Why people chase storms like Idalia — and how they do it safely
- Storm chasers track down and update people on severe weather
- They say they do it to keep people informed and safe
- Experts say only experienced chasers should go after large storms
This Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2023, 1:31 p.m. EDT satellite image provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Hurricane Idalia, center, approaching Florida’s Gulf Coast, and Hurricane Franklin, right, as it moves along the East coast of the United States, southwest of Bermuda. (NOAA via AP)
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(NewsNation) — Storm chaser Kyle Cutten rode out Hurricane Ian when it made landfall last year in Florida.
“We saw just an unfathomable amount of death and destruction,” he recalled in a recent interview with NewsNation ahead of Hurricane Idalia, which touched down on Florida’s Gulf Coast Wednesday morning as a Category 3 storm before making its way across the Southeast as a Category 1 storm.
Now, Cutten is tracking Hurricane Idalia, posting updates on social media to thousands of followers. He’s also chased numerous tornadoes.
It’s often dangerous work, but avid storm chasers say what they do has an important purpose.
“I do this for the people, to make sure they know what’s coming at them,” Cutten said.
Storm chaser Stephen Jones, who talked to NewsNation last year during Hurricane Ian, said it’s important to have storm chasers on the ground to give actual reports of what is happening.
AccuWeather said valuable research information can also be gained from storm chasers.
By chasing them, AccuWeather wrote in 2013, people can gain a better understanding of how tornadoes form. This, in turn, could lead to better advanced warnings for future storms, which could save lives.
As important as it is, storm chasers need to keep safety in mind. Storm chaser Mike Smith told AccuWeather that “unsupervised, amateur storm chasing” is dangerous. He recommended amateurs look for professional, storm-chase touring companies.
For those who want to gain the experience necessary to chase storms safely, the National Weather Service offers classes through its “Storm Spotter Program.” Anyone with an interest in public service is encouraged by the NWS to join a training, which is free. There, people can learn the basics of storm development, storm structure, how to identify potential severe weather features and severe weather safety.
Warren Faidley, an extreme weather photographer who runs Stormchaser.com, has a few tips for experienced chasers, including not to storm chase alone; using a dedicated driver whose only job is watching the road; not solely relying on only one form of radar data; being aware of any rapid changes in a storm’s movement, expansion or severity; driving responsibly; taking a first-aid kit and watching the storm from a safe distance.
Even experienced storm chasers like Cutten urge people to stay safe and heed official orders regarding Hurricane Idalia.
“You can’t hope that the models are right. You just have to go,” Cutten, a Florida resident, said, adding that his kids had evacuated to Pennsylvania to stay with his brother. “If that tells you anything, that the storm chaser is taking the same precautions, that’s all you need to know.”
