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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 24, 1999)
ke Battalion Aggielife Page 3 • Wednesday, March 24, 1999 m v ^wisting through Texas succuMeteorology students give new meaning to the term extracurricular activity ideas and tecH BY HINA PATEL The Battalion in said teach:: ility for 20 ye: ? have taup erstandingge: U Ti ching experie /ears at public: at the Unive: Colorado an: xas A&M. :ure is the foe: Ties on healih: iVoosley, fitne: Rec Center,:: ? series is toe: >n fitness, tic: relationships an to the lect® will be admit: oto, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.” Dorothy found herself in a predicament but members of the student Ameri can Meteorological Society chapter (TAMSCAMS) know bet- tei This organization chases tornadoes in College Station and sur rounding areas. I Andy Anderson, chief meteorologist for KCEN-TV, said springtime is when tornadoes are the most frequent. I “This is when the strongest clash in air occurs, the warm Gulf Coast Hinds meet the winter winds of north Canada,” he said. I Leora Casey, a junior meteorology major, said there are many mis conceptions of tornadoes. I “Lots of people think chasing tornadoes is like the movie Twister, ■here there are massive outbreaks of tornadoes,” Casey said. “In reali ty, tornadoes are relatively scarce. They sometimes occur only once a Hason.” I Anderson said tornadoes are unpredictable, and the public should take proper precautions. I “Tornados can occur in any state, every month of the year, but are ■ost prevalent in Tornado Alley, which include the states of Oklahoma, K, nsas, Nebraska, Iowa and, of course, Texas,” Anderson said. “Some of the most severe damage by a tornado occurred two years ^ |r a f° in Jarrell, Texas, where there were 27 lives lost,” he said. FC'mKB.Texas A&M Mobile Severe Storms Data Acquisition program wWii (TAMMSSDA) president and senior meteorology major Jason Jordan said TAMMSSDA allows its members to chase storms. I “During spring break, another meteorology student and 1 caught up I -g** yi to a storm that produced tornadoes west of Austin,” Jordan said. “We I 1 tf didn’t see any tornadoes, so we followed the storm back to College Sta- ' tion. We were on campus and observed the storm as it knocked out pow er to all of campus. All in all, it was a successful chase.” fl hohm Jordan said stress, and lots of it, is how he describes the feeling of U UClUv chasing a storm. I “I feel elated that all my hard work has led me to a storm,” Jordan said. “However, it is stressful as we try to keep ourselves in a safe loca tion. I “We chase storms so that we can have a better understanding of what we are learning in class. You can only understand so much from a book,” Jordan said. “Severe storms are always changing, whereas a picture in a book is a snapshot in time. Chasing allows us to actually see what we are learning in class.” H Casey said getting close to a storm can be both scary and exciting at irents weremiftije same time. ; so young wilt j Jordan said stormchasing is only dangerous for people who do not rs picked him 1 know what they are doing. ust so awful ho* “Not knowing how a severe thunderstorm works puts a person at risk nrved him." for placing themselves in the wrong position,” Jordan said. “Worst case i said Wachsbei? > during the Id Krammer,; t Texas A&M,: azi Germany: a Holocausts, nester,” he rg's] story is s scenario is when an inexperienced person places themselves in the path of a tornado.” Jordan said there are also other risks. “Large hail is always a danger, and lightning is always a threat,” he said. “There are also times when the winds can become strong enough to blow you off the road. “Most people think we chase to see tornadoes, and tornadoes only. That is not the case. I am looking for the other kinds of severe weather, such as hail, high winds and lightning.” Jordan said he has found himself in some dire situations. “Once the vehicle that I was in was hit by lightning,” Jordan said. The only damage was to the paint on top of my vehicle. There was a bright flash of lightning, but I didn’t think about it. It wasn’t until I washed my car the next day and saw that there was paint missing on the top of my Blazer. ” le cjnips partly > youth. 'ho were older »rence Iream lem. VT, GMAT. GRE, tn Kttplan. Wilh s of their choice, s taken Kaplan, you. Jand 29 29 11 Brothers Under Christ Presents stand Party Six Bands - Ten Hours Absolutely Free the waiting Chasing Furries plumb Nickel & Dime UNIVERSE ports Editor mi, Radio Prodic no. Night Newsi : Photo Editor ddin, Aggielife n : Web Editor exas A&M Univeis: >m. News offices art, -ax: 845-2647; ■ p or endorsement -2696. For class® 1 : andofficehou^ SPQMSORED BY: M student to pick -t ions are $60 perscF month. To charge : Shane & Shane Saturday, March 27, 1999 2 p.m. - Midnight At the Polo Fields i Friday during the' »sion (except Uni^, Paid at College $ Reed McDonald If Aggieland Digital JavicI cjarcJner'j Jewelers ♦ Gemolocists MCCOY’S BUILDING SUPPLY CENTERS
