Southern Ontario In Canada (7/26)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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