Some Thoughts and A Reminder

Beginning April 25th 2011 a series of storms raked through the South. These storms were ongoing over the next few days and ending on April 28th.
These storms took many lives and destroyed everything in their path. At least 340 lives were lost with 239
of them in Alabama alone and there is an estimated $2-5 billion dollars worth of damage! Over the four days of mayhem there were at least 426 reports of tornadoes and
 290 have been confirmed so far.

 The days following this disaster have been heartbreaking, gut wrenching and devastating as we try and wrap our minds around what has happened and continue to see
the destruction that has occurred. This will be a long road to recovery but it will be done because we are strong and we are united!

It has now been about two weeks since this tragedy has taken place and for most of us our lives have returned to normal. Our daily routines have returned.
We wake up from our comfortable beds, we take a nice hot shower, we eat a nice home cooked meal and we get in our vehicles and go to work. Hell, a lot of us walk our
dogs and feed our pets before work.
 Well, unfortunately for too many people that daily routine, that normal, is gone.

 Most of us cant fathom what it would be like to lose everything and thats because we haven't lost it. Most of us will move on and slowly put the thoughts of this tragedy
in the back of our mind and are just grateful it didn't happen to us.


Well I am here to remind you that its happened and its the reality of thousands. So many people have lost lives and loved ones and so many families have been torn and
their homes destroyed. I am sorry to be so vulgar about it but these people still need our help! And sometimes the only way to get through to people is to be blunt.

I can go on and on but I am gonna stop here for now. All I ask is, if you have anything you can donate weather it be time, clothes, food, toiletries, etc.. It will help!
 Most of you know and some have donated but We have started a collection for anything you can donate, weather its .50 cents or $50 anything will help. If we can all get
the word out and have all of our friends and their friends donate a dollar it will add up and help many!
All funds raised will go directly towards everything I named above. I know I could go and give it all to Red Cross or another group but we want to make sure it all
goes to where it is needed and not to paying employees......

 Just so you know
We have some things we are working on and will give more details as things start taking place. I cannot discuss it now for safety reasons. Don't want
the ideas stolen. :-) but I will keep you posted on when and where all funds raised will go.

 Thank you for taking the time to read thins and if you can please spread the word and repost this as often as possible.. Thanks


Now I want to thank the following for their generosity and support!

Greg Johnson over at TORNADOHUNTER.COM
You can visit his website here http://tornadohunter.ca/ and you can also follow him on Twitter @canadogreg

~Lynn~          Twitter: @emt40ish Blog: http://lynnsmindlessmutterings.blogspot.com/
~Frances Baker~ Twitter: @weatherfran

I also want to thank  Chris Williamson and the rest of the guys of The Mudtavern Fire and Rescue for all of their hard work and dedication toward the disaster relief!

I especially want to thank,
Tommy Self of The Tennessee Valley Storm Trackers~ Twitter: @Ala_Stormtrackers Sites: http://is.gd/zcTI5Z  http://northalabamawx.blogspot.com/
and
Brett Adair of The Alabama Storm Trackers~         Twitter: @BrettAdair        Sites: http://is.gd/mzQtHz  http://alabamastormtrackers.com/     

Not only for their dedication, generosity and clean up efforts but also for supporting me and helping me get to where I am today.
They have taught me a lot and continue to teach me. I have chased with them both and look forward to many more chases with them!

I was chasing with Brett on the 27th, along with Eric Parker and as soon as we arrived in Tuscaloosa minutes after they were hit the three of us
band together and did everything we could to help and search for victims. That showed me a whole new side of them and I grew a whole lot of respect for them as well!
Tommy was also out that day doing everything he could to help with search and rescue efforts and getting reports out to try and help keep people safe!

So please make sure go by their pages and Twitter accounts and thank them. They are all amazing people and are doing a lot to help!



Also a big thanks to all of the disaster relief efforts and everybody that has donated their time, money, blood and sweat into helping clean up Alabama and other
 affected areas from the severe weather that recently ripped through the Southeast. Most importantly, thank you for helping the people..


                                           The way things still look in most areas

Alabama Needs You

I know I haven't posted, but one blog on here and I am going to keep this short as I am still at a loss of words.

   So please bare with me as my head and thoughts are not all there..


    As most of you know Alabama was demolished on the 27th of April. I myself was out chasing these storms and saw first hand how destructive and deadly they were. Severe Storms were ongoing from the early morning hours across North Alabama but stayed clear across the South. Once the environment became favorable for development, cells just started firing across MS and AL and radar just showed supercell after supercell racing of to the Northeast.

    These storms rapidly developed and became severe and tornado warned and barreled down on Alabama by mid day. Myself along with Brett Adair and Eric Parker of The Alabama Storm Trackers caught three different tornadoes that day and were even caught in the initial circulation of one. Little did we know that the one we were just hit by was going to become the mile and a half wide-EF4/5 monster that would soon obliterate Tuscaloosa.

     That storm quickly headed off to the Northeast, which outran us due to our position. As we continued our pursuit eastward oh highway 82 to intercept this monster we came upon the path of destruction it left behind which was horrific! A sight, a smell, and a feeling that will stick with us forever!

   At that point our chase was over as lives were in danger. Now, I can not explain to you the magnitude of this horrific situation that put the three of us in shock as The town of TCL now lies in shambles! To see these people lost with not a clue of what to do or where to go was a gut wrenching site and a site we never want to see again! Regaurless of the way we felt, peoples lives were at stake and we quickly began search and rescue. Below are some pictures of what we had to dig through in search of survivors.

    Unfortunately, many lives were lost and the town of Tuscaloosa, as well as others, were leveled and they need our help!! I am starting this fundraiser to help the victims affected by this terrible disaster as they can not do it alone. They can use any help they can get and whatever funds received here will go towards canned goods, toiletries, etc.. So please click on the donate button at the top right of this page and lend a helping hand and help rebuild Alabama and its people!  

               Thank You!!!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        


































































































































































































































































































































































































































































t we encountered and what these poor people have left

Weather Change Coming

     Well it certainly has been a brutal winter for much of the nation. There have been quiet a few record setting events as well as many unfortunate events too. Fortunately for those of you that don't like the cold weather, a change is on the way. For those of us "severe weather enthusiast" Spring is knocking on our door step and Storm Season is about to unleash. Us chasers are gearing up and getting ready to put thousands of more miles on our chase vehicles and a whole lot of no sleep.. :-)

        Don't be fooled just yet though as winter still might not be done with us. There has been a ridge of High pressure over Greenland as well as Alaska which has been forcing the jet stream from North to South, instead of West to East so that jet stream bringing the cold air further South mixed with the active storms tracks which lead to very cold temps and a whole lot of snow.  

       Starting early next week that ridge of High pressure over Alaska will be replaced with a dip in the jet stream and the High pressure over Greenland will no longer be, therefor we will have a lot warmer temps for much of the nation but the west will still be seeing some of that rain and snow.