Episode 2008: A New Beginning

Hello Storm-Lovers! It's been an active year so far with 1005 tornadoes confirmed as of May 2008! We're on track for a possible record year. If you've been reading the blogs posted by our other storm chasers like Tony and Roger, you can tell we've been busy! However, there hasn't been much severe weather so far in Colorado. Due to my work situation, I primarily chase within the borders of our home state. We had some severe thunderstorms in extreme eastern Colorado yesterday, but no tornadoes were reported. Today (5/22/08) we could see some significant tornadoes just east of Colorado, in Kansas and southwestern Nebraska.

The hobby/business of storm chasing has grown substantially over the past decade. Some do it for money, but most of us do it for the sheer thrill of experiencing nature at its most furious. We enjoy photographing and shooting video of severe weather, and we also love to share our experiences with you. Obviously you're interested in storm chasing since you're reading this blog. If you've never done it before, I ask that you contact me, or one of the other chasers on the Channel 7 website. We are all experienced, safe and knowledgeable in the art and science of storm chasing. Please do not attempt to chase on your own if you're a new-comer to the hobby. The dangers are numerous and random, and it's not something to be taken lightly. My email address is <steve.hamilton@mac.com>. I'd be happy to chat with you further about planning a chase.

When I chase, I prefer to take at least one other person with me. This not only gives someone else a chance to enjoy what we love, but also helps in the fact that I've got another set of eyes on the sky. Solo storm chasing is less-fun, and more dangerous. This is because while I'm driving, I can't always be watching the sky. My passenger helps with navigation and some meteorology because they are the person using the computer to help pick out the best routes to storms and informing me about changing weather conditions.

Severe weather season lasts from now through August in Colorado. We've got many opportunities to see some spectacular weather including tornadoes, hail, lightning and beautiful cloud structure. We're looking forward to an exciting summer!