Time to buy the big light bar.....

[WX2MIG]

I guess it's time for me to run out and buy the biggest amber light bar I can fit on my Jeep Liberty, get some large obnoxious vinyl decal signage made up to decorate the sides, label my vehicle "Storm Command #1", and get my photo's on Hamsexy.com.......

I'm now a National Weather Service certified Skywarn weather spotter......

Of course here at the Jersey seashore we don't see too many twisters to chase around, so I guess I'll have to wait for hurricane season to kick in, and be the idiot that gets stuck in tidal flood waters, and needs to be rescued by the Fire Dept......."WAIT"....that wouldn't be good, I work for the Fire Dept.....:blink:

Took the class last night, it was actually very interesting, as much as I thought I knew about the weather, I walked away with a lot more knowlege than I walked in with. Been actively participating in several Skywarn nets in the area for a while now, and now I'm officially certifiable......

 

[CamoRedneck]

Congrats

 

[Cajun Invader]

Which is worse in Jersey, Hurricanes or Nor'easters?

 

[WX2MIG]

Which is worse in Jersey, Hurricanes or Nor'easters?

Nor'Easters.....

No contest Cajun Invader, Nor'Easters occur more often, usually stick around much longer, and cause far more over all damage than any hurricane that has come within striking distance since 1903. The Ash Wednesday Nor'Easter of March 1962 still holds the record for the greatest amount of severe storm damage ever inflicted on this area, far greater damage than any hurricane in recorded history.
That storm hit here when I was 5 years old, I remember parts of it, but not all of it. I especially remember being the one that discovered the flood waters squirting up from under the baseboard in our utility room, and hollering to my mother that she needs to come see this. That was when we had to take refuge in our un-heated attic until the water receeded enough for our grandfather to come over the bridge and take us off the island. And both my sisters had the measles at the time.
We ended up with 4 inches of sea water in our house, most of the south end of Ocean City was under water, or burnt down because they couldn't get fire apparatus through the deep water to fight the fires.

If you Google the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962, you'll find a lot of information on this storm.
The Perfect storm, or as it's better know here, The Holloween Storm of 1990 ran a close second place to the '62 storm, I lived through the '62 storm as a young child, I was an active duty fire fighter through the Holloween storm, and worked 5 days straight without a break, spent 3 of those 5 days in neopreme fishing waders, by the second day I had lost count of how many people I helped to rescue from their vehicles after they drove into waist to chest deep sea water.
Hurricanes almost always breeze past us, either out to sea, or inland, and usually are downgraded to a tropical storm or depression by the time they do hit us. A few hours of high winds, heavy rain, moderate street flooding, and it's gone......

 

[W5LZ]

Interesting class, ain't it? I'm assuming it's the same class given by the NWS around here. Probably doesn't cover the same type of weather, but basically the same ideas, what to look for, what not to worry about, sort of.
- 'Doc


Just for grins, google for "Debbie Does Decals" for those signs. They aren't bad at all, and have lots of possibilities as far as applications go. You might also check with one or two sign shops about that flexible magnetic stuff. Really nice to 'portable' signs. Can't offer any advice about the lights. I'm sure 'Joyzy' has different requirements than we do here. Best advice is to think either moderation ($$$), or humongus (safety). The only real purpose to those lights is not to get hit, so too much can be as bad as not enough. Just depends on the idiots you're trying to make pay attention, you know?

 

[WX2MIG]

Doc.....

The whole thing about the lights and graphics was sarcasm buddy.....

I have absolutely no desire what so ever of decorating my little Jeep Liberty with light bars, or signage, I was just making humorus referance to the photo's of whacker storm chasers that was posted on the Hamsexy.com site, and linked to a post here about a month ago.....

 

[2at124]

Nor'Easters.....

No contest Cajun Invader, Nor'Easters occur more often, usually stick around much longer, and cause far more over all damage than any hurricane that has come within striking distance since 1903. The Ash Wednesday Nor'Easter of March 1962 still holds the record for the greatest amount of severe storm damage ever inflicted on this area, far greater damage than any hurricane in recorded history.
That storm hit here when I was 5 years old, I remember parts of it, but not all of it. I especially remember being the one that discovered the flood waters squirting up from under the baseboard in our utility room, and hollering to my mother that she needs to come see this. That was when we had to take refuge in our un-heated attic until the water receeded enough for our grandfather to come over the bridge and take us off the island. And both my sisters had the measles at the time.
We ended up with 4 inches of sea water in our house, most of the south end of Ocean City was under water, or burnt down because they couldn't get fire apparatus through the deep water to fight the fires.

If you Google the Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962, you'll find a lot of information on this storm.
The Perfect storm, or as it's better know here, The Holloween Storm of 1990 ran a close second place to the '62 storm, I lived through the '62 storm as a young child, I was an active duty fire fighter through the Holloween storm, and worked 5 days straight without a break, spent 3 of those 5 days in neopreme fishing waders, by the second day I had lost count of how many people I helped to rescue from their vehicles after they drove into waist to chest deep sea water.
Hurricanes almost always breeze past us, either out to sea, or inland, and usually are downgraded to a tropical storm or depression by the time they do hit us. A few hours of high winds, heavy rain, moderate street flooding, and it's gone......

I use to be in Skywarn when I had all my uhf and vhf stuff still.

The halloween storm of 1990 I rember very well. Since we didnt have school that day all my buddies and I loaded up the surf boards and Surfed every spot from LBI to the Cape

 

[Robb]

Today's storm chaser travels light. No light bars. But with a CB/10m radio and a 2m radio to boot. They also carry camera gear, usually a decent still camera and/or a video cam and may live stream the event(s). Of course, a laptop with an internet connection via tethering to a cell phone that is equipped for the gig.

I use all of the above, sans the light bar and the 'SKYWARN' sticker. I do -however- have two 'eSpotter' stickers on either back/side windows. I think the vehicles that are 'mobile mesonets' (annemometer, temp/dewpoint, etc...) are really the ones that scream 'here I am - a storm chaser'. Don't need the attention nor the trouble.

I'm sure that not all SKYWARN people are interested in documenting the event, or using laptop/radar to chase. SKYWARN guys are content to just report what is flying by and report it. And that is OK if that is all you feel you should do. I give my pics to the NWS with my report if/when I make it. Not in it for the money or anything else. It is more like the thrill of the hunt and capture...

Light bars are very passe.

 

[WX2MIG]

I use to be in Skywarn when I had all my uhf and vhf stuff still.

The halloween storm of 1990 I rember very well. Since we didnt have school that day all my buddies and I loaded up the surf boards and Surfed every spot from LBI to the Cape

Not exactly my kind of surfing conditions.......

I'm 52 and ride a traditional single fin longboard, knee to stomach high, clean long peeling waves are all I'll paddle out for these days...

Now back in the 70's I would have been all over surf like that, but not anymore.....

Light bars are very passe.

God I hope so Rob......

Storm Chasing is not an issue here since we rarely ever see a tornado, and the few we do see are very small, weak, and don't last but a minute or less.
We will get a few who feel the need to drive around on a barrier island that's under a foot or two of sea water during a Nor'easter, tropical storm, or Hurricane, and when their car craps out with salt water in the engine it's up to those of us in the big red trucks to go out and save them from their own stupidity. It's like watching the idiots on those Weather Channel Storm Stories shows, the one's that drive right into raging flood waters and get swept away in their cars. Some people have a serious lack of common sense, especially when it comes to dangerous weather or the power of moving water.
Another prime example are the tourists we get here at the shore who insist on swimming at un-guarded beaches. They'll wade right out into a rip current, and get sucked out. We've been standing on the beach right after helping our life guards pull a couple of people out after getting sucked a city block out to sea, and before we leave the beach some other moron that witness the entire event will go and do the exact same thing. All you need to do is look at the water, and you can see how it's moving, yet some people are too stupid to see what is right in front of their eyes, and walk straight into harms way.
This is why I look at storm chasers with a bit of trepidation, I see some who are simply out there for the thrill of it, getting into trouble and becoming an added burden to emergency workers who are already over burden with saving those injured by the storm....
I also realize some are doing it in a safe and cautious manor, and they are also a benefit to the NWS.....
Everything has it's "Whackers"....including Amateur Radio......

 

[2at124]

Not exactly my kind of surfing conditions.......

I'm 52 and ride a traditional single fin longboard, knee to stomach high, clean long peeling waves are all I'll paddle out for these days...

Now back in the 70's I would have been all over surf like that, but not anymore.....



God I hope so Rob......

Storm Chasing is not an issue here since we rarely ever see a tornado, and the few we do see are very small, weak, and don't last but a minute or less.
We will get a few who feel the need to drive around on a barrier island that's under a foot or two of sea water during a Nor'easter, tropical storm, or Hurricane, and when their car craps out with salt water in the engine it's up to those of us in the big red trucks to go out and save them from their own stupidity. It's like watching the idiots on those Weather Channel Storm Stories shows, the one's that drive right into raging flood waters and get swept away in their cars. Some people have a serious lack of common sense, especially when it comes to dangerous weather or the power of moving water.
Another prime example are the tourists we get here at the shore who insist on swimming at un-guarded beaches. They'll wade right out into a rip current, and get sucked out. We've been standing on the beach right after helping our life guards pull a couple of people out after getting sucked a city block out to sea, and before we leave the beach some other moron that witness the entire event will go and do the exact same thing. All you need to do is look at the water, and you can see how it's moving, yet some people are too stupid to see what is right in front of their eyes, and walk straight into harms way.
This is why I look at storm chasers with a bit of trepidation, I see some who are simply out there for the thrill of it, getting into trouble and becoming an added burden to emergency workers who are already over burden with saving those injured by the storm....
I also realize some are doing it in a safe and cautious manor, and they are also a benefit to the NWS.....
Everything has it's "Whackers"....including Amateur Radio......

That the type of board I ride too single fin longboard , old school i have a 10ft cooperfish and a 9'5 velzy is ride when I get a once of free time

 

[WX2MIG]

That the type of board I ride too single fin longboard , old school i have a 10ft cooperfish and a 9'5 velzy is ride when I get a once of free time

NICE........ on both those boards....

I have a pair of Bings
10'4" SilverSpoon
10' Pintail Light Weight

My daughter took her new 9'6" Tucker Classic pintail out for the first time today...
Tuckers are a local brand shaped by Will Tucker in Tuckahoe......