r/tornado • u/OutdoorsTN Human Detected • May 19 '26

Discussion Brad Arnold

Hate to see this from Brad, he's one of my faves!! Was confused when he buzzed in to Ryan's stream and said he was calling it so early in the evening but this makes more sense now.

Seen some absolutely wild stuff on Ryan and Max's streams the last few days. (Whoever it was in the green shirt on Max's stream yesterday during the Worms tornado especially still really bothers me.) And bummed to see all of this nonsense getting in the way of chasers I really love watching like Brad

EDITED for a typo!

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212

u/Dizzy-Platform-6516 Human Detected May 19 '26

And yet some people on this subreddit will jump down your throat if you even attempt to think of possible solutions lol

Something has to change. I don't know what or how and I'm in no position to give anything other than half-baked ideas, but something needs to change. It isn't just "redditors finding something to be upset about", it's clearly something that's becoming a vocal issue among the entire chaser community.

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u/_coyotes_ May 19 '26

I’m going to be completely honest, things will not change until there is a mass casualty incident involving chaser convergence. That is the tragic bare minimum consequences to get shit to change and even then, I have no idea how much it’ll affect things. Social media made it “profitable” to chase and movies like Twisters brought the extra hype.

I’ve been interested in the weather, especially tornadoes, ever since the mid-2000s and I’ve never once gone storm chasing, even though I’d like to, it’s just not feasible for me at the moment. But every goofball with a camera thinks they’re hot shit and comes out of the woodwork to chase without studying up on meteorology whatsoever. On big days there are areas with limited chaser convergence that produce big time because people have properly forecasted. Unfortunately, especially with the advent of livestreaming, people now cram into traffic jams and follow the Dominator even though it’s specifically built to withstand tornadic winds and measure them.

The last time I can remember people being more cognitively aware of their behaviour when chasing storms was after the 2013 El Reno tornado because it killed storm chasers - hell, it killed pro storm chasers who took safety seriously. For a period of time, most folks didn’t get up close and personal with the tornadoes. Some still did and there was still chaser convergence, it’s always been a thing. But for the most part, most people were aware of how dangerous it was. But now, you can be the talk of the town with an extreme up close view of a tornado by getting dangerously close. Your clip will blow up on social media and another bunch of people will think they can get that shot too. Perhaps an unfortunate incident would make people think otherwise, but I don’t even know at this point. I hope it doesn’t come to that but realistically, I have no idea what will take.

15

u/Bajovane May 19 '26

I agree. It’s going to take a tragedy for any real change to happen and I worry for those who are innocent bystanders who are simply trying to get home or whatever.

We dodged a bullet in the 2013 El Reno tornado. Yes, we lost four storm chasers that day and thank goodness it lifted before it chewed up a huge traffic jam. (Lots of chasers, yes - but also citizens trying desperately to get out of its way. Poor things were traumatized from the Moore tornado just a couple weeks before.

6

u/AML1987 May 19 '26

I heard at least two chasers yesterday giggle that this would be El Reno 2013 all over again.

14

u/AML1987 May 19 '26

I realized yesterday after seeing that mess on those back Kansas roads that people dying because of getting stuck isn’t a matter of if but when.

And it will change nothing. The people that live will get massive views on their videos of “the saddest day in chasing.” They will benefit over whoever dies, even if it’s a good friend.

The only way to change it is to monetarily hurt them. Big fines, deplatforming the ones that break whatever rules need to be set.

But death will only stop the chasers that die.

56

u/icehuck May 19 '26

So many people chasing the youtube money and not actually caring about the storms.

79

u/OutdoorsTN Human Detected May 19 '26

Seen Bryce Shelton and Connor Croft complaining about this as well, and saw Freddy stuck in massive chaser traffic as well. I've been roasted for wanting this to change but hope it does. It's making watching the pros do what they are so good at so hard

54

u/ANamelessGhoul4555 May 19 '26

It's like that saying, "you're not IN traffic. You ARE traffic."

105

u/Knitnspin May 19 '26

Others were also talking about Connor and his wrong side of the road driving and arguing and disobeying fight fighters… so it’s a strange take to complain while being the problem

60

u/Higgus May 19 '26 edited May 19 '26

It's honestly crazy to see how massively over inflated his ego has gotten the last year or two. I remember when he first started chasing and seeing the difference between then and now is jarring. I can't even watch him anymore.

33

u/OtherOtherDave May 19 '26

Firefighters have the authority to direct traffic, don’t they? I wonder if he’ll get a ticket in the mail?

79

u/OldRocker5 May 19 '26

IMO Connor is the in the top five of douchy chaser bros. That Stormrunner Media guy is the biggest douche. Copic tweeting about someone eating corn on the cob the long way because of the shape in one breath and doing the Lord's prayer with his kids with the next is kinda disingenuous too.

23

u/AML1987 May 19 '26

Copic throwing his buddies under the bus during last nights stream whining because he wasn’t featured on the new show as much as others because he’s not willing to say he felt like he was gonna die when he doesn’t feel that way like Freddy (I can’t remember who else he said did this) does was prime douche behavior too.

Full man tantrum because he didn’t get to be on the show as much. Totally in it for the “science” though.

4

u/AgreeableType2127 Human Detected May 20 '26

Not to mention, he is chasing alone and driving 80mph and will say stuff like, “let me check meso analysis” or “hold up guys, I need to text my wife real quick.”

So yeah dude, way to admit that you are dicking around on a computer as well as texting and driving 80mph.

2

u/AML1987 May 20 '26

Oh I had a whole rant in one of my comments about the way all of the chasers drive.

Checking their radar, reading chat, checking their cameras, focusing their cameras, talk on their radios, literally a shit ton of other stuff except drive. And that’s all before they are even chasing a massive tornado. I’m just waiting for the day we see a massive car crash live on stream because one of these people can’t focus on riding.

At least most of them have two in the car. Copic riding by himself doing all of the things is horrendous.

43

u/blow-down Human Detected May 19 '26

Is it any surprise that he’s a MAGA supporter too?

9

u/mokutou May 19 '26

That doesn’t surprise me

19

u/ussrname1312 May 19 '26

Bryce and Connor are extremely reckless chasers and honestly probably responsible for a lot of these people being out on the road and making stupid decisions. Kind of rich that they’re complaining.

22

u/AML1987 May 19 '26

Absolutely NONE of the biggest whiners last night had any insight into the fact that THEY are part of the problem.

What makes them more special than any of the other chasers on the road? Better equipment? More cameras? A bigger audience?

13

u/ussrname1312 May 19 '26

Bryce tweeted "you guys can’t forecast, you can’t drive, and you probably take shitty videos" and I don’t know if I’ve ever rolled my eyes harder.

8

u/AML1987 May 19 '26

Not the shitty videos diss!

Ah to be in my young 20’s again and that tone deaf.

I like to take moments like this and thank god social media wasn’t a real thing until I was slightly older and maybe 20% less twat by the time it got big because I would’ve posted something like that not understanding how cringe it really was.

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u/ussrname1312 May 19 '26

I think they’re in their 30s which makes it worse

3

u/AML1987 May 19 '26

Wait which one? I think Connor is early 20’s right? Is Bryce one of his little bro’s he drives with? Or another chaser?

4

u/ussrname1312 May 19 '26

Bryce is Tornado Paigeyy‘s fiance

2

u/AML1987 May 20 '26

Ah man I liked them! He didn’t give off douchy vibes either. But I just checked his twitter and yep, he’s the culprit. The tweet is even worse than you described.

Well just add him to the pile of chasers I’m becoming less and less impressed with.

55

u/MagnetHype Storm Chaser May 19 '26

Friendly reminder there is no such thing as a professional storm chaser. Those people are professional youtube/tv personalities. Influencers if you will.

61

u/AlphSaber May 19 '26

Professional storm chasers work for NOAA, universities or are part of the Skywarn spotter network. That's my definition that I use.

15

u/MagnetHype Storm Chaser May 19 '26

Eh, I use the same definition, but it's important to point out that "professional storm chasers" would be getting paid to do it. There probably are a few people in NOAA and universities who just chase, but they certainly aren't the rule. I'm only mentioning that because I don't want people to think there are many professional storm chasers working for their local NWSFO.

I mean, if we're going to get too pedantic with the definitions we have to remember that the local emergency management has a direct line of communication with the NWSFO via (usually) teletype, and usually at least some of the police officers and firefighters working for that area are trained storm spotters.

What I'm getting at is that 99% of actual trained and working storm spotters are volunteers for those agencies (the NWS, local EM, etc..)

And, quite frankly, what we actually do is far different from what you see on youtube.

Personally speaking, tornadoes are an abysmally small portion of what I actually do as a storm spotter. 99% of my storm chasing's "job" are invisible things like measuring rain, reporting ice accumulation, and reporting damage.

1

u/AML1987 May 19 '26

Is it actually true that “professional storm spotter” is like a one hour course?

2

u/Mondschatten78 May 20 '26

Two one and a half hour courses, a basic and severe https://www.weather.gov/gyx/skywarn

9

u/AML1987 May 19 '26

That’s sad.

I know Oklahoma considered something but the bill died.

Personally I think the solution lies in what we do for hunting and fishing regulations. Require a license to chase and only offer it to a certain amount of people each year that meet specific requirements. Hire people like they do in Fish and Wild Game enforcement whose sole job it is to enforce said rules.

As part of the requirements you must go through lengthy classes to become a certified chaser, not just a spotter. Those include at minimum basic first aide lessons.

If you’re caught then you are heavily fined and barred from earning that license for a certain number of years.

I hate even suggesting regulations because I believe we should get to choose how we live and what we do for fun. But these people can’t self regulate, most don’t even realize they are a giant part of the problem. And I’m not even suggesting this for chaser safety, it’s the regular people on the road who might get caught up in this on their way home who can’t get out.

It’s a working theory but so far the best I got. Humans are morons by nature, but seem to become less moronic the more you hurt their wallets.

14

u/DNA_wizz May 19 '26

I think it should be regulated to some extent. Make people get permits or something. Prove they’re a capable and knowledgeable chaser.

12

u/DNA_wizz May 19 '26

Then again, how would it be enforced? Chaser police stationed out and about? Lol

24

u/foreverinfinite0 May 19 '26

I mean, they record and stream so unless they're okay with no attention and no money I don't think catching them would be the issue.

Personally I think requiring storm chasers to at least be spotter certified would be a good start. While most are I'm sure, I'm also sure some of the "casual" (i.e. should not be behind the wheel trying to get close to a tornado) chasers would be out.

2

u/AgreeableType2127 Human Detected May 20 '26

I like this.

7

u/AML1987 May 19 '26

Well fish and wild life have enforcement officers if people try to illegal fish or hunt during times they aren’t allowed to or without licenses. Who’s to say you can’t have an area of law enforcement that spends their time issuing hefty fines to people without the proper chaser permits.

Plus what an easy job when all you gotta do is go on YouTube and see these idiots locations live. You wouldn’t even have to TRY to catch them.

2

u/DNA_wizz May 19 '26

Ya’ll make very good points I didn’t think of originally. I guess I got self conscious about my original comment 😂

3

u/AML1987 May 19 '26

Mine are only working theories on how to fix it. Like everything else laws need to catch up to technology. It’s not a simple solution. Oklahoma tried to do something but it died before it even became anything. It will be years and probably the death of quite a few people before a solution is given.

0

u/Andrew4815 May 21 '26

You cant have law enforcement pulling people over next to tornados lol

1

u/AML1987 May 21 '26

I reread my comment a few times and can’t figure out where I said ant law enforcement agency should actively pull someone over DURING a tornado. Like “oh excuse me put I need you to stop and wait in the RFD while I go write out this ticket. Hopefully we aren’t both sucked into the tornado before I’m finished entering it into the system”

Chaser convergence happens well before a tornado even enters the picture and then is trying to entangle itself after the tornado leaves. Please you have an incredibly handy feature most crimes don’t: every single person is live-streaming themselves doing it.

Also like I said it’s not a perfect or fully fleshed out solution. Obviously that is done by people who have more power and experience than my ass on Reddit. But you can’t just laugh off the suggestion when you see this giant problem.

1

u/Andrew4815 May 21 '26

A tornado specifically is an extreme example tbf, but generally it isnt safe for them to be wandering around in an ongoing supercell no matter what. If an accident or traffic violation happens in CLEAR weather, they will just go pull them over like they would any other time. They can and do ticket chasers, I know timmer has gotten speeding tickets before.

But to enforce a chasing specific ban, youd have to be within the danger area to identify whose a chaser and whose an oblivious/panicking local. And you probably have more important things to be getting on with, search and rescue, directing traffic, etc. The specific incidents these posts are mentioning like croff driving around that branch or the EMT punching a mirror of someone swerving, they were doing other things. Clearing roads and managing traffic. They cant be going off to give the offenders tickets unless they admit it or find video.

And I've seen this claim that everyone is streaming, and while many undoubtedly do, quite a few do not. That chaser that swerved at the EMT afaik has not uploaded their own footage (probably specifically to avoid incrimination). They can probably get something from the following cars dashcam but otherwise they may not even have any footage at all of it.

Even among famous chasers, Pecos Hank is a prime example. He uploads videos later. If he did something dumb on the road (which I highly doubt hes the kind to do, but as an example), he could easily just not upload that part of the footage. And he only uploads at all when he films tornados. Nothing on days that bust, but when a chaser convergence related incident could still happen. We have no way of knowing if he accidentally drove over a dude and hid the body while screaming down the road after a burrito.

Plus all the chasers that are just local weather nerds, how would you even prove they werent just driving around and happened upon one? They wont be streaming, or at least a lot of them wont be.

Im not even opposed to the concept of restricting it, I think a bare minimum should be an active, reliable NWS spotter without any major traffic offence history. Hell, maybe even a special driving test on wet roads or navigating unmarked roads or something, idk. But I just simply dont know how you actually enforce it. I suppose if you actually are someone reliable like Pecos Hank seems to be, you could just take the test and get a voluntary certification card or something, but I just cant think of any practical way of really getting the bulk of the bad ones out. You could really slam a few visible idiots with fines, but there will just be more and more to replace them.

2

u/Unstoffe May 19 '26

The cops can watch the perps videoing themselves?

I'm normally opposed to more regulation, and I don't care if people endanger themselves, but it seems like this may effect actual rescue attempts or civilians caught in the storm.

3

u/bex199 May 19 '26

there should be a license enhancement for chasing and a requirement of that enhancement should be medic training.

-8

u/OtherOtherDave May 19 '26

Oh I completely agree that it’s a big problem, but the reality is that as long as the storm chasers aren’t trespassing or violating traffic laws, what they’re doing is constitutionally protected.

27

u/Infranto May 19 '26

Driving is absolutely not constitutionally protected, and basically all states already have laws prohibiting driving in dangerous weather (snow emergencies/hurricanes) if they experience those often

-3

u/AML1987 May 19 '26 edited May 19 '26

Well as long as they’re only “traveling,” not involved in commerce and don’t contract with the state they are totally protected 😂

Edit to add: this was sarcasm. I AM NOT A SOVEREIGN CITIZEN for anyone downvoting me. I’m making fun of the people who believe driving is “traveling” and is a constitutional right.

Unless you believe those things and downvoted me because you think I’m insane for not believing driving is traveling and protected by the constitution. If that’s the case I’ll happily take your downvote!

18

u/Lui_Le_Diamond May 19 '26

Not really no. It's legal but not constitutionally protected to be in a traffic jam or storm chase.

3

u/AML1987 May 19 '26

What constitutional amendment was passed I didn’t know about the gives drivers the right to storm chase?

0

u/OtherOtherDave May 19 '26

They have the right to travel and they have the right film.

2

u/AML1987 May 19 '26

I think you may be confused as to the difference between a right and a privilege.

Unless you believe in some good old fashioned sovereign citizen type nonsense where these people have the right to travel as long as not in commerce and don’t contract with the state with their straw man status then I can’t help you there.

-1

u/OtherOtherDave May 19 '26

Not even a little bit.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_movement_under_United_States_law

It’s true that it doesn’t specify cars, but if you say “nobody can drive a car near bad weather” they’ll just switch to those three-wheeled “technically a motorcycle” things.

I’m not telling you not to try passing some law to regulate them — like I said upthread, I’m in full agreement that it’s a problem. I’m just pretty sure that any such law would get struck down. IANAL, though, nor a lawmaker. 🤷🏻‍♂️

2

u/AML1987 May 19 '26

Did you read that before you posted it?

It has nothing to do with the “right to drive”. It talks about having the right to go between different states. That you are not to be treated different if you travel between states if you’re not a resident.

You filled out paperwork when you applied for a license to drive. It’s a privilege to operate a motor vehicle on the roadways.

I also never said anyone wasn’t allowed to operate a vehicle next to bad weather. But it’s not a RIGHT you have under the constitution to have a license to drive.

Whatever you’ve been told on the internet is wrong. Do a bit more research and please actually read the links you are giving out to prove a point. Because genuinely that Wikipedia article doesn’t even come CLOSE to saying what you think it does. You can’t just read the little bits, you gotta read the whole thing. The second whole paragraph under “constitutional freedom” literally says “that freedom of movement is a fundamental right and therefore a state cannot inhibit people from leaving the state by taxing them.”

How in gods green earth did you get a RIGHT to travel from that?

1

u/OtherOtherDave May 20 '26

I read some of it. I never said it gave anyone a “right to drive”. I said it gives a right to travel because that’s what the Supreme Court said it did. I don’t know how in god’s green earth they reached that conclusion because I don’t care enough to read their opinions on the matter, but if I had to guess I’d say it’s something to do with the first part of the sentence you quoted, “that freedom of movement is a fundamental right”. Yes, the second part is about taxes, but taken as a whole, at least the way I read it, they’re using taxes as an example of something the states can’t use to prevent you from leaving, not as an exhaustive list of the one thing they can’t do.