Anyone ever storm chase in their wagon?

[thedriver21]

So, my dad and I are planning on storm chasing in the mid/south west in late april and early may and was curious as to if anyone else has ever done it in their wagon. I've done it in my dads infiniti g37 and his charger in the high desert chasing monsoons but never in a capable truck that we could take off the beaten path to get to the good stuff.

[DamageWagon]

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[thedriver21]

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I said storm chase not fire chase haha Where was that at???

[DamageWagon]

Sent from my safe space

I said storm chase not fire chase haha Where was that at???

It hasn't happened yet. That's you, in the future, chasing a storm


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[thedriver21]

I said storm chase not fire chase haha Where was that at???

It hasn't happened yet. That's you, in the future, chasing a storm


Sent from my safe space

Ah I see, you are probably right, my wagon will probably end up in a tree somewhere in oklahoma or I'll be fried in a carbacue caused by lightning hitting the truck

[DamageWagon]

I said storm chase not fire chase haha Where was that at???

It hasn't happened yet. That's you, in the future, chasing a storm


Sent from my safe space

Ah I see, you are probably right, my wagon will probably end up in a tree somewhere in oklahoma or I'll be fried in a carbacue caused by lightning hitting the truck

Knowing what you're in for is half he fun! Knowing there's a thousand ways to die during said activity is like gambling, and that's fun too! Haha storm chasing does sound interesting though. Pretty red neck too. My family is from Oklahoma, I thought they did it out of boredom, or out of a wish to die since there is absolutely nothing to do there.


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[thedriver21]

It hasn't happened yet. That's you, in the future, chasing a storm


Sent from my safe space

Ah I see, you are probably right, my wagon will probably end up in a tree somewhere in oklahoma or I'll be fried in a carbacue caused by lightning hitting the truck [/quote]

Knowing what you're in for is half he fun! Knowing there's a thousand ways to die during said activity is like gambling, and that's fun too! Haha storm chasing does sound interesting though. Pretty red neck too. My family is from Oklahoma, I thought they did it out of boredom, or out of a wish to die since there is absolutely nothing to do there.


Sent from my safe space[/quote]

I like the uncertainty of it, it's alot of fun. And as long as you know how to read doppler radar you can stay out of the hail and avoid the tornado for the most part. Plus I like danger, hence the profession and city I work in. And I've always wanted to take a truck storm chasing so I can live out my childhood Twister fantasy

[TwinStick]

Make SURE your insurance will cover it !

I often wonder this (because I too am fascinated with extreme weather): How come I have yet to see ANY storm chase vehicle with a bolt on exo cage & some heavy duty "prison grade"screen over the windows for safety ? I understand you wouldn't want it in the filming vehicle but most people get injured from flying debris. I have seen the T.I.V. (tornado intercept vehicle) & many like it but if it was me, I would have a cage & some bolt to the cage heavy duty prison grade screen & have the cameras bolted on the outside of the vehicle. Just sayin'. I love the storms too but don't think i would chase them in a bone stock vehicle with zero protection.

Just to clarify: there is a HUGE difference between "prison grade" & "redneck grade". I think you will know the difference when you see it !

https://www.google.com/search?q=images+ ... LVSRbHM%3A

Also surprised no one has turned an M-RAP or a Buffalo into a storm vehicle yet.

https://www.google.com/search?q=images+ ... DugQsAQIGQ

https://www.google.com/search?q=images+ ... ry+buffalo

I know they sit up high but the weight is pretty friggin substantial. I think only a direct hit from an F-4 or F-5 would have an affect on it !

[thedriver21]

Make SURE your insurance will cover it !

I often wonder this (because I too am fascinated with extreme weather): How come I have yet to see ANY storm chase vehicle with a bolt on exo cage & some heavy duty "prison grade"screen over the windows for safety ? I understand you wouldn't want it in the filming vehicle but most people get injured from flying debris. I have seen the T.I.V. (tornado intercept vehicle) & many like it but if it was me, I would have a cage & some bolt to the cage heavy duty prison grade screen & have the cameras bolted on the outside of the vehicle. Just sayin'. I love the storms too but don't think i would chase them in a bone stock vehicle with zero protection.

Just to clarify: there is a HUGE difference between "prison grade" & "redneck grade". I think you will know the difference when you see it !

https://www.google.com/search?q=images+ ... LVSRbHM%3A

Also surprised no one has turned an M-RAP or a Buffalo into a storm vehicle yet.

https://www.google.com/search?q=images+ ... DugQsAQIGQ

https://www.google.com/search?q=images+ ... ry+buffalo

I know they sit up high but the weight is pretty friggin substantial. I think only a direct hit from an F-4 or F-5 would have an affect on it !

I'll have to check insurance but I am pretty sure they will cover it.

I've actually seen a few guys with exo cages like you see on old 4Runners and such but with an overhang above the roof with screens to protect the windshield and such. If memory serves me right I think sean casey built TIV 2 for like $100-150K not including his IMAX camera. Im pretty sure the MRAP's and other up armored vehicles, other than being not available to us lowly peon citizens, cost upwards of $500k a pop, plus maintenance and the like. And TIV2 is bitchin to look at. I really hope I get to see it someday in person as I grew up watching storm chasers. That show and Twister really made me interested in the high plains storms, even though Twister is super unrealistic

[DamageWagon]

I believe State Farm is excellent for off road coverage. I know for sure Geico blows and will not cover you. I would check, most companies do not cover off road.


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[thedriver21]

I believe State Farm is excellent for off road coverage. I know for sure Geico blows and will not cover you. I would check, most companies do not cover off road.


Sent from my safe space

It's not the off-road that is a concern, its any hail or debris damage caused by the storm. The insurance company may be a little curious as to why your were in oklahoma in a storm with a tree through your windshield and baseball size hail dents all over the truck

[DamageWagon]

I believe State Farm is excellent for off road coverage. I know for sure Geico blows and will not cover you. I would check, most companies do not cover off road.


Sent from my safe space

It's not the off-road that is a concern, its any hail or debris damage caused by the storm. The insurance company may be a little curious as to why your were in oklahoma in a storm with a tree through your windshield and baseball size hail dents all over the truck

You and the 300 other people with a claim from the same storm? Yours won't be the strangest story. "I was just passing through".

On the other hand, your driving through fields while watching the sky, that's what I would worry about.


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[TwinStick]

Yup, just passing through on a trip. That your story & you need to stick to it. Being an actual storm chaser or telling them you were is a whole different ballgame. I have State Farm. Hope I never have to test it.

I am concerned about this because we will be traveling all across the country soon enough. I have already told my wife we have to get a good laptop & a mount for it, so she can keep the weather maps up while we are actually driving/traveling. I can't wait, it's gonna be exiting. I love the extreme weather to, but don't really want to experience it while towing the camper or traveling---unless it's from a distance !

[thedriver21]

Yup, just passing through on a trip. That your story & you need to stick to it. Being an actual storm chaser or telling them you were is a whole different ballgame. I have State Farm. Hope I never have to test it.

I am concerned about this because we will be traveling all across the country soon enough. I have already told my wife we have to get a good laptop & a mount for it, so she can keep the weather maps up while we are actually driving/traveling. I can't wait, it's gonna be exiting. I love the extreme weather to, but don't really want to experience it while towing the camper or traveling---unless it's from a distance !

I just finished my laptop mount and posted the pictures in the gadgets and gizmos page. I love having the laptop where it is now

[TwinStick]

Yup, I gotta do something like that. I also have to make sure it don't interfere with that big long piece of metal coming up through my floor. Sorry, only 3rd Gens have them in a Power Wagon.

[thedriver21]

I dont think it would, as long as you angle the computer more towards the driver side. At least in the 4th gens the specific mount I used leaves the center console wide open unless you swivel the computer to much towards the driver

[TrueCowboy426]

I use my PW to chase storms all the time. I like having a truck that I can self recover if I ever ditch it in a big wind storm, and I have been blown off the road before by a thunderstorm.

[thedriver21]

Holy crap, that was only a few yards away! My goal is to see a tornado but if not I at least want to see some wall clouds and some green skies, as well as some good lightning haha

[TwinStick]

For the last few years, Buffalo area has had some wicked cool wall clouds. Lancaster NY got 7 feet of snow (not a misprint) over 3 days.

https://www.google.com/search?q=images+ ... 28&bih=769

[thedriver21]

For the last few years, Buffalo area has had some wicked cool wall clouds. Lancaster NY got 7 feet of snow (not a misprint) over 3 days.

https://www.google.com/search?q=images+ ... 28&bih=769

That's damn cool! That cloud over buffalo is actually called a shelf cloud. A wall cloud is a small lowering off of a supercell that shows rotation. Thats also were a tornado usually spawns

[TwinStick]

From my perspective, it sure looked like a wall !

My wife is my co-pilot when on vacation, so the laptop will be facing her side. Plus she obsesses over the weather, so it will give her something to do.

[olyelr]

"Ladies and gentleman, I think now is a good time to call it a game..."

[thedriver21]

So I finally managed to get out to the midwest and chase. So far it has not disappointed. The trucks been running strong and guzzling gas Had to go down a dirt road at about 90 to get out from 2-4in hail and get away from the core of the storm.

[adeluca73]

So I finally managed to get out to the midwest and chase. So far it has not disappointed. The trucks been running strong and guzzling gas Had to go down a dirt road at about 90 to get out from 2-4in hail and get away from the core of the storm.

Very cool, but you forgot to hold a metal rod while standing in one of those puddles.

[RustyPW]

So I finally managed to get out to the midwest and chase. So far it has not disappointed. The trucks been running strong and guzzling gas Had to go down a dirt road at about 90 to get out from 2-4in hail and get away from the core of the storm.

Very cool, but you forgot to hold a metal rod while standing in one of those puddles.

That hail will make you PW look like a golf ball. Full of dimples.