Interviews with Storm Chasers
We have been lucky enough to interview seasoned storm chaser Erik Gustafson
Storm Chaser of The Month
What is your name? Erik Gustafson
Do you have any chasing partners? My chase partner and girlfriend is Kelly Mulvoy. 2010 was our first year together. I will also partner up with Ben Rock out of McHenry County as a chase team. Even with my experience I look forward to partner up with more seasoned chasers for some additional learning. You can never know too much!!
What are your nicknames? Mr. Funnel comes to mind. This was a nickname given to me by my former employees.
What areas do you chase most? We mostly chase/spot in non urban areas of the RT47 corridor in Northern Illinois. Kendall, Kane, McHenry, DeKalb counties are the areas we most frequent. We plan on taking at least one week a year to go to the Plains. Also, if a system is within a half days drive, we may be tempted to go get it as well!
How long have you been chasing? For me it has been at least 17 years, but the last two years on a more professional level. Before that is was mainly for public safety. Kelly has been arm chair chasing since she can remember. 2010 was her first year in the field.
What type of equipment do you use? Our 1997 Ford Expedition, AKA The Beast is equipped with Two computers, VHF/UHF amateur radio gear, Citizens Band radio, a programmable scanner, Temperature sensor, a roof top anemometer, A high definition web cam with streaming capabilities, two hand held video cameras, a digital SLR and a standard digital camera, basic first responder first aid, and will be adding some search and rescue tools as well this season. Also, due to lessons learned replacement parts and tools for quick on the chase repairs.
Are you working on any projects that involve storm chasing? We are working on nothing special. We are just trying to catch up with some of the technologies of the field. The main one we may introduce this year is streaming. Mainly we will probably only stream the worst parts of the storm. The jury is still out on this one so we will see. We don’t really have the background to start up any in depth research so we will probably stick to documenting storms through video and photos.
What got you interested in storm chasing? I am really not sure on exactly what got me so passionate about extreme weather, but I know that I have always liked watching storms, especially from the car. I remember being forced downstairs by my parents during one storm that produced a tornado near my home in 1976. Since then I have always enjoyed anything weather related.
What was your most memorable chasing experience? I would have to say June 17, 2010 in South Central Minnesota. We caught up to a tornadic storm system about 20 miles outside of Albert Lea and just racked up the tornado count out of the couple of cells we chased. For Kelly it was her first tornado(s), for me it was my most powerful tornadic complex I chased and probably the closest I have come to the beast, on purpose.
What was your worst chasing experience? Honestly, this one is hard for me but I would have to say that the end of our June 17, 2010 chase. We lost a wiper while we were chasing a second wedge near Geneva, MN. Just as I was going to jump out and try and fix it the weather got bad and the tornado siren, on the fire station we were parked next to, started sounding. Instinct and technology went bye-bye and we switched to self preservation mode. Kelly and I sought shelter at the Geneva Bar & Grill where we met quite a few friendly townsfolk. They were taking the storms in stride like this was a typical occurrence. For them, during this year, it was an all too common occurrence!
What are your plans in the near future? Well, being that I am unemployed, it is difficult to think about this. Spotting and chasing is a volunteer service or hobby. Unless you are the top 1%, you will see very little money, if any, out of it. But I like doing it for the fun of it. If I sell a video or a photo, more fun for me! But this is not my main purpose, which is putting the “Truth” into Ground Truth for the National Weather Service.
If you had some advice, for upcoming storm chasers, what would it be? Training! Do not go out chasing unless you have taken at least a basic spotter course offered by the National Weather Service in the late winter and early spring. Some areas will offer more advanced seminars and I highly suggest attending one of those as well. Also, try and pair up with an experienced chaser the first year. All the classroom training will not suffice without someone pointing out, in real time, what you need to look for.
What do you think of the advancement in technology in equipment, for storm chasing? Being from, as I like to call it, the “Have a map and a prayer age”, I was a little slow to embrace the technologies. Now I have redundancies with multiple onboard computers and navigation! I am new at studying the models since I use to just watch the morning news then heading out to a target area. Most the tornadoes I have caught were incidental, though. Obviously with the technology, the hobby, if you will, has exploded into a pseudo national past time. But, technology will only aid instinct, not replace it. If you get lost in the technology while on a chase, you may find yourself part of the Zero Meter Club!
“I will not get on a rollercoaster to save my life but I will chase severe tornadic storms?! There must be something twisted in that!!!” – Me talking to a co-worker.
You can visit Erik & Kelly Chasing page on FaceBook – Click Here
You can visit his youtube – Click Here
