Storm Chasers Anonymous
A storm chaser is a person who travels to locations where a tornado or other severe weather is forecast
as a hobby or to photograph or study it.
What does it mean to be a storm chaser? When you become a storm chaser, you will travel the country
looking for storms and reporting their activity to weather authorities. The information gathered by storm chasers
helps weather bureaus to give accurate forecasts and warnings. Storm chasers also research to improve future
storm detection and weather forecasting.
But beware! Chasing a storm is very dangerous. Each year there are reports of accidents resulting in
injuries, and, sadly, even death.
“After a record-quiet August in the Atlantic, Hurricane Ian brought a swift contrast to an end the month
of September. The powerful storm left communities looking like war zones, cut power to millions, and
became the deadliest tropical system to hit Florida in more than 87 years. With the sheer magnitude of
destruction the storm left in its wake, it is certain that Ian has also carved its name into the annals of history. For
example:
“Wind gusts reached 128 mph in Florida, rainfall totals greater than 20 inches, power outages that
soared past 3 million. These are just a few statistics behind Ian’s devastating journey.”
One reporter in Omaha, Nebraska, which seems to be one of the more popular areas for chasers to
operate because of the frequency of tornadoes there, reported, “there are often hundreds of storm chasers
lining the roads.”
What’s with this bizarre pre-occupation of watching the formation and activity of a storm―the dynamic
and power of an invisible force? Hurricanes are devastating … Luke’s writings about a storm are found in the
Bible in Acts 27:14-19. He begins his description of the battery by first writing about the wind. “… there arose
against [us] a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon. (the Northeaster). And when the ship was caught and could
not bear up into the wind, we let her drive. And running under a certain island called Clauda, we had much
work to come by the boat [to save it]. When they had taken up, they used helps, undergirding the ship; and,
fearing lest they should fall into the quicksands, strake sail and so were driven. And we being exceedingly
tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship; And the third day we cast out with our own hands
the ship’s tackling.”
Mark writes of an incident involving a storm. In 4:37-41, he says, “And there arose a great storm of
wind, and the waves beat into the ship so that it was now full. And he [Jesus] was in the hinder part of the ship,
asleep on a pillow: and they [the disciples] awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we
perish? And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and
there was a great calm. And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? How is it that ye have no faith? And they
feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
Well, my wife and I were in the midst of Hurricane Ian … in a hotel room in Orlando, Florida. We were
safe, dry, warm―and in great awe as we watched out of the 5 th -floor window. The wind whipped large palm
trees around like a cheerleader shaking a pom-pom. We were OK. We survived! Eventually, Ian went on his
way, and the storm ceased to blow.
But more than that, we knew the Master of the wind!
Francis Mason
Pastor Mason