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Arizona Desert Monsoon Chasing


Paul Sherman

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Posted
  • Location: Leigh On Sea - Essex & Tornado Alley
  • Location: Leigh On Sea - Essex & Tornado Alley

Pleased to announce we have the Green Light on Netweather's first ever trip Chasing Desert Thunderstorms and Monsoons in August 2011. Desert Lightning Chasing differs from the normal Tornado Chases in quite a few ways, firstly it is much more relaxed and we use a base Hotel instead of roaming around the Plains not knowing where we will be ending up. Secondly Tornadoes are off the agenda with this Trip and we focus on Lightning, Monsoons and Haboobs. Chases generally start around the 6pm Timeframe and last until 1-2am in the Early Morning. Storms tend to be Pulse type Storms with little or "No" Rain falling but lots of Lightning making for amazing pictures with the Desert Cactus in the Foreground, on some occasions Supercells do form but these are quite rare, Hail tends to be upto Dime Sized at the biggest and winds can get upto 70-80mph in Strong Sandstorms.

In 2011 we will only be taking 1 SUV Car meaning 1 Tour Guide and 4 Passengers although we are able to do it with 3 Passengers at a Minimum and as we now have this number of guests we now have a Tour. So basically there is 1 more spot up for grabs if anyone else fancies this type of Storm Chase. Costing for the first year will be much lower than normal and 25% cheaper than the Tornado Chase Trips at £1,275 for 10 days and 11 Nights based in Pheonix. Flights to Pheonix Sky Harbour are Direct from Heathrow with BA or you can stage the journey with numerous other Airlines and get Internal flights from most cities in the USA. Like the Plains there are numerous things to do if the weather is not favourable.

I have checked all the Storm Reports over the last 15 years on SPC & The time period we are looking at seems to be quite active with numerous Hail and Wind Reports meaning those Storms have been Banging around in other Monsoon Seasons previous.

Please Please whatever you do take a look at the following Blog Post from Susan Strom who has allowed me to Post it on here - It really does answer any questions you might have about Monsoon Chasing from Temperature, Flora, Fauna, Insects, Camera Settings, Things to Do and Areas to Chase etc

http://lightninglady.blogspot.com/

Regards

Paul Sherman

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Posted
  • Location: Stanstead Abbotts, Hertfordshire
  • Weather Preferences: Stormy...
  • Location: Stanstead Abbotts, Hertfordshire
:yahoo:
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Posted
  • Location: Doncaster South Yorkshire 4m( 13ft) ASL
  • Location: Doncaster South Yorkshire 4m( 13ft) ASL

sounds cool might come on one of the storm/monsoon chases one year when ive got abit of spare cash

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Posted
  • Location: Stanwell(south side of Heathrow Ap)
  • Weather Preferences: Thunderstorms, squally fronts, snow, frost, very mild if no snow or frost
  • Location: Stanwell(south side of Heathrow Ap)

That is going to be incredible! ive seen alot of photo's from desert thunderstorms and amazing they are, in fact i would prefer this type of trip rather than the alley, although incredibly exciting tornado alley is but as we know extreme danger at times, i like to stand around watching amazing storms build up and move in or along the horizon without the worry of a twister! enjoy the trip everyone and i look foward to the photos!

Edited by ElectricSnowStorm
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Posted
  • Location: Poole, Dorset 42m ASL
  • Location: Poole, Dorset 42m ASL

:( :( Two glum people here as we can't get the time off this year.

Oh well here's hoping you are successful and run it next year.

Edited by Dorsetbred
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Posted
  • Location: Leigh On Sea - Essex & Tornado Alley
  • Location: Leigh On Sea - Essex & Tornado Alley

:( :( Two glum people here as we can get the time off this year.

Oh well here's hoping you are successful and run it next year.

Can or Cant ??

Btw if you want to see what sort of Shots of Lightning to expect see below as well

http://www.lightninglady.com/gallery.htm

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Posted
  • Location: Poole, Dorset 42m ASL
  • Location: Poole, Dorset 42m ASL

Can or Cant ??

Btw if you want to see what sort of Shots of Lightning to expect see below as well

http://www.lightninglady.com/gallery.htm

Can't :wallbash:

:(:(

And posting the URl just makes things worse.

We will be there next year, so count us in ( that cuts down on how many more you need for next years run already)

Edited by Dorsetbred
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Posted
  • Location: Barnet, North London
  • Location: Barnet, North London

Please Please whatever you do take a look at the following Blog Post from Susan Strom who has allowed me to Post it on here - It really does answer any questions you might have about Monsoon Chasing from Temperature, Flora, Fauna, Insects, Camera Settings, Things to Do and Areas to Chase etchttp://lightninglady.blogspot.com/RegardsPaul Sherman

I was sold until I Googled what a Tarantula Hawk Wasp was. :shok: :shok: :shok: :shok: :shok: :shok: :shok:

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Posted
  • Location: Poole, Dorset 42m ASL
  • Location: Poole, Dorset 42m ASL

I was sold until I Googled what a Tarantula Hawk Wasp was. :shok:

I love this, I found this as a way to get rid of the wasps :rofl:

Find a tree limb or branch that is approximately 10 feet long. Secure four cotton balls on the end of the stick, poking the stick through them.

4

Light the cotton balls with a lighter. Stick the flame under the wasp nest until it catches fire. This will only take a matter of moments. Step back 20 feet, place the limb on the ground, and step on the cotton balls until they are no longer on fire. :doh:

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Posted
  • Location: Leigh On Sea - Essex & Tornado Alley
  • Location: Leigh On Sea - Essex & Tornado Alley

I was sold until I Googled what a Tarantula Hawk Wasp was. :shok: :shok: :shok: :shok: :shok: :shok: :shok:

Oh God Mike

I dont even want to Google it now just in case I am pulling out as well :whistling:

But seriously I went in 2008 and the only problem we had was the Temperatures which were about 107f - Plenty of water and fruit helps though and we will have that in abundance.

Susan will almost certainly be around as well and she is a past master at what to do (Eg not leaving Car doors open when shooting Lightning) in case some of the desert Wildlife wants a ride back to Pheonix

Edit: Actually I did google it and not as bad as I thought it would be and I have actually seen these Insects flying around Dallas and SW Texas

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarantula_hawk

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Posted
  • Location: Stanstead Abbotts, Hertfordshire
  • Weather Preferences: Stormy...
  • Location: Stanstead Abbotts, Hertfordshire

I was sold until I Googled what a Tarantula Hawk Wasp was. :shok: :shok: :shok: :shok: :shok: :shok: :shok:

and I was just getting over the idea of flying scorpions...............................doh.gif

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Posted
  • Location: gosport
  • Location: gosport

hi all

count me in i am really looking forward to it as i had miss may tornado chasing this year :yahoo:

the boss is happy about me having aug off as he wants me to do loads overtime

i will come to the chaser bbq and introduce myself but a few know me from chasing in the plains and bring a few drinks with me :drinks:

i do need help to get a new dslr or at least rent one any pointers on what to get any ideas my last one was a nikkon d80 with manual remote shutter release.is there a good one for lightning photo,s obviously a wide angle lens is a must ie 17mm-22mm and the bog stanard 35mm to 135mm.

paul s are the dates still the same as discussed in the pm's or is there going to be a change as i have provisionally booked the time at work?:excl:

paul h

Edited by the storm fisherman
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Posted
  • Location: Leigh On Sea - Essex & Tornado Alley
  • Location: Leigh On Sea - Essex & Tornado Alley

hi all

count me in as the boss is happy about me having aug off but he wants me to do loads overtime.

anyway i do need to get a new dslr or at least rent one any ideas

paul s are the dates still the same as discussed in the pm's or is there going to be a change as i have provisionally booked the time at work?

paul h

Hi Paul

Yes please see the Thread Title - Has the Dates in the Sub Title as 16th - 27th August.

Fly out on Tuesday 16th with first Chase day as Wednesday 17th August. The Last Chase Day will be the 26th August. That way we fly back on Saturday the 27th August landing back on Sunday 28th (Bank Holiday Sunday) and get the Bank Holiday Monday off to recover from the Jet Lag :good::hi:

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Posted
  • Location: gosport
  • Location: gosport

Hi Paul

Yes please see the Thread Title - Has the Dates in the Sub Title as 16th - 27th August.

Fly out on Tuesday 16th with first Chase day as Wednesday 17th August. The Last Chase Day will be the 26th August. That way we fly back on Saturday the 27th August landing back on Sunday 28th (Bank Holiday Sunday) and get the Bank Holiday Monday off to recover from the Jet Lag :good::hi:

I never could read the large print :doh:

ok then i have the time booked off at work.

i take it your flying direct with ba flight 289 @ 14.35 on the tuseday?

Edited by the storm fisherman
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Posted
  • Location: south London
  • Location: south London

may I come...

Said Oliver Twist to Mr Bummble :shok:

WHAT YOU WANT MORE MORE MR BUMBLE SHOUTED TO OLIVER :rofl:

Yes stick me in Storm Rehab shouted back Oliver..LOL

you lot are making envious.....I will have to ban this thread..!!

Sorry having a funny week..lol

Edited by dogs32
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Posted
  • Location: Bicester Oxfordshire
  • Location: Bicester Oxfordshire

Oh God Mike

I dont even want to Google it now just in case I am pulling out as well :whistling:

But seriously I went in 2008 and the only problem we had was the Temperatures which were about 107f - Plenty of water and fruit helps though and we will have that in abundance.

Susan will almost certainly be around as well and she is a past master at what to do (Eg not leaving Car doors open when shooting Lightning) in case some of the desert Wildlife wants a ride back to Pheonix

Edit: Actually I did google it and not as bad as I thought it would be and I have actually seen these Insects flying around Dallas and SW Texas

http://en.wikipedia..../Tarantula_hawk

YIKES :crazy: i wondered what those huge flying insects that looked suspiciously like giant wasps were that i see flying around the citrus groves in the San Joaquin Valley in California

see quite a few Hummingbirds as well 8) they were cool

Edited by gpspete
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  • 4 weeks later...
Posted
  • Location: Rossland BC Canada
  • Location: Rossland BC Canada

Glad to hear you are expanding into this territory. I'm sure you will have some local advice about daytime places to visit that might blend in with likely storm viewing opportunities expected later in the day. Near Tucson there is the extensive Saguaro cactus national monument that is very scenic and interesting to drive through (paved roads very close to the city as well). West of Tuscon there is Kitt Peak National Observatory on top of a 10,000' mountain, rather an isolated peak and might be just the place for a good thermal upsloper, perhaps they would have tours there. If you see storms likely east of Phoenix, the Superstition Mountains are quite rugged and there's a road running east through a canyon to the Anasazi pueblo ruins (I forget the exact name of this national monument) with cliff dwellings like Mesa Verde in Colorado, only much smaller and easier to get at. That's near the Mogollon Ridge in eastern AZ which is primary monsoonal staging ground. I'll bet you get over that way a few times. West from Phoenix to Gila Bend and Yuma is pretty desolate irrigated farming country that sees the worst heat in the region, your U.K. metabolisms are going to do better any time you can get up above the level of the higher Tucson suburbs like 3,000 to 5,000 ft above sea level. The worst area for sandstorms is probably around Coolidge between Phoenix and Tucson. Anyway, two other things to store away in the old memory bank, if you get southeast of Tucson, you could visit Tombstone which is maintained like a 19th century wild west town for tourists. Nowadays, I would stay away from about 20 miles from the Mexican border because patrols will stop you quite often in that area. Anyway that's not prime monsoon thunderstorm country. But if you happen to get well west of Tucson, the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is very scenic and has unusual forms of cactus that you don't see elsewhere in the desert.

I guess you won't get this far north, but it would be a shame to come to Arizona and not see the Grand Canyon and perhaps the Meteor Crater which is east of Flagstaff. They have a lot of storms in those areas too, plus it's nowhere near as hot being 8,000 feet above sea level on the plateau. (only 95 F ha ha).

For me it's going to be southern Utah, and if I get some good storm pics I will post them in this forum somewhere. Southern Utah has the most spectacular scenery in America and perhaps anywhere if you like coloured rock formations and weird shapes. I will post but one example below (you've seen this before, methinks):

(and this region gets monsoonal storms most days in August as well, you wouldn'r regret seeing this part of the country some day).

post-4238-0-37720100-1302601730_thumb.jp

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Posted
  • Location: gosport
  • Location: gosport

Hi all

thanks Roger that's a wonderful discription of we might expect i for one will just love to go to the grand canyon just for the fantastic views

if netweather crew stomchasing this end up in Amirillo with a down day then take trip out to the palo duru canyon state park its not on the same scale as the grand canyon

but impresive never the less.

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Posted
  • Location: Leigh On Sea - Essex & Tornado Alley
  • Location: Leigh On Sea - Essex & Tornado Alley

Thanks Roger. Noted all of the above, the great thing is we have Susan Strom on tap who knows all the best Lightning Vantage Points especially the Mogollan Rim, went to Flaggy myself in 2008 and saw some amazing T-Storms at 7,000ft above Sea Level, the smell of Pine was overwhelming as well.

Cant wait for this and hope it takes off like the Tornado Tours, I am sure it will as good company is as important on these trips.

Paul S

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Posted
  • Location: gosport
  • Location: gosport

hi all

its 4 months to my birthday on the 17th aug hoping for some extreem weather that day as a birthady present that will be ::drinks::Drinks all round to celebrate if it was to happen .

on a more serious note paul could you please pm the me deatils of how, what and when the money needs to be paid so that i can plan the finance details ie deposits,balance due etc.

Edited by the storm fisherman
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Posted
  • Location: Milton Keynes
  • Location: Milton Keynes

I can't think about it yet, the anticipation of tour 1 in the alley is enough to make me burst already, I really am spoiling myself this year :drinks::drunk::clap::yahoo:

And Mr Fisherman, what a birthday thats going to be !! Looking forward to the celebrations :drinks:

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