How Close Is Too Close?

[IL Storm Spotter]

Storm chasers! How close is too close? Meaning how close will you get to a tornado or even a supercell? Is getting too close a dumb move? Do you think about safety first at all times?

[aslkahuna]

How close you get is dependent upon how much you value your life. If been IN two tornadoes and only two blocks from another but in all those cases I was not chasing and had no real choice in the matter and can only say I was fortunate that I was dealing with either formative or relatively weak tornadoes. My closest call during a chase was here in AZ when I had cyclonic rotation pass directly overhead but it was not a wall cloud.

Steve

I'd have to say within range of fly Debris, is to close. Also you would need time to get away if it change direction, so am I correct there? 1/4th a mile?

[aslkahuna]

The inflow into a large intense tornado would still be dangerous at 1/4 mile from the tornado. There have been chasers who have encountered 80-100 mph winds well more than a 1/4 mile out from the tornado-especially on the right hand side of the track.

Steve

[Josh Richardson]

As usual the answer to this questions depends on the situation and the person. In most cases I would be willing it get within a 1/2 mile but again depends on the road network, storm motion and speed and size. There is no actual answer to this question for me...

[Dustin Wilcox]

There have been chasers who have encountered 80-100 mph winds well more than a 1/4 mile out from the tornado-especially on the right hand side of the track.

Steve[/b]

Its called RFD, and can be quite fun at times. As for distance from a tornado, for me its a fact that I will not and can not determine until I am on scene and have evaluated a number of factors, I can tell you the closest I have been to a strong tornado was about 100 yards, and yes it was windy!

[IL Storm Spotter]

Good answers, I think I am more on the bench with Josh. Sometimes I get very very very close while other times, I keep my distance. The road situation would be a negative, not knowing the roads and how they are. Luckily, I only do local chase events in my region so I pretty much know where all the roads lead and how rough they are.

If I am bored, I go drive the backroads just to get familar with them in case I need to go that way during a chase but I never chase in the country alone...