TWISTERS - the Movie

[Timeshare Von]

Who's going to see TWISTERS this week?

I'll admit I became even more fascinated by severe weather after the original Twister movie came out in the 90's. I've been fortunate to learn more about tornadoes thanks to social media and connections with real-life people moving forward the science of weather and public safety.

Yes it can be dangerous . . . and yes there are adrenaline junkies out there "chasing" who put themselves and others in danger. During COVID, I tangled with a $hitty tour company who seemingly is only in it for the money (although I know they would strongly disagree).

Like so many others who "chase to learn" . . . I am also looking forward to watching the new film coming out this week. I'll wrap this up by thanking the College of DuPage (in Northern Illinois) and their quality program that includes an actual college level class which is part of their degree program.

Here's a link to an article about storm chasing and the impact movies potentially have on the public and science.

This photo is from my COD #4 class from the summer of 2023, when our class chased for a full day from Chugwater, WY to Scottsbluff, NE witnessing 8 tornadoes!

 

[PamMo]

Wow! That’s a beautiful photo! Thanks for sharing. I studied meteorology at university and SO wanted to be up and close to a tornado, until I was. It was the scariest minute of my life.

 

[Timeshare Von]

Wow! That’s a beautiful photo! Thanks for sharing. I studied meteorology at university and SO wanted to be up and close to a tornado, until I was. It was the scariest minute of my life.

Thank you! I can only imagine how frightful that would have been being up close. I remember as a child driving cross country in the 60's and seeing a tornado in the distance somewhere in the Midwest. I was so scared even though it was very far away. My parents comforted me by saying just how far it was from us . . . and going in the opposite direction. I think that may have started my fascination with tornadoes in particular.

 

[DrQ]

Thank goodness for the National Weather Service

 

[pedro47]

Twisters and hurricanes are very dangerous and very powerful leaving massive destruction behind with their powerful winds.

 

[Timeshare Von]

Thank goodness for the National Weather Service

And specifically the Storm Prediction Center.

 

[DrQ]

‘Twister’ Stunt Boss Says Steven Spielberg Flew to Oklahoma and ‘Was F—ing Yelling’ at the Director After Crew Walked Off Set Amid Chaotic Filming​

‘Twister’ Stunt Boss Says Steven Spielberg Flew to Oklahoma and ‘Was F—ing Yelling’ at the Director After Crew Walked Off Set Amid Chaotic Filming

The stunt coordinator on 'Twister' remembers Steven Spielberg screaming at the director after the crew rebelled due to set chaos.

variety.com

 

[DrQ]

From a 2013 article:

Oklahoma Has Way Too Many Storm Chasers, And Most of Them Aren’t Doing Much Good​

During a huge tornado hundreds of storm chasers will clog the roads trying to catch a view

Oklahoma Has Way Too Many Storm Chasers, And Most of Them Aren’t Doing Much Good

During a huge tornado hundreds of storm chasers will clog the roads trying to catch a view

www.smithsonianmag.com

Four storm chasers died during that tornado, three of them experienced veterans, and three others had a close call when their car was tossed 600 feet.​

Should tornado chasing be regulated?

Highly regarded storm chaser Tim Samaras died Friday night when an EF3 tornado with winds up to 165 mph turned on him near El Reno, Okla. Also dead were his son Paul and colleague Carl Young, who t…

blog.chron.com

Highly regarded storm chaser Tim Samaras died Friday night when an EF3 tornado with winds up to 165 mph turned on him near El Reno, Okla. Also dead were his son Paul and colleague Carl Young, who through the years had shared dramatic videos with television viewers and weather researchers.​

Tim Samaras was a regular on the Discovery Channel's show: "Storm Chasers"

 

[Timeshare Von]

From a 2013 article:

Oklahoma Has Way Too Many Storm Chasers, And Most of Them Aren’t Doing Much Good​

During a huge tornado hundreds of storm chasers will clog the roads trying to catch a view

Oklahoma Has Way Too Many Storm Chasers, And Most of Them Aren’t Doing Much Good

During a huge tornado hundreds of storm chasers will clog the roads trying to catch a view

www.smithsonianmag.com

Four storm chasers died during that tornado, three of them experienced veterans, and three others had a close call when their car was tossed 600 feet.​

Should tornado chasing be regulated?

Highly regarded storm chaser Tim Samaras died Friday night when an EF3 tornado with winds up to 165 mph turned on him near El Reno, Okla. Also dead were his son Paul and colleague Carl Young, who t…

blog.chron.com

Highly regarded storm chaser Tim Samaras died Friday night when an EF3 tornado with winds up to 165 mph turned on him near El Reno, Okla. Also dead were his son Paul and colleague Carl Young, who through the years had shared dramatic videos with television viewers and weather researchers.​

Tim Samaras was a regular on the Discovery Channel's show: "Storm Chasers"

I can't say I disagree with most of this. It is also why I choose to "chase storms" through a structured college course where the primary focus is education and learning. During our chase last summer, we launched a weather balloon, and provided what was the only real-time data on a supercell that later produced more than 8 tornadoes between Chugwater, WY and Scottsbluff, NE. Also given the nature of the day's forecast that day, there were far from "hundreds of storm chasers clog(ging) the roads" on a chase that lasted nearly 6 hours.

 

[TheHappyWanderer]

I have a feeling it won't be as realistic as the original "Twister". Darn CGI, we are going backwards with special effects in movies.

 

[Timeshare Von]

I have a feeling it won't be as realistic as the original "Twister". Darn CGI, we are going backwards with special effects in movies.

Most of the "real" chaser community likes the film and feels it's pretty representative of the tornadoes. What they are critical of, is how chasing itself is depicted in the film. Things like driving "off road" (in fields, etc) and running other vehicles off the road simply does not happen.

 

[DrQ]

I started rewatching the old Storm Chasers shows from the Discovery Channel.

I enjoy them, but it's kind of bittersweet also:

• Joel Taylor: Reed Timmer's friend and driver, died on a cruise ship in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 2018.
• Tim Samaras: Killed in the El Reno tornado in 2013
• Carl Young: Killed in the El Reno tornado in 2013
• Matt Hughes: Died by suicide in 2010

I like season 3 when Reed Timmer introduces the "Dominator" and Sean Casey's reaction

 

[Timeshare Von]

Thanks for the reminder about those early shows! Back in June 2023 our College of DuPage storm chasing class stopped and spent some time at a convenience store with these guys after a full day's chase . . . TIV2 and Dominator3. Reed Timmer was like a rock star with the "real" students in our class.

 

[dioxide45]

Reed Timmer was like a rock star with the "real" students in our class.

He must have his face on a t-shirt?

 

[Timeshare Von]

One more of the TIV 2 . . . it blew past us while we were setting up to watch a "merri-go-round" in the sky!

 

[DrQ]

Thanks for the reminder about those early shows! Back in June 2023 our College of DuPage storm chasing class stopped and spent some time at a convenience store with these guys after a full day's chase . . . TIV2 and Dominator3. Reed Timmer was like a rock star with the "real" students in our class.

Yeah, Sean Casey sold TIV2:

On October 21, 2019, Casey listed the TIV 2 on Craigslist for US$35,000[16] and it was later sold to storm chaser Ryan Shepard.[17] The TIV 2 was fully restored and back on the road again in the 2021 storm season, where it made multiple close intercepts on June 10 in western North Dakota. It is under sponsorship of Storm of Passion and Live Storm Chasers.[18]​

RE: The Dominator:

Dominator 5​

In July 2024, Timmer announced plans to construct Dominator 5.[17] Timmer stated that Jake's Custom Diesel out of Norman, Oklahoma would be spearheading the build.[18]​