time. For example, the ONLY good week in the central US in 2009 was around June 17 ... But that week, with my boss on a funeral and me filling in for another on a cruise, that was the ONLY week I could NOT take off and chase.

With planning for next year (2010), hopefully this El Niño pattern will fade to a neutral ENSO or even a mild La Niña (it's opposite). The La Niña pattern is much better for central USA chasing in the spring, and a better tropical season in the Atlantic basin to follow. Good chase years, such as 1995, 2004, 2005, and 2008 were all La Niña years, with a "tough-west and ridge-east" pattern lacking the Hudson-Bay Vortex. In spring and summer 2010, I will also have a lot more time to take off, given I am still working at the time.

Hurricane "Ida" And Her Demise (11/9)

2009-11-12T16:15:00.003-05:00

You have probably seen hurricane Ida during the early week of November 9, 2009. The question is that "Did I chase Ida"?

The short answer is "no". This was because although Ida was a hurricane for a while, it rapidly weakened during the day of November 9, 2009 and made landfall at night. The storm also tracked along an unseasonably straight path towards the northern Gulf of Mexico.

This is the worst track for an intercept, because this took the storm over cold waters and close to a jet stream (shear) on that path. With such a weak storm, barely tropical at landfall, coming in over Alabama, and during the NIGHT / early-morning Tuesday (11-10), any possible chase was abandoned / not worth the time and effort.

Normally, these storms take a path to the north, then northeast (into SW Florida) this time of the year, but not this one, in 2009 (ofcourse).

Autumn In Niagara Falls (10/24)

2009-11-12T15:48:00.002-05:00

The end of 2009 is approaching fast as we enter the mid fall of 2009 (October to November). Not much to notice in terms of the change of seasons down here in South Florida (not even anything in the tropics intercepted during the entire season), but take a trip up to the Northern USA / Canada and you can catch the peak of the fall foliage colors as of late October 2009!

Be sure to check out my section on WINTER weather on my main web site for more amazing pictures of winter weather and such. You can also click on the link provided below to jump to that section ...

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

Storm Chasing In Central USA (10/3)

2009-11-12T15:42:00.004-05:00

A last-ditch effort chase trip to the central US was done during the week from Wednesday (9-30-2009) and Thursday (10-1-2009). I took advantage of both time available to take off as well as airline points and headed out to the Central US for a potential severe weather setup from late Tuesday (9-29) and retured the morning of Friday (10-2).

This is for the "second season", where severe weather sometimes occurs in the fall months. Besides hurricanes (which none were intercepted), this looked like a good chase opportunity of 2009.

Unfortuately, and quite typical of 2009, the forecast models over-estimated the setup, and the atmosphere over Kansas remained capped on 9-30 and only a squall line was the main event a day later on 10-1.

The chase log can be seen in the STORM CHASING section of this site, under "Central US chases of 2009", or you can click the link provided below to go right to it ...

http://www.sky-chaser.com/mwcl2009.htm

French TV Crew Storm Documentary (9/18)

2009-11-12T15:37:00.004-05:00

On Thursday and Friday, September 17-18, myself and a French TV crew from Washington DC (for TFI) did some filming of my storm chase vehicle as well as interviews and equipment demonstrations.

The series aired in October 2009 and a clip of the production can be viewed at the link provided to it below ...

http://videos.tf1.fr/jt-20h/quand-le-climat-se-dechaine-4836630.html

Note: Link above may be "time sensitive" as it is not hosted on my site. The production is in French, but you can see myself and others in a VERY well-done segment!

High-Altitude Skydive (8/15/2009)

2009-08-06T09:51:00.002-04:00

I was able to perform a HALO (High-Altitude / Low-Opening) skydive (from 22,000 to 24,000 feet on August 15, 2009 at Air Adventures Skydiving in Clewiston, Florida.

A video for this jump has been compiled and is available at the link below ...

http://www.sky-chaser.com/halovid1.htm

You can also check out more information anout high-altitude skydives, along with many other extreme sports, in my SKYDIVING section of this web site by clicking the link provided for it below ...

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

Southern Ontario In Canada (7/26)

2009-07-28T22:22:00.002-04:00

With a business trip to Buffalo, New York for a couple of days and a free day afterwards, I made the trip to Canada to enjoy the natural beauty, diversity, and even the bizarre weather in southern Ontario in July 2009!

Be sure to check out my OUTDOORS section on my main web site for some outdoor beauty and various pictures from Canada and parts of the world. You can also jump right to my section for outdoors and natural beauty by clicking on the link provided below ...

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

Northern California July 4th (7/8)

2009-07-28T22:18:00.001-04:00

The weekend of July 4th, 2009 was spent with best friends of mine in Northern Calfornia as a point in my life when true friendship is to be honored and appreciated. I crammed as much as possible to do in a rather short (4 day trip) to the US West Coast but still had a blast and did things from Skydiving and hiking to celebrating July 4th on a yacht.

You can check out this trip, along with many others, in my OUTDOORS section of my main web site, or simply click on the link provided below ...

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

Lost Friendship / Slow Chase Season (7/6)

2009-07-28T22:12:00.002-04:00

A bit of a sad week from July 6-10 of 2009 as a good friend of mine I knew for nearly two years (from Chicago and moved to FL) just suddenly and recently cut me out of her life - Not even wanting to talk to me after all that time ... This happens sometimes. I try to be a nice person and not burn any bridges and I am always open to anything. I hate when people hold "red-light" grudges.

If I am not friends with someone, I am always open to re-opening the friendship anything changes. Also, be careful that sometimes a "friend of a freind" can get in the way, using the internet to destroy a friendship even more.

Read about fraud and similar subjects at the link I provided below ...

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

On-going episodes of severe weather and tornadoes have ocurred during the second and third weeks of June 2009. Again, work schedules (filling in for boss on cruise / system upgrade weekend of June 12, etc) have pretty much pre-empted any possibility of a second chase to the Central US. The chase season should wind-down by late June as the jet stream moved into Canada for the summer. I am happy I got limited time chasing in the plains this year, although it could have been much better have May been more active and / or I had more time off.

The main focus now turns towards the tropical season of 2009, which hopefully will be somewhat fruitful (less storms are expected this year compared to 2008 due to cooler Atlantic waters off Africa and a developing El Niño. Local storms are always possible in Florida, but nothing like the tornadoes in the Central USA. Keep in mind that chasing in the Central USA may also occur in the Fall of 2009, especially if there is a lighter than normal hurricane season. I wish all who made their chase trips this spring the best of luck and congrats to those who made it worth-while!

Storm Chasing In Central USA (6/8)

2009-07-28T22:08:00.000-04:00

I have just completed a short storm chase trip to Central USA (where I flew out into Kansas City on Thursday evening, June 4, and returned mid-day Monday, June 8). June 5 and 7 were extremely active chase days and I have completed compiling all the details and put together a detailed chase log for this trip.

To see more information for the chase log for the Central USA / Midwest storm chases of 2009, please click on the link provided below ...

http://www.sky-chaser.com/mwcl2009.htm

South FL Severe Storms (5/29)

2009-07-28T22:04:00.002-04:00

A round of severe storms affected south Florida during the late-May / Memorial Day week of 2009 with large hail and strong winds. This activity came as a welcome relief to a severe drought in parts of Florida, as well as a satisfying few days of local storm chasing on my behalf - Especially after calling off a long anticipated chase trip to the central US a week earlier.

To see more information on my LOCAL storm chases, click the link provided below ...

http://www.sky-chaser.com/stplog3.htm

Chase Trip 2009 POSTPONED (5/18)

2009-05-18T19:10:00.004-04:00

My yearly chase trip to the Central USA, with great regret, has been CANCELLED / POSTPONED. This is in response to conflicting work schedules and (most notably) a very quiet and inactive pattern over most of the Central United States due to a persistent thermal ridge over that area (high-pressure aloft).

There are basically two options ... Take the chase trip and wait about a week and hope a trough (low pressure aloft) moved into the Western US (after the ridge breaks down), or second, cancel / postpone the trip, wait for activity to increase, and then head out for a shorter (but more promising trip).

I have chose the latter. Most likely, late May / early June will hopefully bring better chase prospects. The reservations for the Dallas flight on May 21 were changed for a California trip in July (with big fees to change the tickets). For more information on the status of the 2009 chase trip, please refer to the link provided for it below ...

http://www.sky-chaser.com/mwcl2009.htm

Sea-Doo RXP-X - 255 HP (4/17)

2009-05-18T19:02:00.004-04:00

I got hold of one of the new 2008 Sea-Doo RXP-X 255 HP watercraft in April 2009 using most of the "extra" funds (thanks Jim Edds!) from Hurricane Ike in 2008 ... This monster has a supercharged engine developing 255 HP and reaches 50 MPH in 2.9 seconds.

This machine absolutely screams! I replaced the factory intake grate with an after-market R&D intake adding an additional 3-4 MPH on top of the blistering 65-70 MPH top speed (like that is not fast enough?) ... I even have a USCG approved light kit installed on the boat for dusk operations.

You can check out this as well as many others in my OUTDOORS section of my web site by clicking the link provided for it below ...

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

FL Keys Chaser Picnic (3/28)

2009-04-13T08:23:00.001-04:00

Veteran hurricane chaser Jim Leonard (noted for storm chasing since the 1970's and typhoon intercepts in the Pacific) invited some of his hurricane (and storm) chaser friends down to lower Metacumbe Key in the middle Florida Keys for a great cookout / barbaque, fun in the sun, food and drinks, and hours of fantastic storm footage at his place on March 28, 2009 - Thanks Jim!

You can check out this as well as many others in my STORM CHASER PICNICS AND EVENTS 2009 section of my web site by clicking the link provided for it below ...

http://www.sky-chaser.com/picnic09.htm

Shuttle Launch From Airliner (3/15)

2009-04-13T08:19:00.001-04:00

I had a unique opportunity on a return flight from Chicago, Illinois (to Fort Lauderdale, Florida) on March 15, 2009 (at about 7:45 PM EDT). I always bring my cameras on every flight - and get a window seat - for a good reason! In the pictures above, space shuttle Discovery takes to the sky about 80 miles east of my flight path (between Tampa and Orlando, Florida at an altitude of 38,000 feet).

The setting sun (and dusk terminator provides a dramatic effect on the smoke plume) ... You can check out this as well as many others in my FLYING section of my web site by clicking the link provided for it below ...

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

St Patricks Day (3/14)

2009-04-13T08:16:00.002-04:00

Saint Patrick's day is celebrated in Chicaco, Illinois in a unique fashion - Since Chicago has a large Irish comminity, each year they toss about 40 pounds of a non-toxic, bio-degradable green dye into the Chicago river, painting it a brilliant green color that can last up to a week!

If you enjoy this kind of footage, you can check out much more in my OUTDOORS section of my web site by clicking the link provided for it below ...

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

Now on Facebook (3/8)

2009-03-12T12:31:00.002-04:00

I set up a Facebook profile where I can post my pictures, videos and events and I have the capability to add friends that can see them. Joining Facebook is a great idea and easy way to "network" with many people - Especially storm chasing!

To sign up for Facebook, or search for myself (Chris Collura) on it, follow the link provided for it below (you will need to sign-up if you have not done so already) ...

http://www.facebook.com

Hang Gliding (2/21)

2009-03-12T12:12:00.005-04:00

I was able to take a really exciting and fun flight aboard a tandem (dual-place) hang-glider and have the pictures to share it! Nothing is more peaceful (and exhilerating) than flying miles above the earth hanging from (basically) a "kite" with the wind in your face and feeling like a soaring eagle.

You can check out this exciting sport, along with many other extreme sports, in my SKYDIVING section of this web site by clicking the link provided for it below ...

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

Storm Chaser Convention (2/14)

2009-03-07T10:54:00.006-05:00

The 11th annual National Storm Chaser Convention took place from February 13-15, 2009 in beautiful Denver, Colorado and was a blast! I was able to attend this event from February 14-15 (late arrival due to a delayed flight) and was greeted by a HUGE turnout of storm chasers and scientists alike!

We thank all for attending, as well as Tim Samaras and Roger Hill for organizing, and making this a better and better event each year! More details on the NSCC 2009 can be seen by clicking the link provided for it below ...

http://www.sky-chaser.com/picnic09.htm

L-39 Jet Fighter Video (1/25)

2009-01-29T12:44:00.007-05:00

Ever wonder what it's like to fly in a jet fighter? The link above is from an edited video that puts YOU in the cockpit of an L-39 jet fighter!

See what it looks like to buzz clouds at over 400 knots and pull in excess of 5 G's ... You can see the 10-minute video by clicking the image-link above, or by clicking link provided below ...

www.sky-chaser.com/l39vid.htm

Below is the link to my FLYING section, including more about the L-39 jet fighter and aerobatics ...

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

2009 Everglades Boogie (1/24)

2009-01-29T12:41:00.002-05:00

The "Everglades skydiving boogie" is a rather large skydiving event that was held again in 2009 (in it's second straight year since 2008) in Clewiston, Florida at Air Adventures. This event was held from January 23-25 and had a large aircraft lineup ... For skydiving: 2 twin Otters, a Sky-van, a Bell 412 helicopter, and a Pitts Special. For rides: An Extra 300, hang gliding, and an L-39 jet fighter!

What an awesome event, fabulously put together by the great folks at Air Adventures! You can check out this event, along with many others, in my SKYDIVING section of my web site. You can also jump right to the link by clicking link provided below ...

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

New US President - Barack Obama (1/20)

2009-01-29T12:38:00.001-05:00

The United States just sworn-in our new president, Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States just after high-noon on January 20, 2009. Obama is the first African American to become president of the United States, and hopefully will be a message to both our country as well as an influence and inspiration many others here and around the World.

The United States is going through rather hard times right now as of 2009, and it's going to take a good president AND a good heart to put the USA back on its tracks. We all welcome our new president and hope he fulfills his duties to its fullest and wish all of us the best of luck!

Great White North Boogie (1/17)

2009-01-29T12:33:00.002-05:00

The "Great White North skydiving boogie" is a small skydiving event held each year in mid January in Lake Wales, Florida. The Florida Skydiving Center in Lake Wales is a great place to skydive and is a facility undergoing major rennovations, including a new hangar, nearly 5 years after being devastated by hurricane Charley back in 2004.

You can check out this event, along with many others, in my SKYDIVING section of my web site. You can also jump right to the link by clicking the link provided for it below ...

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

New Year Of 2009 (1/1)

2009-01-29T12:28:00.002-05:00

Welcome to 2009 and a whole new year! Like 2008, which was a fantastic year for me personally and especially for storm chasing, 2009 should be hopefully the same if not better.

The 11th annual National Storm Chaser Convention will again take place in February 2009 and I will be attending this event. The NSCC web-site can be seen by clicking the link provided for it below ...

http://www.chaserconvention.com

Storm chasing logs are completed for 2008 and can be seen in the STORM CHASING section of this web site. In the storm chasing section, all chase logs, including chase trips and "regular" logs are up to date as of the end of 2008. You can jump right to that section by clicking the link below ...

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

Happy Holiday Season (12/6)

2008-12-29T14:34:00.002-05:00

Welcome to December 2008 - Last month of the year, and the start of winter ... Actually, winter begins December 21 - But like the hurricane season, winter is a season that does not necessarily follow "rules".

In December 2008, an interesting grouping of Venus and Jupiter took place in the evening sky. The view of this planet pair was even more majestic as seen above Tampa Bay at 41,000 feet just after sunset (left above). A cold front pushes through Florida making a shelf / roll cloud over Miami, Florida (center), dropping the temperature there into the 40's at night. Up north, in Michigan, winter has an ealry grip in the Great Lakes region, with temperatures well below freezing, snow, and ice-covered railings (right image)!

The Atlantic hurricane season officially ended on November 30 and has been an above-average season. Now it the time to plan for next years chases, as well as go over footage from this year ... Which has been released in a new storm chasing DVD entitled "Storm Chasing 2008 - Extreme Seasons", so make sure you check the "special offers" section below for it.

Once again, the holidays of 2008 are here and I wish everyone a happy and safe holiday and travels ... And most importantly a great new year of 2009!

Chase 2008 DVD Released (12/2)

2008-12-02T08:49:00.002-05:00

See mother nature and weather at their worst with the 2008 "Extreme Seasons" DVD! Nearly two hours of compelling footage starts with one of the earliest-in-the-season tornado events near Memphis, Tennessee on "Super Tuesday" (Feb 5, 2008) followed a bone-chilling lake-effect "frozen hurricane" blizzard in coastal (Great-Lakes) Michican just 5 days later! Then its off to "Tornado Alley" in the Spring of 2008 with some of the most violent tornadoes, up-close and personal (maybe even too close)! This presentation is not for the faint-of-heart, and some footage will have you on the edge of your seat.

See tornadoes directly impacting storm chasers, literally becoming more of "the chased" than "chasers". Watch a large "satellite" stove-pipe tornado go around a mile-wide wedge tornado with 100+ MPH RFD winds as day becomes night. See gigantic hail total a car in minutes. Watch muddy Kansas dirt roads turn into vehicle "fly traps"! See some of most impressive supercell structure ever observed.

After tornado season, it's time for hurricane chasing, with tropical storm Fay and hurricanes Gustav and Ike in the Summer / Fall of 2008. See the eye of a hurricane's calm star-lit skies in Ike, followed by a 15-20 foot storm surge as Galveston, Texas is both put underwater parts set on fire. Watch the mass evacuations before and daring rescues / piles of boats left behind in the aftermath. See a rare commercial airline flight high across the eye of tropical storm Fay! This DVD has just about every extreme and raw power of the four seasons!

To view more information on this video (or how to order a copy of it) - Check the link provided below ...

http://www.sky-chaser.com/offers11.htm

Welcome Mr President (11/4)

2008-11-26T14:30:00.002-05:00

Obama officially won the election as of Midnight on November 4, 2008 ... So now what can we expect? Hopefully, a bit of changes are on the way with a new leader, but far more depends on that that just who is US President. First of all, Obama will not officially be president until Inaguration Day, which is towards the end of January, 2009.In the meantime, GW Bush will continue to be president.

The US economy and military is not only reliant on who's running this country, but the people in our country as well. We all must work together as one, along with our government, and have hope things will improve during these tough times. God bless America, and the World too.

Air Force One, a military / government conversion of a Boeing 747-200B aircraft (designated as a VC-27A), makes it's final approach into Miami International Airport during the early afternoon of Friday, Ocrober 10, 2008. This plane is a highly customized "Oval Office in the sky" and allows the president, G W Bush (onboard at the time) to be capeable of running the country from this plane in the event the US is under attack or any other circumstances making Washington DC not an option.

The plane has a range of just under 8,000 miles, can fly at speeds up to 630-MPH, and has a service ceiling of about 45,000 feet. The plane is seen here, in the landing configuration, with the distinct white and light blue livery and US government emblems.

You can also read about our conditions in America and other political / racial subjects in my section called "AMERICA" on this web-site. You can also jump right to that section by clicking the link below...

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

Tiny TS Marco (10/7)

2008-11-26T14:25:00.002-05:00

Tropical storm Marco formed during the beginning of October 2008 and struck Mexico's Bay of Campeche coast as a 65-70 MPH tropcial storm. This storm, however, was very unique because it was the smallest tropical cyclone ever observed, with a tropical-storm forced wind field width of only 10-15 miles - A large thunderstorm complex is larger!

The annotated to-scale diagram above compares the size of hurricane "Ike" (in September 2008) with that of Tropical storm "Marco", less than a month later, which is barely discernable in the Bay of Campeche to the lower-left (look carefully)! The previous record for the smallest size of a tropical storm's gale envelope was with tropical cyclone "Tracy", with a 30-mile wide wind-field, back in Australia in the early 1970's.

For the records, the widest tropical cyclone (measured across the wind swath of winds at or greater than 38-MPH) was super typhoon "Tip" in the Pacific back in 1979, at an astonishing 1,200 miles across!

Hurricane Ike (9/12 - 9/13)

2008-09-20T10:40:00.002-04:00

Hurricane Ike hit Galveston, Texas on September 12-13, 2008 and - again - my chase partner and I were there! Landfall packed winds near 110-MPH with devastation, storm-surge, and even fires.

The chase log for my hurricane Ike intercept in SE coastal Texas / Galveston Island is available in the STORM CHASING section of this web site. You can also click the link provided below to check the section for hurricane Ike ...

http://www.sky-chaser.com/ike08.htm

Hurricane Gustav (9/1)

2008-09-06T19:38:00.002-04:00

Hurricane Gustav hit SW Louisiana on September 1, 2008 and my chase group and I were there! Landfall packed winds near 110-MPH with devastation just 3-years after hurricane Katrina.

The chase log for our hurricane Gustav intercept in the northern Gulf Coast is available in the STORM CHASING section of this web site. You can also click the link provided below to check the section for hurricane Gustav ...

http://www.sky-chaser.com/gustav08.htm

Flying Over TS Fay (8/22)

2008-09-06T19:34:00.002-04:00

The image below is a panoramic view of the circulation center of Fay, taken on August 22, viewed from a commercial jet aircraft flying over the storm at about 38,000 feet!

The picture above was when tropical storm Fay was inland over North and Central Florida, and being over-flown by a commercial airliner enroute from Fort Lauderdale to Chicago.

More information on tropical storm Fay can be seen at the link below ...

http://www.sky-chaser.com/fay08.htm

Tropical Storm Fay (8/19)

2008-09-06T19:30:00.002-04:00

Tropical storm Fay was intercepted in SW Florida on August 19, 2008. Tropical storm Fay was an interesting storm because it made MANY landfalls (2 in the Caribbean, and 4 in Florida alone) and had a very strange track from August 15 through August 24. In Florida, it made landfall near Key West, then on the SW Florida coast, then re-emerged into the ocean near Cape Canaveral, only to make a third landfall near Daytona Beach, cross the state, then re-emerge over the NE Gulf of Mexico, and make a final landfall near the FL Panhandle.

The storm packed winds up to 65-MPH and dumped over 20 inches of rain in less than a weeks time during its chaotic path across the state of Florida. You can check out my full chase log on Fay by clicking the link provided below (for my STORM CHASING section) ...

http://www.sky-chaser.com/fay08.htm

Hurricane Dolly (7/23)

2008-09-06T19:27:00.002-04:00

The Atlantic hurricane season of 2008 came alive on July 23 with a vengence as Hurricane Dolly, the first hurricane to strike the US in 2008, came ashore in Texas just north of the Mexico / US border at about 2 PM CDT packing winds of 100-MPH. This is a category-2 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

I was not able to intercept this storm (unfortunately) but you can check out the tropical season of 2008 by a special section called "TROPICS" in the STORM CHASING area of this site. The tropics will continually be monitored in 2008 for any activity to study or even intercept!

Click the link below to jump right to my section on tropical weather ...

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

Liquid-Sky Boogie (7/19)

2008-09-06T19:22:00.002-04:00

The "Liquid-Sky" skydiving boogie (special event) was from July 18-20 in Clewiston, Florida at Air Adventures skydiving. This event included some hot summer skydiving fun, as well as aerobatic rides!

You can check the SKYDIVING and FLYING sections of this site for pictures and details on this fun event. These pictures can also be seen by clicking the links provided below.

Below is the link for skydiving events, such as this one ...

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

Below is the link to my FLYING section, including aerobatics ...

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

Southern California (7/4)

2008-07-15T21:39:00.001-04:00

Southern California is a place in the United States that has "something for everyone". Besides the most obvious "Hollywood" and "Beverly Hills", no one can ignore the collaberation of culture and diversity in this area. Southern California also offers a lifestyle like no other, from beaches to theme parks.

Be sure to check out what visiting (or living in) california is like by checking out the OUTDOORS section of this site. These pictures can also be seen by clicking the link provided below ...

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

Canada's Class-5 Rapids (6/29)

2008-07-15T21:25:00.003-04:00

Canada is noted for its impressive beauty and appeal to the outdoor adventurer and sportsman alike. In the pictures above, you can see and almost feel the power of the Niagara River aboard a jet boat specially designed to drive right THROUGH class-5 rapids!

Check out many pictures of Canada and many other exciting destinations by checking out the OUTDOORS section of this site. These pictures can also be seen by clicking the link provided below ...

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

Indiana Supercell (6/22)

2008-07-15T21:22:00.001-04:00

A "suprise" chase was conducted with the start of the summer season in northern Illinois / Indiana on June 22, 2008 with a buddy of mine who "always wanted" to ride along on a storm chase with me!

Not expecting much, we both were awarded with a pretty little supercell storm that put out hail up to golfball sized (near Pulawski, Indiana).

A small chase log has been added to the LARGE section for the MIDWEST 2008 chase logs in the STORM CHASING section of this web site and can also be seen by clicking the link to it provided below ...

http://www.sky-chaser.com/mwcl2008.htm

Chase Trip 2008 (5/19 - 6/1)

2008-07-15T21:17:00.002-04:00

I have finished a fantastic storm chasing trip in the central USA (Tornado Alley) from May 19 through June 1. The overall pattern for severe weather in this region was very active and many tornadoes have been intercepted during the trip!

Information on this storm chasing trip is available in the STORM CHASING section for MIDWEST CHASE LOG 2008 and can also be seen by clicking the link to it provided below ...

http://www.sky-chaser.com/mwcl08b.htm

Another Chase Trip (5/1 - 5/2)

2008-05-16T14:52:00.001-04:00

A special "spot" chase was done during the week of May 1, 2008 with a special trip that left Florida on the evening of April 29 and into Kansas City, Missouri to be in position for severe storms and tornadoes on May 1 (and possibly May 2). A tornado was intercepted in Warren County, Kansas on May 1!

The May 2 target proved to be too far from Kansas for any intercepts, so an alternate northern target was sought with smaller storms intercepted there. The remainder of the time (no storms) was spent in Chicago with a return to Florida on May 5 (back from Chicago instead of Kansas City).

The chase log for this storm chase is also online and can be seen by clicking the link to it provided below ...

http://www.sky-chaser.com/mwcl2008.htm

Storm Chase Trip (4/8 - 4/11)

2008-04-13T13:31:00.002-04:00

A special "spot" chase was made during the second week in April 2008 from the 8th through the 11th. Some tornadoes and extreme weather was caught on April 9, 2008 in west-central Texas, including a destructive tornado in Breckenridge, Texas. On April 10, attention shifted east into Arkansas, where extreme flooding was observed.

The chase log for this storm chase is also online and can be seen by clicking the link to it provided below ...

http://www.sky-chaser.com/mwcl2008.htm

Back In Florida (3/31 - 4/2)

2008-04-03T20:55:00.001-04:00

I finally wrapped up a very interesting, fun, and productive 3-month stay in the Chicago area with a storm-chase in Missouri / Arkansas on March 31 (while starting my long drive back to FL). April 1 and 2 were travel days and I finally arrived safely back in FL during the morning of April 2.

In the images above, a severe storm can be seen in SW Missouri on March 31. In the middle, highway 78 stretches through rural Alabama and Mississippi en-route to Florida on April 1. To the right, The "Weatherlab" portable weather station gets a new Oregon Scientific WMR-968 plus a re-design for storm chase season 2008!

Last Winter Storm? (3/21)

2008-03-24T19:16:00.001-04:00

Spring has arrived in Chicago as og Friday, March 21, 2008 but that does not mean winter is over just yet. A late-season snow-storm struck the northern Midwestern US leaving a narrow blanket of snow from Minnesota through Wisconsin / Illinois and into Michigan. The snow "swath" in Illinois was confined to the extreme northern portions of the state (north of Chicago) and into southern Wisconsin, where 10 to 12" of snow fell.

The snow "swath" was so distinct that the northern portions of Chicago had 6 to 8" while the southern portions saw only a light dusting! In the pictures above, a beautiful winter scene plays out in Chicago's northside and far-northern suberbs after the storm departs and sun comes out. The Chicago area has had one of the worst winters in about 30 years for 2008.

California Cold-Core Storms (3/15)

2008-03-18T12:04:00.004-04:00

A region of vorticity aloft, accompanied by very cold air aloft, allowed storms to develop in the otherwise stable cool Pacific air mass. Winds were from the northwest with temperatures in the 60's.

The picture above shows some intense thunderstorms, including a cold-air funnel and small hail, in a place unlikely for storms - Central California! These storms were encountered while in the central California area for a weekend with friends.

Be sure to check out this event, along with many others for 2008 in the storm chasing area of my website, or click the link below to go right to it...

http://www.sky-chaser.com/mwcl2008.htm