Here's a some wise advice after the fact...
from
http://stormboard.proboards79.com/index.cgi?board=al042008&action=display&thread=2600&page=19#48040------------
I know Jason personally (just an acquaintance) and only know Zach from here....
I'm a very experienced chaser when it comes to both severe weather and tropical weather (5 hurricanes, 3 TSs)...So I feel I have a valid voice here.
This is from what I know from sources here in Mobile, AL....
Basically, they arrived in BRO around the time winds were approaching TS strength... they arrived with little gas and ran out. Had to abandon the car(s) due to flash flooding and had to be 'rescued', thereby tying up rescue personnel that could have been helping others.
It is my understanding that Jason has essentially no tropical chasing experience... riding out Katrina at his home or whatever does not count...
This was evident to me after hearing about them running out of gas and arriving so terribly late.
An experienced chaser knows to get into a rough position 24hours or more in advance of TS winds arriving. Arrive with plenty of gas... topping off on the way in every chance you get when you are approaching 3/4 full....Arriving early allows you to scout out strong buildings for taking shelter during the worst of the storm and having several scouted out in case a position adjustment becomes necessary. Strong shelter is necessary... What if this storm had pulled a Charley and rapidly intensified to a Cat 4 just prior to landfall? (Synoptic conditions were not favorable for that, but did these guys even think of the possibility?)
Now, I will say this, I am glad they are ok....
But, now Zack's mother has a long drive ahead, putting her at an unnecessary risk.
This is obviously a case where inexperience was the very cause of what could have been a potentially fatal excursion. There were a multitude of things they obviously did not think about... Were they aware that there is essentially nothing between CRP and BRO? They would have needed to fill up in corpus and bring enough auxiliary gas in the form of portable cans to get them in and back out at least to CRP.... I try to have enough gas when I get to the target area to be me back out past any TS watches along the coast plus some.
Also lack of knowledge of the local topography seems to be the case when they were trapped by flash flooding waters. this kind of thing must be researched out well ahead of time.
My first chase was hurricane Lili.... I chased with Jeff Gammons, and Chris Collura.... both Veteran Hurricane chasers.... I did this because I didn't want to end up in the situation that Zack and Jason are now in... If you don't know who Jeff and Chris are, google their names, find their sites and check out the chase logs.... many many years combined experience.
I stress this to any new chaser..... go with an experienced chaser first....
If I wouldn't have had a final tomorrow, it's possible I'd be down there and would not have hesitated to guide them along.
Guys, Jason and Zack, I'm glad you two are alive, but please know what you are doing before you put yourself in danger, potentially affecting reputation of GCWX and USA Meteorology....but even worse, potentially not making it out alive....
now you may ask, have I ever made a mistake chasing... YES! one nearly cost me my life as well. BUT I learned from it and won't make the same mistake twice... I sincerely hope y'all can do the same. If you really want to pursue the chasing hobby, do like any other hobby, hang out and do it with people with experience.
The following link goes to a thread posted by Chris Collura on Stormtrack and I consider this mandatory reading for anyone that is considering ANY tropical cyclone.
http://www.stormtrack.org/forum/showthread.php?t=6348This post was not meant to be condescending or hateful..... it's simply an experienced chaser trying to offer his perspective on what happened.
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