Tim Samaras, his son, and TWISTEX crew member Carl Young killed in El Reno tornado - Polidicks

[quote][IMG]http://i.minus.com/ibkDf68qVZ571.jpg[/IMG] Many of you will know Tim Samaras from Discovery Channel’s ‘Storm Chasers’, but news is coming into TheWeatherSpace.com that he, his son, and chaser Carl Young were among the people killed in Friday’s El Reno EF3 Tornado. Respected storm chasers have confirmed it. Samaras has not posted on his Facebook or Twitter Account since then leading even more suspicion that the news is true. Even further, Samaras and myself exchange e-mails after every chase event to see how things went and if a story can be written. I’ve yet to hear from him and I always get something back after a chase, even late at night. Samaras was known for his company Twistex. Twistex designed probes that would measure a tornado’s environment. However one thing about these probes is one has to get out and put it directly in the path of the tornado and then get out of there before it picks you up as well. This was very similar to the 1996 hit blockbuster ‘Twister’, in-which the ‘Dorothy’ probes were taken off trucks and put in the tornado’s path. Friday’s tornado was a dangerous tornado because it suddenly turned north toward the group of chasers, unexpectedly. This happens when the tornadic storm cycles, it pulls the tornado north into the core. The tornado of Greensburg 2007 was another example of one that made sharp turns as it occluded into the supercell. Those of you who might say he deserved it and be mean about it … and yes there are people like that out there. Samaras would stop to see if any storm chaser was okay. He would stop a chase if a chaser needed help with starting their car or even hurt. He wasn’t just out there for kicks like 98% of chasers today are. He was a friend to everyone in the chaser community and everyone out of it, like myself. One thing I want to add is I am shocked simply because he put safety first and I would swear Timmer would have gone before him. The tornado took a hard north turn and this likely made a no way out situation for the team, the same turn that took out the weather channel’s team. This turn was sharp and unpredictable … Among the ones who passed was Paul Samaras (Tim’s Son), and Carl Young, another storm chaser. [URL="http://www.theweatherspace.com/2013/06/02/tim-samaras-his-son-and-carl-young-oklahoma-tornad/"]Full article.[/URL] [url=http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/local-news/colorado-storm-chaser-tim-samaras-killed-in-oklahoma-tornado-along-with-son-longtime-partner]Alternate Source.[/url][/quote] I fucking loved these guys; honestly one of the storm chasing legends along with Sean Casey and Reed Timmer. Really, really sad news :(

Sad, but expected. Fuck with nature long enough and it will put its sights on you.

Wow, that sucks. I actually found this show pretty cool. These guys risked their lives by going into FUCKING TORNADOES, in order to get research data. That deserves respect.

Wow, unbelievable, Tim was one chaser who would always put safety above anything. This tornado season has been just depressing..

[video=youtube;Eal4fep7pK4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eal4fep7pK4[/video] Damn this is saddening. I remember this guy from the storm chaser series. May all of the recently deceased in these horrible tornadoes rest in piece.

[QUOTE=Aperture Adam;40877117]Wow, unbelievable, Tim was one chaser who would always put safety above anything. This tornado season has been just depressing..[/QUOTE] That was what surprised me as well. Of all the storm chasers I've seen, Tim was always the one to err on the side of caution. That's not to say he didn't take risks, but he was almost always smart about it. Still, the man and his team gave so much to science and have probably saved hundreds, if not thousands of lives through their research. Deserves a hell of a lot of respect, and I think that applies to many of the storm chasers out there (even the more reckless ones like the Dominator team).

[QUOTE=Aperture Adam;40877117]Wow, unbelievable, Tim was one chaser who would always put safety above anything. This tornado season has been just depressing..[/QUOTE] By the sounds of it, the tornado that got them took a unexpected turn right toward them. So they probably thought they were safe and then that happened. I remember this guy on that Storm Chaser Documentary.

From Samaras' brother's facebook post in the article: [QUOTE]I look at it that he is in 'the big tornado in the sky...'[/QUOTE] Well shit. He could have worded that a tad better. My condolences all the same.

[QUOTE=Bbarnes005;40877259]By the sounds of it, the tornado that got them took a unexpected turn right toward them. So they probably thought they were safe and then that happened. I remember this guy on that Storm Chaser Documentary.[/QUOTE] Yeah, they got unlucky. [img]http://i.minus.com/i7dxZPgDPNx0v.jpg[/img] Can't imagine how terrifying that would be.

There's some footage I'd love to see. If you worked your entire career to get the shot of how awesome the power is, that's the footage to release Didn't Mythbusters put their trucks to the test behind an airliner and one of them was a bit iffy?

[QUOTE=TheTalon;40877638]There's some footage I'd love to see. If you worked your entire career to get the shot of how awesome the power is, that's the footage to release Didn't Mythbusters put their trucks to the test behind an airliner and one of them was a bit iffy?[/QUOTE] You're thinking about TVN's Dominator 2(TornadoVideos.net/Reed Timmer and this team) and TIV2(Sean Casey and Brandon Ivey), they're different teams.

That unexpected turn got a lot of chasers. That's what tossed the Weather Channel vehicle and almost crushed those guys from the video in the other thread. Truly unfortunate. At least they died doing what they loved. [editline]2nd June 2013[/editline] [QUOTE=TheTalon;40877638]There's some footage I'd love to see. If you worked your entire career to get the shot of how awesome the power is, that's the footage to release Didn't Mythbusters put their trucks to the test behind an airliner and one of them was a bit iffy?[/QUOTE] The TIV 2 got hit by a wedge tornado a few days ago. The video is on youtube, just look for "TIV 2 hit by tornado" and it should be up there.

[QUOTE=OvB;40878156]That unexpected turn got a lot of chasers. That's what tossed the Weather Channel vehicle and almost crushed those guys from the video in the other thread. Truly unfortunate. At least they died doing what they loved. [editline]2nd June 2013[/editline] The TIV 2 got hit by a wedge tornado a few days ago. The video is on youtube, just look for "TIV 2 hit by tornado" and it should be up there.[/QUOTE] [video=youtube;LobCDYO78Us]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LobCDYO78Us[/video]

Fuck, first Matt Hughes and now this (even though Matt didn't die from a tornado), well they knew how dangerous their job was, doesn't make it any more right though. My condolences

I wonder if he runs into Steve Irwin the conversation goes like this: Steve "Wow Tim, how'd you die?" Tim "Got sucked up in a huge tornado, always a danger in my work. How'd you die, crocodile got you?" Steve "Uh...yeah, well, it was a...let's talk about something else."

Damn, I watched storm chasers all the time and this guy was the nicest person on it.

I was personal friends with these guys, through storm chasing and otherwise. I was part of the Twistex team back in 2008, during the filming of their nat geo show. I wasn't chasing on the 31st, but was a few days earlier and ran into them on the road. Believe me when I say they were the absolute safest guys out there, as well as the nicest and most humble. Their research has saved countless lives, and their deaths were an absolute shock to us all. We're gonna miss them greatly. Anyways, don't want to be a bummer. Just had to vent.

[QUOTE=Monkeyjoe;40878777]I was personal friends with these guys, through storm chasing and otherwise. I was part of the Twistex team back in 2008, during the filming of their nat geo show. I wasn't chasing on the 31st, but was a few days earlier and ran into them on the road. Believe me when I say they were the absolute safest guys out there, as well as the nicest and most humble. Their research has saved countless lives, and their deaths were an absolute shock to us all. We're gonna miss them greatly. Anyways, don't want to be a bummer. Just had to vent.[/QUOTE] when is gm_tornadochase coming out [highlight](User was banned for this post ("Way to be a dick" - Craptasket))[/highlight]

[QUOTE=Bbarnes005;40878201][video=youtube;LobCDYO78Us]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LobCDYO78Us[/video][/QUOTE] also holy shit "On May 27, 2013, TIV 2 intercepted a large tornado near Smith Center, Kansas. The vehicle was struck by large debris from a nearby farm and suffered damage to the roof-mounted anemometer and at least [B]two breaches of the crew compartment[/B] when the roof hatch and one of the doors were compromised." " recorded winds of 150 to 175 MPH, placing the tornado in the EF3 to EF4 range on the Enhanced Fujita scale"

[QUOTE=Monkeyjoe;40878777]I was personal friends with these guys, through storm chasing and otherwise. I was part of the Twistex team back in 2008, during the filming of their nat geo show. I wasn't chasing on the 31st, but was a few days earlier and ran into them on the road. Believe me when I say they were the absolute safest guys out there, as well as the nicest and most humble. Their research has saved countless lives, and their deaths were an absolute shock to us all. We're gonna miss them greatly. Anyways, don't want to be a bummer. Just had to vent.[/QUOTE] Please make a thread about your work

[QUOTE=Monkeyjoe;40878777]I was personal friends with these guys, through storm chasing and otherwise. I was part of the Twistex team back in 2008, during the filming of their nat geo show. I wasn't chasing on the 31st, but was a few days earlier and ran into them on the road. Believe me when I say they were the absolute safest guys out there, as well as the nicest and most humble. Their research has saved countless lives, and their deaths were an absolute shock to us all. We're gonna miss them greatly. Anyways, don't want to be a bummer. Just had to vent.[/QUOTE] I have an immense amount of respect for what you guys do and it always saddens me to see such pioneers (and heroes, in many respects) lose their lives to the dangers of their career. My best wishes to their families as well as yours; sorry for your loss.

I just finished reading the article, and my Dad mentioned it to me while I was cleaning up in the living room. He says he is "Glad those idiots died." and that he will "...never understand why idiots think just because they're 'professionals' they think they can chase tornadoes." Don't I just have a wonderful father?

[QUOTE=Rellow;40879502]I just finished reading the article, and my Dad mentioned it to me while I was cleaning up in the living room. He says he is "Glad those idiots died." and that he will "...never understand why idiots think just because they're 'professionals' they think they can chase tornadoes." Don't I just have a wonderful father?[/QUOTE] slap him for being a colossal dumbass

Looks like some chasers have finished their tribute for them: [img]http://i.imgur.com/GNp7EHA.jpg[/img] Also, apparently this might be (what remains) of Samaras' chase vehicle. [url=http://i.imgur.com/XpYDKYW.jpg]I'll link it just to be on the safe side.[/url]

[QUOTE=JeanLuc761;40879680]Looks like some chasers have finished their tribute for them: [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/GNp7EHA.jpg[/IMG] Also, apparently this might be (what remains) of Samaras' chase vehicle. [URL="http://i.imgur.com/XpYDKYW.jpg"]I'll link it just to be on the safe side.[/URL][/QUOTE] Man I love the different ways different scientific communities pay tributes to those who have died. and you can just embed that picture here, nothing graphic there, just a wreckage.

[QUOTE=JeanLuc761;40879680]Looks like some chasers have finished their tribute for them: [img]http://i.imgur.com/GNp7EHA.jpg[/img] Also, apparently this might be (what remains) of Samaras' chase vehicle. [url=http://i.imgur.com/XpYDKYW.jpg]I'll link it just to be on the safe side.[/url][/QUOTE] Christ, it isn't even vaguely resembling a vehicle anymore. To think tornadoes do that to armored vehicles.

[QUOTE=JeanLuc761;40879680]Also, apparently this might be (what remains) of Samaras' chase vehicle. [url=http://i.imgur.com/XpYDKYW.jpg]I'll link it just to be on the safe side.[/url][/QUOTE] Compared to shit like this from the same tornado, it goes to show how much we still do not know about them: [img]http://i.imgur.com/reKkNsn.jpg[/img]

[QUOTE=Killuah;40879063]Please make a thread about your work[/QUOTE] Maybe some other time, after all this has passed. Right now a search effort is underway for Paul Samaras's video camera. It was lost amongst the debris and the video will hopefully shed some light on this tragedy. If any OK fpers want to volunteer in this effort PM me and I'll get you the details. Thank you all for the kind words.

I feel bad on this. I do storm chasing and skywarn on the side when I can. The chaser community is a tight knit group. This goes to show no matter how experienced you are you can still get into a bad spot quick. Been chasing for 8 years myself. Kind of puts things back on Earth when this happens. [editline]2nd June 2013[/editline] I've adjusted my coords for Spotter Network to help with the tribute as well.

I've always wanted to go on a chase. Mad respect for these guys.