Turmoil Developing between Storm Chasers and Vortex 2

[Downlinerz2]

   It seems that the scientists in Vortex2 are getting a bit miffed at storm chasers .  They say that there were up to 100 chasers on the roads yesterday making it very difficult for V2 to do their jobs.  On TWC @ 7:00pm EDT tonight (20 May) they are having an interview with a V2 scientist on "Weather Center" concerning this growing dispute.  It will probably be on more than once.
       Mark

[SlowModem]

   It seems that the scientists in Vortex2 are getting a bit miffed at storm chasers .  They say that there were up to 100 chasers on the roads yesterday making it very difficult for V2 to do their jobs.  On TWC @ 7:00pm EDT tonight (20 May) they are having an interview with a V2 scientist on "Weather Center" concerning this growing dispute.  It will probably be on more than once.
       Mark

Another instance of the news agency making the news.  TV makes it sound so exciting and news outfits encourage people to send in pictures and video.  So what do they expect?  Seems like kind of a no brainer to me.   

[SlowModem]

Well, the WC is whining about storm chasers getting in their way.  It's hard to believe their arrogance!  I suppose they'll use the 'safety' and 'experts only' reasoning to get laws passed to prohibit anyone but the 'experts' being out in a storm.

I've seen it happen before.  People used to go tubing down the rivers around here in the mountains before it was fashionable.  Now, thanks to lobbyists and big business, you can't go down the river without guides, helmets, rafts, etc.  It's not safe, they say.  Just another example of how safety pays, I guess.  

So when you have to have permits, or guides, or be an 'expert' to be in a storm, it'll be deja vu all over again.

[Downlinerz2]

    I don't think, from what I have seen, that TWC is complaining.  It's the head of V2 that is mad.  They missed a big opportunity yesterday to get Dual Doppler and other data because they were stuck in a jam of more than 100 chasers.  They don't want to limit chasing.  He just wants chasers to pull over so that V2 can get vital data and the tornado tourists will still see their tornado.  V2 has a job to do and they can't do it.
   

[Downlinerz2]

   Here is a link to articles about Josh Wurman of V2 who complained about the chasers.
http://weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/web-series-recap_2010-05-20
   It contains links to other parts of the series.

[George Richardson]

My GOD! I had no idea how impotent Vortex 2 is!(Actually, I've never heard of it.) Per Josh Wurman, PHD, "I think it’sreally disgraceful they’re not letting us do our important mission"

He must have a special design vehicle to get his head in - or maybe it just hangs out on the back flatbed.

[SLOweather]

My GOD! I had no idea how impotent Vortex 2 is!(Actually, I've never heard of it.)

"Impotent" or "impoRtant"?

[Downlinerz2]

   Well my humble opinion V2 is really important!  888

[WeatherHost]

I suppose they'll use the 'safety' and 'experts only' reasoning to get laws passed to prohibit anyone but the 'experts' being out in a storm.

So when you have to have permits, or guides, or be an 'expert' to be in a storm,



I would fully support that.  If you don't belong there, stay home or go to jail.  There should be no permits issued.  Officials only.  Period.

[BigOkie]

I suppose they'll use the 'safety' and 'experts only' reasoning to get laws passed to prohibit anyone but the 'experts' being out in a storm.

So when you have to have permits, or guides, or be an 'expert' to be in a storm,



I would fully support that.  If you don't belong there, stay home or go to jail.  There should be no permits issued.  Officials only.  Period.

Wrong.  Unless martial law is declared, there's no license needed for stupidity.

[Weather Display]

next thing he will have a cross over the top of a picture of a stormchaser like the poor little tweety bird!

[SoMDWx]

    I don't think, from what I have seen, that TWC is complaining.  It's the head of V2 that is mad.  They missed a big opportunity yesterday to get Dual Doppler and other data because they were stuck in a jam of more than 100 chasers.  They don't want to limit chasing.  He just wants chasers to pull over so that V2 can get vital data and the tornado tourists will still see their tornado.  V2 has a job to do and they can't do it.
   

And how many people do they think sit is traffic everyday going around a city's beltway/expressway/freeway and spend hours sitting there just to get to work....Please, stop the crying.....It's that chasers are providing numerous videos feeds for next to nothing and TWC heads aren't in on on the action...

[BigOkie]

    I don't think, from what I have seen, that TWC is complaining.  It's the head of V2 that is mad.  They missed a big opportunity yesterday to get Dual Doppler and other data because they were stuck in a jam of more than 100 chasers.  They don't want to limit chasing.  He just wants chasers to pull over so that V2 can get vital data and the tornado tourists will still see their tornado.  V2 has a job to do and they can't do it.
   

And how many people do they think sit is traffic everyday going around a city's beltway/expressway/freeway and spend hours sitting there just to get to work....Please, stop the crying.....It's that chasers are providing numerous videos feeds for next to nothing and TWC heads aren't in on on the action...

Harharh....Mike Bettis = Cary Elwes.

[WeatherHost]

And how many people do they think sit is traffic everyday going around a city's beltway/expressway/freeway and spend hours sitting there just to get to work....Please, stop the crying.....It's that chasers are providing numerous videos feeds for next to nothing and TWC heads aren't in on on the action...

Please...  You don't normally have that kind of traffic in wide open rural areas.  These gawkers are a hazard and serve no useful purpose.

Public Safety personnel, NOAA/NWS employees, authorized research personnel from meteorlogical programs at universities, legitimate media (TV/radio stations, newspapers, wire services) with credentials.  If you're not in one of those groups, STAY HOME.

[racenet]

Humm, this was still The United States of America when I woke up this morning. Freedom to travel, freedom to assemble.
Not a place where the government controls who can and can't travel during a thunderstorm.

<sigh> It no wonder why you didn't make it in the military. 

[SoMDWx]

Agreed. Public roads....Have gas... will travel.... Again stop crying....Unless martial law is declared... suck it up!

[IMADreamer]

Humm, this was still The United States of America when I woke up this morning. Freedom to travel, freedom to assemble.
Not a place where the government controls who can and can't travel during a thunderstorm.

<sigh> It no wonder why you didn't make it in the military. 

Amen to that.  This is a free country, we can travel to storms if we want.  I mean what makes Josh Wurman so special?  Because he has a radar.  OHHHHH.  It's funny, he complains about this but he sure the hell takes money from the Discovery Channel to be on the Storm Chasers show which is what is contributing to all this. 

[Downlinerz2]

   AGAIN I have to say that there is not one word that has been said about limiting chasers in ANY way !  Josh Worman has said over and over he supports chasing and in NO way wants to limit them.  He just wants to pass them so that we get better deployment of the Doppler, and Phased array radars and the Weather pods to study the wind speeds on the ground.  Not one of the chasers would lose anything in any way.  This kind of study is the only way to improve warning times on tornados.

[saratogaWX]

Tone it down, folks.

Yes, people do have the right to assemble per the Constitution.  I think it's a shame that those mostly interested in the view of the storm are impeding those who are trying to collect useful data that would help in future prediction of tornado activity.

It's a sad commentary on the decrease in civility in our world when everyone seems to be stridently insisting on their 'rights' at the expense of the greater good.  I think we are less tolerant of onlookers who impede emergency response to an accident than we seem to be for onlookers impeding scientific data gathering that could yield some predictive benefits.

My 2cents... 

[WeatherHost]

Just spotted a video clip on the new weather channel.  Stealth aircraft shaped vehicle passing several vehicles on a double yellow line uphill with no possibility at all of seeing any oncoming traffic.  Luckily, no head-on collision.

On air Met's commentary was that he had been in the field previously and that his biggest fear wasn't from storms, but from other chasers/traffic acting/driving recklessly.

[Mark / Ohio]

Tone it down, folks.

Yes, people do have the right to assemble per the Constitution.  I think it's a shame that those mostly interested in the view of the storm are impeding those who are trying to collect useful data that would help in future prediction of tornado activity.

It's a sad commentary on the decrease in civility in our world when everyone seems to be stridently insisting on their 'rights' at the expense of the greater good.  ....

I would have to agree with Ken.  As heard in the voices in the videos most are running on adrenaline rather then common sense.  The common result of the adrenaline fueled fight or flight response outside of trained military or public safety personnel is most often to serve the needs of the self rather then work as a team to accomplish a common goal.  Too many are there only for the adrenaline pump and to see who can get the first and best video out to the public.  The science aspect is only secondary if existing at all to some of the You-Tube stars.

It does demonstrate though how weather tracking and prediction technology has improved and also in regards to the availability of the information while being mobile.  In the past having that many chasers "be at the right spot at the right time" would have been pretty unlikely.  Not unlike the speed of of which today's war and stock market news spreads around the world, it's both a blessing and a curse to all involved.