Computer Assisted Reporting Anne Lieb, Roger Kuznia, Computer Assisted Reporting, Fall 1998

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Tornado Spotters: A Profile Imagine driving around a storm, heading into two funnel clouds, being pushed into the core (middle) of the funnel, surrounded by 60-70 mile an hour driving rain, and trying to get it all on video tape. Paul Craven of Indianola recalls this experience as the scariest in his seven years of spotting. "Being in the core of that funnel was one of the few times while chasing I've wished I had been elsewhere out of safety concerns," says Craven. "While in a core like that you can have heavy rain and hail which can easily blow out the windows on your car or tip it over completely." Although it was frightening, Craven explains how unforgettable the experience was. "There were twisting columns of rain that looked almost like a beaded curtain. It was a very shocking sight." Craven did get some of his experience in the core on tape. He even got a little fame out of the experience. "I took my video over to Channel 8 in Des Moines and they ran my footage. I even was interviewed on-camera about the storm." Craven, a software engineer for DTN Farmdayta in Urbandale, has been spotting tornadoes since about 1992 while he was an undergraduate at Simpson College. He was introduced to the hobby by his brother, Stephen, an amateur radio operator who spotted tornadoes while in college. "His first time out he saw two tornadoes," says Paul, "Since my brother and I share many of the same hobbies, I ended up getting an amateur radio license and did some spotting myself." Paul only got serious about spotting once he started working at DTN where he says his hours are flexible allowing plenty of time for spotting. Although they sound similar there is a difference between spotters and storm chasers. Tornado spotter's main purpose is to alert others if severe weather occurs while storm chaser's are basically sight-seeing. According to Paul, well-trained spotters can be a benefit to society. Spotters can see things that current technology cannot. "Radar can only see the lower few thousand feet of a storm," says Paul, "There is no way for a radar to actually see a tornado. It just sees the circulation about it." Therefore, spotters can provide a more accurate report to the National Weather Service to help reduce false alarms. To aspiring spotters, Paul has this advice, "I recommend some things to get people started. First, tune into a local repeater on a scanner and listen during storms. Then, contact the local NWS office and go to a spotter class. It is also helpful to get an amateur radio license." Paul says spotting is rewarding for various reasons. "I feel socializing with people also interested in weather is the most fun. "I've met a lot of people in person and through e-mail I would not have had a chance to otherwise meet." Paul has also had the chance to see and hear of many amazing experiences involving tornadoes. "One day I was spotting I saw a bus on the side of the road. Strong winds had blown the windows out and scooted the bus along the interstate sideways. The stress caused a pregnant woman to get labor pains. She did not have her baby right then though, the labor stopped," explains Paul, "The story of the bus was told to me by a woman who worked at the Hardee's I stopped at on my way home. Being a storm chaser made me an instant celebrity amongst the people working there. It did not, however, get me a free meal."

Date last modified: 12/8/98