Number 7 Scott Sheppard
In late March of 2014, Scott Sheppard and a friend were pursuing a thunderstorm in South Dakota when
heavy hail forced them to pull over. 35-year-old Sheppard then stuck his arm out of the vehicle to
record the storm with his cellphone. He suddenly felt a powerful shock as a lightning bolt struck
his arm. Sheppard dropped his cellphone, which continued recording. It captured a plume of debris
and dust elevated by the lightning strike on the asphalt. While he was stunned by the incident,
Sheppard’s injuries weren’t life-threatening. He didn’t believe that he’d been hit directly.
The bolt had likely bounced to him after striking his car and another passing vehicle,
both of which subsequently had to be towed because their electrical systems were disabled. After the
incident, Sheppard and his friend resumed storm chasing and headed towards Montana
and North Dakota. What Is It?
Storm chasing is an activity that involves deliberately pursuing extreme weather phenomena
such as tornadoes, tropical cyclones or thunderstorms.
Even though a number of storm chasers are professional meteorologists,
it’s mostly a recreational endeavor that doesn’t require a degree or certification. The motivation
can stem from thrill seeking as well as an interest in videography or scientific research,
with many chasers relaying the information they gather to the relevant authorities.
Direct observation on the progression of an extreme weather event can aid early-warning
systems and climatology databases. Storm spotters, for example, will actively monitor the phenomena
to warn their community. Storm chasing is typically accomplished by driving a vehicle,
often for extended periods of time, in pursuit of a specific weather pattern.
Equipment ranges from basic photographic devices to satellite-based tracking systems, specialized
drones or vehicle-mounted weather stations. Number 6 Texas Tornado
On March the 28th of 2017, three men died in a vehicle collision during a storm chase outside
of Spur, Texas. Kelley Williamson and Randy Yarnall were livestreaming their pursuit of
a tornado in the area. The pair starred in a show called “Storm Wranglers” on the Weather Channel.
The broadcast showed Williamson and Yarnall travelling in conditions of fog, dark clouds
and heavy precipitation. The feed abruptly cut off just after they’d sped through a stop sign,
a traffic violation that was later confirmed by local police. They crashed into a vehicle
driven by Corbin Jaeger, a 25-year-old storm spotter with the National Weather Service.
All three men were killed in the crash and, in the aftermath, Jaeger’s mother filed a federal lawsuit
seeking $125 million for his wrongful death. The lawsuit was aimed at the Weather Channel,
the estates of the storm chasers and others. There’d apparently been prior concerns regarding
Williamson and Yarnall’s reckless driving. Weeks before the fatal crash, the channel’s producers
had reportedly received a text message, from an unnamed storm chaser, warning them that their
driving was putting others at risk. Number 5 Bill Merickel
On March the 13th of 1990, Bill Merickel, a cameraman for an Oklahoma TV station, was shot
while pursuing a tornado outbreak outside of Lindsay. Merickel was driving the news van,
accompanied by a reporter. They’d stopped at an intersection when another car pulled up across
from them. According to local authorities, two shots were fired from the opposing car,
one of which struck Merickel in the chest. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition but
ultimately survived. Four suspects, who remained unnamed, were arrested following a short chase
with the police. There was speculation that Merickel and his fellow journalist
had inadvertently stumbled upon a drug deal but the sheriff’s office described the case as
a “random shooting”. Where Is It Located?
Historically, David Hoadley, author of Storm Track magazine, is often recognized as the first
storm chaser. In the 1950s, using data from airports and weather offices, Hoadley began
pursuing storms in North Dakota. The release of the 1996 movie “Twister” has been credited with
increasing the activity’s mainstream popularity. It then continued to attract enthusiasts through
the Internet but also programs like The Discovery Channel’s “Storm Chasers”. While the activity can
be done almost anywhere in the world, where extreme weather events occur, there are some
locations which are frequently targeted. Arguably the most prominent area is Tornado Alley, which is
located on the Great Plains of middle America, stretching from northern Texas to South Dakota,
through Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Iowa. Tornado Alley isn’t particularly well-defined
as an area so Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and a number of other states may also be included. The
most intense supercells occur in the area and, because of the atmosphere’s moisture profile,
they’re also more visible than in other locations. Number 4 Dale Sharpe
In 2019, Australian photographer Dale Sharpe was fatally struck by a car
in southern Kansas. While on a storm chasing trip, the 36-year-old was driving on a highway,
near Harper. He struck a deer and got out to check on his Nissan SUV,
which was blowing smoke from the hood. Sharpe was in a nearby ditch while his car was facing north
on the southbound lane, making it look like he was driving the wrong way. Another driver swerved
to avoid what seemed like an impending crash but drove into the ditch and hit Sharpe. He was taken
to a hospital, where he later passed away. Number 3 Andy Gabrielson
In 2012, professional storm chaser Andy Gabrielson was killed in a crash on an Oklahoma highway.
24-year-old Gabrielson, who’d been pursuing extreme weather events for nearly a decade,
was driving home after a trip to Texas. He was one of the storm chasers accompanying the crew
of “Tornado Hunt” on the Weather Channel. A drunk driver, travelling the wrong away on Interstate
44, crashed into his Chevrolet Tahoe, head-on. Four vehicles were involved in the ensuing pileup,
which claimed the life of Gabrielson and another person. According to the Weather Channel,
throughout his extensive storm chasing career, he’d witnessed more than
200 tornadoes and driven over 220,000 miles, which is almost equivalent to the distance between
the Earth and the Moon. How Will It Kill You?
Storm chasers expose themselves to the dangers of extreme weather which include, among others,
lightning, flooding, hail and severe winds. If chasers get too close, powerful tornadoes may
throw them or their vehicles around. Winds can pick up debris and send it flying into
a chaser’s direction, with potentially deadly consequences. They can also be fatally struck
by lightning or hail. Prudence and situational awareness will generally prevent such occurrences,
since tornadoes are predictable enough to be avoided. Driving is arguably the most prevalent
danger associated with the activity. Fog and precipitation increases the risk of accidents,
particularly while storm chasing at night. There’s also the risk of the driver
becoming distracted either by communication, recording or weather monitoring equipment.
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Number 2 El Reno Tornado
The largest tornado ever recorded occurred on May the 31st of 2013, over the rural areas of central
Oklahoma. Known as the El Reno tornado, the mammoth event had a maximum width of 2.6 miles,
meaning it was equivalent to roughly 45 football fields. 55-year-old Tim Samaras, founder of the
TWISTEX tornado research project, was in pursuit of it, looking to gather scientific data. Samaras,
also known for his work on “Storm Chasers”, was joined by his 24-year-old photographer son,
Paul, and fellow TWISTEX member Carl Young, aged 45. The men were inside a Chevrolet Cobalt,
in a region of the tornado known as the “bear’s cage”. It’s characterized by a
rotating cloud wall, which is the “bear”, and the strong precipitation surrounding it,
the “cage”. While the position offers a clear view of the tornado, it also gives chasers little time
to react if it changes direction. In less than a minute, the tornado simultaneously took a sharp
turn towards their position and rapidly expanded. The vehicle was caught and mangled by a subvortex
of nearly 300 miles per hour. Paul and Young were ejected from it while Tim remained buckled in the
passenger’s seat. The Cobalt was tumbled for over half a mile and compressed into a metal ball,
with only one of its wheels still attached to the body. All three men lost their lives,
and became the first storm chasers to have been killed by a tornado.
How to Survive? A number of veteran storm chasers have proposed
adopting a code of ethics that would emphasize courtesy, objectivity and safety. It would act
as a form of self-policing that may prevent chasers from hurting themselves or others.
When it comes to tornadoes, one of the most important aspects is maintaining a safe distance,
of 1 to 2 miles, which allows the chaser more maneuvering opportunities. Rigorous attention
should be paid to all the information pertaining to the extreme weather event, such as radar
readings, radio warnings or satellite data. Storm chasing often involves copious amounts of driving,
which is why it’s preferable not to do it alone. The driver would, therefore,
be spared from tending to other tasks and focus solely on the road. Some chasers will use vehicles
that feature heavy roll cages and protective plating, to minimize the risk of getting
injured. In most cases, the inside of the vehicle is the safest place to be while pursuing a storm.
However, if a tornado is bearing down, getting out and finding a ditch or a low point is usually
the best course of action. Having multiple escape routes that lead away from a storm is also advised
as is never trying to outrun it. Being trained in first aid and even first responder procedures
is also recommended. One should also have a safety kit, with water, food, heat packs, lighting,
batteries and a prepaid cellphone, inside the car. Number 1 Richard Charles Henderson
Richard Charles Henderson was the fourth storm chaser to die in the El Reno tornado, of 2013.
A 35-year-old truck driver from Hinton, Oklahoma, Henderson wasn’t affiliated with the TWISTEX
project and had decided to pursue the storm in his pickup truck. A few minutes before it took
his life, he’d taken a blurry photo of the tornado and sent it to his friend, George Slay. The two
of them then spoke on the phone. Henderson told Slay that he was out chasing storms,
to which he replied “You better quit that!” A few moments later, Henderson reportedly told him
that debris had started hitting his pickup. Then the phone was cut off.
Henderson was thrown from his car and his lifeless body was subsequently discovered near El Reno.
Other storm chasers were hurt by the tornado. Mike Bettes, a meteorologist for The Weather Channel,
was in a sport utility vehicle which was thrown roughly 200 yards by the twister. Bettes and
another passenger suffered minor injuries but the driver was left with a broken neck,
several broken ribs and fractured vertebrae. Thanks for watching! Would you rather drive into
a tornado OR ride a Jet Ski into a tsunami? Let us know in the comments section below!