MovingPictures

Off to Shoot a Leap Year Wedding...

I am shooting a specially planned wedding in Cleveland today, Leap Day. When I asked the bride if she did this on purpose, she smiled and said yes. I then made a comment to the fact, if it was so that when he gets the seven year itch, it will be 28 years into their marriage, and I got nothing but a laugh...

I am Just Tired of Winter...

Here in Fremont, Ohio we got about 10 inches of the fluffy white stuff yesterday. Fortunately for my son, Noah, Fremont schools had the day off, as well as today, here is just a snapshot if the insanity that goes on during a snow day. I can't stress my lack of love for snow and how much I am looking forward to spring. I may have a trip to Florida to film a TV pilot here at the end of March and I can't wait!!!

American Idol Question...

Have American Idol contestant Danny Noriega and actress Jessica Alba ever been seen at the same place, at the same time?

Just Some Cool Stuff...

Last night the military short down the ailing satellite and here is s brief video of the SM-3 missile launching from the USS Lake Erie at 10:26 p.m. EST, northwest of Hawaii, and of the missile's small "kill vehicle" - a non-explosive device at the tip - maneuvering into the path of the satellite and colliding spectacularly. Way to go...

Presidential Politics and a Seven-Year-Old Boy...

In a general conversation, my son Noah had asked my wife and I, "who is running for president?" We explained about Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain. He perked up and quickly declared his vote for John McCain. With curiosity I asked him why he liked John McCain, wondering if they had talked about it at school. He replied that he liked John McCain because "he was in the movie."

Well...a few months back we rented the action flick Live Free or Die Hard starring Bruce Willis, as NYPD officer John McClain, hero of all of the Die Hard movies. After explaining they were not the same people, he stuck with the candidate citing the name likeness.

Speaking of John McCain, and coming from someone who is not perfect in my past, I have one word for the New York Times story today - shameless...

Wanting for Spring...

It just struck me funny... My son Noah got home from school this afternoon and broke out a small bottle of bubbles and "blew a few" as he played at his computer. I sure can't wait till spring, and it seems like Noah is ready also!

Not so Serious on the Sirius-XM Merger...

It has now been over a year since the announced 5 billion dollar Sirius-XM satellite radio merger, and still no movement on behalf of the government. The Government has had more hearings on this merger than the Iraq War. I guess the 82 billion dollar Exxon-Mobil merger, which was approved in less than a year, and had less impact on the consumers pocket than the Sirius merger, wink, wink. Where else can the consumer get music in their car? From - AM, FM, High Def Radio, CD's, iPods, Cassette Tapes - Get a clue, Satellite radio is not a monopoly. Speaking of Monopoly...

In the immortal words of Steven Wright - "I think it is wrong that only one company makes (the game) Monopoly..."

Irony...

Tomorrow my wife Mary and son Noah are going skiing while on a 4 day weekend. For as long as my wife and I have been married, we have really only one disagreement. I think skiing is nuts and dangerous - She thinks storm chasing is nuts and dangerous.

Now over the years I can think of many deaths on the ski slopes, Sonny Bono,
Michael Kennedy, among others, But I have never heard of a storm chaser dying from a tornado. According to the National Ski Area Association (NSAA), 36 people died as a result of ski related injuries last year, compared to an average of 89 lightning strike deaths. Granted over 60 people died just this month from tornados on Feb 5th, but they were not storm chasers. I think the difference is that storm chasers are way more informed about the danger and know which way a storm is moving and therefor can avoid the dangers. When storm chasing, I am much more worried about lightning strikes than tornadoes.

Of course, my wife has skied in Europe and  out west, so the slopes in Ohio are little to worry about I guess. Over eleven years of chasing, we have only had one close call and that was near Greensburg, Kansas last May 4th. I will still tell her and my son to be careful as she does to me when I leave for storm chasing, and every single time we talk on the phone the two week of our chase. My reply remains the same always, Yes Dear...

More Wild Weather in the South...

More than 34 tonadoes tore through Alabama, Georgia and two in Florida. This day of chaos just adds to the record total for tornadoes in February. Tor remind you, there were over 131 tornadoes on Feb 5th killing nearly 60 people. There were also 3 tornadoes on the 6th, 22 on the 11th and 6 on the 16th, bringing the total for the short month of February to 196 according to the Storm Prediction Centers storm reports website.

2008 Storm Chase...

The storm chase of MESO will begin May 3rd with a meeting in Kansas City this year, but our first trek may be back to Greensburg, Kansas for the first anniversary of the devastating EF5 tornado that wiped out 95% of the small town last year.

Some history. Our group MESO was within literally a mile of ground zero as the tornado tore through Greensburg after dark on May 4th of last year. We were maneuvering our way through a series of nighttime storms, trying to not get killed. The next day we found out that the tornado that hit Greensburg had curved right behind us on Kansas SR 183, as we approached SR 54 while moving south. (SEE MAP) We then entered Greensburg to help with search and rescue and triage. It was a night that NOT ONE of our group will ever forget.

We collected some donations from family and friends, and a a few personal donations and will head back to Greensburg during this chase to donate a memorial plaque from our group to the city of Greensburg.

Some of our group are new this year and will not know the depth of emotions the rest of us will feel inside as we approach the little rural Kansas town. A lump in the throat, a chill down the spine, a fluttering in the chest, these are just a few of the things I'm sure I will feel as we drive into the town for the first time since last year. In a way, I am ready to get this visit over with and flush out the emotions that surely flood my being.

I will never forget the half-clothed people walking out of the darkness like zombies. The people calling out their loved ones names, trying to find one another in the chaos. I will never forget the first responders flocking to Greensburg from Haviland, Wellsford, Pratt, Mullinville as their communities are were taking hits from other storms. Simply put, May 4th 2007 will go down in my memory beside the birth of my children, my marriage and the day I met the other team members of MESO that I have chased with for 11 years now. Stay tuned and I am sure I will write a blog entry from the day we return to Greensburg...

The plaque that MESO is donating to the city of Greensburg, Kansas

A Little History Lesson...

My son Noah Detrich was born during a severe lightning storm on July 3rd, 2000, little did we know how appropriate that would be for this little guy. He held off from being born as I storm chased in the plains in late May, good boy. After he was born, we had a small debate over his name. We both liked Noah, and I thought it was cool to name him after the very first storm chaser, Noah from the Bible. Since we liked the name Noah, I thought why not put a twist on it - Noaa. For those of you who are not familiar with NOAA, it is The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration which is a federal agency focused on the condition of the oceans and the atmosphere, basically the weather center for the United States - Noaa, a storm chasing name for the ages...

This topic comes to mind tonight after searching through some cd's tonight looking for some images. Noah and I first went storm chasing on July 13th, just 10 days after he was born. My wife had a good laugh tonight, but I don't think she would have had the same reaction in 2000.

Noah and I have gone storm chasing here in Ohio at least a couple of times a summer since he was born. Noah loves storms and has learned where Fremont is on the WeatherTap radar, and has installed WeatherBug on his computer. I am sure someday, he will be packing up his gear and heading out to the plains with my friends and MESO. But not until he turns 18, at least according to his mother...

Super Tuesday Outbreak Continuing Update...

The number of fatalities and tornadoes keeps growing, here the the numbers that are in now - 101 tornadoes over 6 states, 59 fatalities. Several other unconfirmed reports of fatalities have come in as well, and those numbers may increase or decrease as new reports come in.

Baby Rescued...
One incredible good story came out of the day of destruction: Eleven-month-old Kyson Stowell was thrown 100 yards when a tornado shattered his home. He was found shivering but with only minor injuries. His mother, Kerri, was killed.

The congregation lays hands on Robert Williams and prays for him and his family. Pastor Tom Duckett is at the top right corner of the photo leading the prayer.

Baby Rescued 1999...
The above story reminds me of a story that came out of the May 3rd, 1999 F5 tornado that tore through Bridge Creek, Oklahoma. Something caught the eye of Deputy Robert Jolley as he searched through rubble. Jolley found little 10-month-old Aleah Crago, covered in mud and lifeless at the time. (TO SEE VIDEO CLICK HERE) Her eyes and ears were caked with mud and when picked up, she began to scream. Aleah was found about 100 feet from the closet where she was hiding with her parents and grandparents near Bridge Creek. Above is a photo of the Grandfather Robert Williams as the patrons of the Ridgecrest Baptist Church and Pastor Tom Duckett pray for Williams, just a few days after the tornado that registered winds of 319 mph tore through Bridgecreek, OK, scouring the red earth...

For more photos from the May 3rd, 1999 Oklahoma tornado, see the photos on my website: Gallery 1 - Gallery 2 - Gallery 3.

The number of fatalities and tornadoes keeps growing, here the the numbers that are in now - 101 tornadoes over 6 states, 59 fatalities. Several other unconfirmed reports of fatalities have come in as well, and those numbers may increase or decrease as new reports come in.

Baby Rescued...
One incredible good story came out of the day of destruction: Eleven-month-old Kyson Stowell was thrown 100 yards when a tornado shattered his home. He was found shivering but with only minor injuries. His mother, Kerri, was killed.

The congregation lays hands on Robert Williams and prays for him and his family. Pastor Tom Duckett is at the top right corner of the photo leading the prayer.

Baby Rescued 1999...
The above story reminds me of a story that came out of the May 3rd, 1999 F5 tornado that tore through Bridge Creek, Oklahoma. Something caught the eye of Deputy Robert Jolley as he searched through rubble. Jolley found little 10-month-old Aleah Crago, covered in mud and lifeless at the time. (TO SEE VIDEO CLICK HERE) Her eyes and ears were caked with mud and when picked up, she began to scream. Aleah was found about 100 feet from the closet where she was hiding with her parents and grandparents near Bridge Creek. Above is a photo of the Grandfather Robert Williams as the patrons of the Ridgecrest Baptist Church and Pastor Tom Duckett pray for Williams, just a few days after the tornado that registered winds of 319 mph tore through Bridgecreek, OK, scouring the red earth...

For more photos from the May 3rd, 1999 Oklahoma tornado, see the photos on my website: Gallery 1 - Gallery 2 - Gallery 3.

Sandusky County Flooding...

Went out today and shot some video of flooding near the intersection of SR 12 and SR 53. Please remember, a foot of water can wash your car off the road. Please don't do what these people are doing.

Another Outbreak Update...

The number of fatalities and tornadoes keeps growing, here the the numbers that are in as of now - 91 tornadoes over 6 states, 55 fatalities, 31 in Tennessee, 13 in Arkansas, 7 in Kentucky, and now 4 in Alabama. This was the deadliest tornado outbreak in 23 years, several hundred other people were injured also...

There were also 2 tornadoes in Alabama on the 6th as the system moved eastward...

Outbreak Update Continued...

The number of fatalities keep growing, here the the numbers that are in as of now - 78 tornadoes over 6 states, 54 fatalities, 30 in Tennessee, 13 in Arkansas, 7 in Kentucky, and now 4 in Alabama. This was the deadliest tornado outbreak in 23 years, several hundred other people were injured also...

Outbreak Wrap-Up...

Here are the numbers are in as of now - 68 tornadoes over 6 states, 44 fatalities, 24 in Tennessee, 13 in Arkansas and 7 in Kentucky.

Video Link: Click Here.
Video Link: Click Here.

Super Tuesday's Tornado Outbreak...

So far tonight there has been 39 tornadoes (at 10:11 p.m.) - 41 tornadoes (at 10:31 p.m.) - 45 tornadoes (at 10:41 p.m.) - 47 tornadoes (at 11:30 p.m.) across 6 states and a tornado watch box has been issued for southern Ohio. We had a high temp of 55 degrees today, not bad for Feb. So much for the Groundhog seeing his shadow, and 6 more weeks of winter. I am sure he is seeking shelter in his hole at this point in time...

11:15 p.m. - Eleven total deaths, seven are reported killed in Atkins, Arkansas and at least 3 reported deaths in Kentucky. Eleven injured and taken to hospitals in Oxford, Arkansas, some deaths have been reported in Tennessee with as many as 50 people trapped at one point in time tonight in a retirement home which was hit. - Updates to come...

High Risk for Tornadoes Today...

The Storm prediction center in Norman, Oklahoma has issued a HIGH risk for severe storms today across the southern US:

PUBLIC SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK 

   NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
   0651 AM CST TUE FEB 05 2008
   
   ...A HIGH RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS...INCLUDING TORNADOES...
   EXPECTED OVER PARTS OF THE MID SOUTH LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT...
   
   THE NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER IN NORMAN OK IS FORECASTING THE
   DEVELOPMENT OF A FEW STRONG...LONG-TRACK TORNADOES OVER PARTS OF THE
   MID SOUTH LATER TODAY AND TONIGHT.
   
   THE AREAS MOST LIKELY TO EXPERIENCE THIS ACTIVITY INCLUDE
   
          A LARGE PORTION OF ARKANSAS
          NORTHWESTERN MISSISSIPPI
          FAR SOUTHWEST TENNESSEE
   
   SURROUNDING THE HIGH RISK AREA...THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE
   THUNDERSTORMS FROM PORTIONS OF EASTERN OK/SOUTHERN MO
   EAST-NORTHEASTWARD INTO THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY AND ACROSS THE LOWER
   MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY.
   
   A STRONG LATE WINTER MID AND UPPER LEVEL WEATHER SYSTEM NOW MOVING
   RAPIDLY EASTWARD OUT OF THE SOUTHERN ROCKIES WILL SUPPORT AN
   OUTBREAK OF TORNADOES AND OTHER SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AS IT EJECTS
   ACROSS THE SOUTH CENTRAL UNITED STATES THROUGH TONIGHT.  THE AIRMASS
   AHEAD OF THIS SYSTEM IS ALREADY UNSEASONABLY WARM AND MOIST EARLY
   THIS MORNING...AND WILL UNDERGO FURTHER HEATING AND MOISTENING
   THROUGH THE DAY.  THIS WILL SUPPORT VIGOROUS STORMS BEGINNING EARLY
   THIS MORNING OVER PORTIONS OF OKLAHOMA AND NORTHERN TEXAS...WITH THE
   THREAT SPREADING STEADILY EAST-NORTHEASTWARD ALONG TRACK OF A
   SURFACE LOW AND ASSOCIATED SURFACE COLD FRONT MOVING ACROSS THE MID
   SOUTH TODAY.  VIGOROUS STORMS SHOULD DEVELOP AHEAD OF THE FRONT THIS
   AFTERNOON...WHICH WILL QUICKLY PRODUCE TORNADOES GIVEN COMBINATION
   OF EXTREME WINDS ALOFT AND VERY WARM AND MOIST AIRMASS.  STORMS MAY
   FORM INTO A LINE AND CONTINUE THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
   EASTWARD INTO THE LOWER MS RIVER AND TN RIVER VALLEYS
   OVERNIGHT...WITH NORTHERN END SPREADING UP THE OHIO RIVER VALLEY.
   
   EXTREMELY STRONG WINDS THROUGHOUT THE ATMOSPHERE WILL SUPPORT THE
   THREAT OF LONGER-LIVED STORMS...INCLUDING SUPERCELLS AND FAST MOVING
   LINES.  THIS WILL ENHANCE THE POTENTIAL FOR STRONG TORNADOES AND
   WIDESPREAD DAMAGING WINDS ACROSS MUCH OF THIS REGION...WITH ADDED
   THREAT OF A FEW SIGNIFICANT EVENTS.
   
   THIS IS POTENTIALLY A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. THOSE IN THE
   THREATENED AREA ARE URGED TO REVIEW SEVERE WEATHER SAFETY RULES AND
   TO LISTEN TO RADIO...TELEVISION...AND NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR
   POSSIBLE WATCHES...WARNINGS...AND STATEMENTS LATER TODAY.
   
   ..EVANS.. 02/05/2008