Well, I was born in Phoenix, AZ on May 16, 1969. My interest in weather started at a very young age. As far back as I can remember, I have been fascinated by thunderstorms. I would sit with my mother on the back patio and watch the lightning storms that are common in the area. It was more exciting to me than playing or going to the movies. We moved to Tucson when I was 7, and I became fascinated with the monsoon season. I waited eagerly for the storms to hit so I could go outside and play in the rain and pretend to dodge the lightning, and let the wind blow me all over the yard. I also really loved to see the microbursts and macrobursts. They were fascinating to me, though I had no idea of what they were at the time. At the age of 12, we moved to Bloomington, IN so my mother could work on her PhD at IU. Here is where I was introduced to tornadoes. I was at marching band practice on the football field of North High School in the evening, (sometime in 1981or 82 - I can't pinpoint an exact date, though I have researched it a few times) and it started raining. The band teacher yelled to get inside because there was a tornado. I looked up and saw (what I now know was) the mesocyclone. It was so low, I felt like I could reach up and touch it. Everyone else started running towards the band room, so I followed -with a bass drum strapped to me (this was rather comical looking, I am certain), and we all went inside. I took off the bass drum and snuck outside while everyone else was crouching in the corner of the band room. There was a lot of lightning. It was almost like one continuous flash, and it was reflecting off the rain and made what appeared to be a big white sheet behind the tornado, so I could see it perfectly. I know it could not have been too far away since it was so clear and so big, as well as the fact that I was most definitely under the producing storm. The base of the storm looked like a black coiled-up cotton snake and I was on one side of the giant coils. I stood out there in awe, jaw on the ground for about 20 minutes It was an amazing experience, and the only reason I didn't stay out there longer was because the teacher finally realized I was gone and came out to get me. My mom was very cool about the whole situation, and was supportive of my fascination with severe weather. So that is where that all started!
I finally took Skywarn Basic and Advanced training in 2001, and spent many years as a mobile spotter in the several different states I moved to. I generally followed the ugliest (HP) storms, and avoided the ones that I saw chasers going after. I did that because my primary interest was informing NWS of dangerous storms. No need for 100 people reporting the same thing, so I made sure I was on ones that I thought were potentially dangerous, as well as being avoided by other people chasing and/or spotting. That makes my photo gallery pretty ugly on a lot of days, but you get what you can. Photos are a bonus - not a priority. I spot from home now for the monsoon season, as I am not driving at the moment. It is far too expensive these days, and school does not afford me the time or money to do that. I spend severe weather days glued to my computer, monitoring the radar, SPC website, StormTrack website, and various other weather sites.
I am an auto mechanic by trade, and weather has been more of a full-time hobby. Currently, I am maintaining a stationary position back home in Tucson, AZ with my wonderful guy (and fiance), Jonathan, where I am attending the University of Arizona. I am a Geosciences major, and my minor is in Planetary Science. Plans are to obtain a MS in Atmospheric Science, and eventually a PhD. Unfortunately, the U of A does not offer any Atmospheric Science degrees to undergraduates, though I am bothering them about letting me in some of the classes. I have a great interest in Geology and the weather on other planets besides Earth, so the degrees will work well together.
I have many other interests as well (though none that have such a profound effect on me as severe weather). I enjoy cooking, and I am told that I am a whirlwind in the kitchen (haha). I love to dance, especially to gothic/industrial music. I love to travel, and have frequently all over the US and once to Canada. I also love to take photographs of many things for their artistic properties. I am an avid gamer, and my favorites include: Diablo II: Lord of Destruction, The Sims 2, Elder Scrolls series, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic series, and the Grand Theft Auto series. I still play all of them, as well as a few others. |
