Yup. Although I tend to think this is more of a pissing contest between chasers and researchers who chase as their research, and a tempest in a teapot at that. This was primarily brought about by that one day in May when CoD actually left a storm because the convergence of chasers and pseudochasers alike made it dangerous and nearly impossible to observe the storm.
I take serious offense at the one part where Wurman says that we rarely make useful contribution. That was a load of bullplop and he either knows it and is lying or doesn't know it and is just too disconnected from the real meteorological world.
Agreed! I do however agree with the parts about how Storm Chasers has glamorized storm chasing to the public. . . and hence more amatures chase. Wurman needs to realize that he had part in making it such a public spectacle.
On a positive note, we don't get anything like that out here! Maybe a car or two on a storm. . . Maybe. :) Hopefully it stays like that!
I agree with Alysa. Wurman definitely had a part in it, and needs to recognize that and realize his actions have caused this turmoil also. He also always seems to be talking down on people who aren't in his "crew" if you want to put it that way. I mean, his group isn't the only knowledgeable group of meteorologists who chase storms annually on the plains. I've always had a not so good vibe about the guy just for the attitude of his.
I think Storm Chasers should have a disclaimer at the beginning of the show that states something like "Do not try this at home" or "Do not chase storms without a proper understanding of them" or something along those lines. The show that was on The Weather Channel in the US (and posted on youtube by one awesome user, such as how I watched it :P) called Tornado Road had a disclaimer stating that it can be dangerous and should be taken seriously, at the beginning of every show so as not to encourage chasing to amateurs. Discovery should follow suit.
I didn't find the article to be a "bash" on chasing; it managed to mention most of the angles on this issue.
While I can sympathize somewhat with the frustration that must have been felt by Vortex 2 this year, I can't abide by some of the comments made by Wurman. As previously mentioned he has had a big part in the glamorization of Storm Chasing in the past few years. I also disagree strongly on the inputs that the chasing community has overall contributed. Despite advances in technology with radar and other instrumentation, there still is a heavy reliance on "Ground Truth". This is especially significant as it relates to funnel clouds, tornadoes, hail and other phenomena. The Chasing community as a whole contributes a significant portion of the reports on those issues.
I also cannot fathom why they permitted The Weather Channel to continually broadcast the Vortex 2 position; surely this contributed to the problem.
I'm not sure that putting a disclaimer on any show like "Storm Chasers" would do anything to suppress "yahoo chasing"; likely it would only make the producers feel better that they have "warned" people of the dangers.
Yup. Although I tend to think this is more of a pissing contest between chasers and researchers who chase as their research, and a tempest in a teapot at that. This was primarily brought about by that one day in May when CoD actually left a storm because the convergence of chasers and pseudochasers alike made it dangerous and nearly impossible to observe the storm.
ReplyDeleteI take serious offense at the one part where Wurman says that we rarely make useful contribution. That was a load of bullplop and he either knows it and is lying or doesn't know it and is just too disconnected from the real meteorological world.
Agreed! I do however agree with the parts about how Storm Chasers has glamorized storm chasing to the public. . . and hence more amatures chase. Wurman needs to realize that he had part in making it such a public spectacle.
ReplyDeleteOn a positive note, we don't get anything like that out here! Maybe a car or two on a storm. . . Maybe. :) Hopefully it stays like that!
I agree with Alysa. Wurman definitely had a part in it, and needs to recognize that and realize his actions have caused this turmoil also. He also always seems to be talking down on people who aren't in his "crew" if you want to put it that way. I mean, his group isn't the only knowledgeable group of meteorologists who chase storms annually on the plains. I've always had a not so good vibe about the guy just for the attitude of his.
ReplyDeleteI think Storm Chasers should have a disclaimer at the beginning of the show that states something like "Do not try this at home" or "Do not chase storms without a proper understanding of them" or something along those lines. The show that was on The Weather Channel in the US (and posted on youtube by one awesome user, such as how I watched it :P) called Tornado Road had a disclaimer stating that it can be dangerous and should be taken seriously, at the beginning of every show so as not to encourage chasing to amateurs. Discovery should follow suit.
I didn't find the article to be a "bash" on chasing; it managed to mention most of the angles on this issue.
ReplyDeleteWhile I can sympathize somewhat with the frustration that must have been felt by Vortex 2 this year, I can't abide by some of the comments made by Wurman. As previously mentioned he has had a big part in the glamorization of Storm Chasing in the past few years. I also disagree strongly on the inputs that the chasing community has overall contributed. Despite advances in technology with radar and other instrumentation, there still is a heavy reliance on "Ground Truth". This is especially significant as it relates to funnel clouds, tornadoes, hail and other phenomena. The Chasing community as a whole contributes a significant portion of the reports on those issues.
I also cannot fathom why they permitted The Weather Channel to continually broadcast the Vortex 2 position; surely this contributed to the problem.
I'm not sure that putting a disclaimer on any show like "Storm Chasers" would do anything to suppress "yahoo chasing"; likely it would only make the producers feel better that they have "warned" people of the dangers.