Reed Timmer, tornado chaser: Ask him questions

I'll start:

I want a storm chasing experience. How do I do it and do it safely?

The storm chasing industry is growing and growing. Are you concerned that too many people are chasing storms? Is this a safety issue?

Others???

What training did you need to become a storm chaser?

Have you had any close calls with lightning strikes while filming tornadoes?

I have two questions.

First, what websites do you use to pinpoint potential storm/tornadoes?

Second, have you had any close calls where you knew you were too close for comfort?

Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions!

To what extent is chasing more than a spectator sport and entertainment - a real fun thing to do - than science?

I do not denigrate in any way the science credentials of folks like Reed, but it's hard to accept the notion that they are anything more than tourist guides for paying customers.

I have no problem with this, as long as they don't get in the way of honest-to-goodness research programs and avoid being hazards to normal vehicle traffic. Being in a position to help out, as illustrated, is honorable, but, I suspect, a relatively rare occurrence.

Can you comment on the VORTEX 2 project? I know your team wasn't involved but you definitely have some insight to the personalities on the team. In your opinion, was the VORTEX 2 project a successfully run operation?

Also, can you comment on the "Chaser Convergence" issue that took place in Oklahoma (I think it was late June?)? In general, there was lots of controversy surrounding bad driving behaviors (rumored to be the Discovery crew) and preventing the researchers from getting into position. What's your take on all this?

Thanks for your time and I love your work!