Spring 2009 was easily my favorite chase season (up until then, anyway). I may not have seen as many tornadoes or as large of hail as I did in 2007, but I did chase more often, had a fair bit of success, and saw more photogenic tornadoes. The single contributing factor to what made this season so enjoyable, however, was the company. Although we're out there to see amazing storm structure and severe weather, with the occasional tornado, I find that most of the fun of a chase, for me at least, can be in the people I chase with.
This was the third year in a row that I teamed up with British exchange students who came out to OU for a year, from the University of Reading. As usual, they were a great group of people. There was also an Australian exchange student, Dean Narramore from Monash University, who came with me on almost every chase, and on several occasions had to be the one to persuade me to go. I've rarely seen such passion in anyone for storms and storm chasing. His reactions at seeing his first tornadoes were priceless. I really had a blast with these guys, and will miss our good times chasing.
10 February......North Texas - funnel cloud (photos and video)
09 March..........West Central Oklahoma - supercell (photos)
23 March..........South Central Kansas - tornado (photos)
09 April.............Southeast Kansas/Northeast Oklahoma - squall line (photos)
16 April.............West Texas/South Texas Panhandle - hail (photos)
17 April.............Southwest Oklahoma - funnel clouds (photos and video)
18 April.............Central Oklahoma - hail (photos)
25 April.............Northwest Oklahoma - hail (photos)
26 April.............Northwest Oklahoma - tornadoes (photos and video)
13 May.............North Central/Central Oklahoma - tornadoes (photos and video)
02 June............North Texas - bust
09 June............South Central/Southeast Kansas - supercells (photos)
15 June............South Central/Southwest Kansas - hail (photos)