Q&A with Chris Kridler, author of the novel Funnel Vision
Brief bio: Chris Kridler is an award-winning writer, photographer and storm chaser whose chase accounts can be found at SkyDiary.com and whose blog and other photographic work are featured at ChrisKridler.com. As a journalist, she’s covered a variety of topics, from space shuttle missions to publishing. Chris’ photographs have appeared in several magazines and books, including the covers of The Journal of Meteorology, the book Winderful, and Wallace and Hobbs’ Atmospheric Science textbook. She was recently featured in Popular Photography. Her short film “Chasing Reality” won the best documentary award at the Melbourne Independent Filmmakers Festival in Florida in 2011. She also has been interviewed on several TV shows and on “American Variety Radio” on public radio. Funnel Vision is her first novel.
Chris Kridler chases storms every spring in Tornado Alley, along with lightning storms in Florida. Photo by Amanda Stratford, stratfordphotos.com
How did you first get involved with chasing storms?
I was always interested in weather and tornadoes. I realized in 1997 that there were actually storm-chasing tours, so I booked two weeks with Cloud 9 Tours and got hooked. I had never seen the massive storms with amazing structure like those I saw on the Plains. The next year, I chased for two weeks on my own and two more weeks with the tour. Every year since, I’ve gone back to Tornado Alley to chase storms in the spring. I also chase lightning storms in Florida.
Are there many women who chase storms?
Our numbers are increasing, as are the numbers of chasers overall, but there are still far fewer women than men who chase storms. People chase storms for a lot of different reasons – I have scientific curiosity and an appreciation of their beauty, along with a love for the freedom of the road while following the whims of nature – but some chasers seem to be in it for the adrenaline or machismo. As the community grows, there’s a lot of debate about people’s motives, as fame has become a component for some chasers, too.
Funnel Vision, a novel by Chris Kridler
Why did you write “Funnel Vision”?
“Funnel Vision” is the first novel I’ve published, but the third I’ve written. I’ve always been a writer, even before I was a storm chaser. The powerful allure of the storms for chasers, along with the chaos that goes along with them, was an attractive subject for a novel. I wanted to get into the heads of some of the people who chase storms and show a little of what they were thinking – and, you might say, what I am thinking when I chase storms, though I’m not a character in the novel. In the end, of course, chasers are just people, with all the hangups, drama, amorous inclinations and humorous outlooks that anyone else might have, even if they have this particular obsession. Ultimately, I wanted to tell an entertaining story.
Where did the title come from?
While I worked at The Sun in Baltimore, I wrote an article in 1998 about my first chasing experience with a tour group. A clever editor came up with “Funnel Vision” to headline the article, and when I started writing the novel in the mid-2000s, it seemed like a perfect title to borrow.
Have you read any other novels about storm chasing?
While there are a few novels about storm chasers, I have not read them, since I didn’t want them to have any unintentional influence on my story. One reason I decided to publish my novel now was to stay on, if not ahead, of the curve and to make sure technology didn’t further overtake my tale. As I revised the novel, I had to update its technology continually, though I have taken a lot of liberties in the name of fiction.
What is ‘Chasing Reality’?
“Chasing Reality” is a short documentary I produced about the realities of storm chasing. Much of what you see about chasing on TV is highly condensed and edited, leaving out most of the long drives, the dreary hotels, and the role of chasers’ cars as homes away from home. This short film shows what it’s really like, with a sense of humor and, of course, a few tornadoes. It won the Best Documentary award at the Melbourne Independent Filmmakers Festival in Melbourne, Florida, in 2011.
What is your favorite kind of weather to photograph?
A highly structured supercell in the beautiful light of a fading day is my favorite weather subject. Lightning is a bonus. These “perfect storms” are rare, but when you can capture a massive storm in a photograph that looks like a layer cake or UFO, you can almost sense its rotation and power. A unique setting can make all the difference, too; one of my favorite photos is of a lightning strike over the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy.
How do you determine where to go to find storms?
First, it’s important to be where the storms happen – in the spring, that’s Tornado Alley. Then, of course, you need to start your day within driving distance of the target, so you are always doing long-range and short-range forecasts. On a chase day, I look at a variety of data sources online and try to pick the best spot for initiation of rotating storms. As the day continues, a combination of live radar and satellite updates, thanks to cellular data, and strategic planning can help a chaser get into position. That said, there are a thousand ways to miss the ideal moment on the ideal storm, so luck is involved, too.
A rotating supercell in northern Kansas, 8 May 2001. Photo by Chris Kridler, ChrisKridler.com, SkyDiary.com
How do you stay safe during lightning storms and tornadoes?
While you are never a hundred percent safe when chasing storms, if you have an idea of how supercells behave, have a good view of the storm and are getting radar data to boot, you can stay relatively safe from tornadoes. Large hail is also a danger, and I’ve had a couple of cars remodeled thanks to hail. Sometimes it’s a matter of choosing between getting close and getting the great shot and staying farther away, though those shots can be nice, too. I am not one of those folks who thinks it’s a great idea to drive into a tornado. As for lightning, if you can hear thunder, you are in danger of being struck. I sometimes shoot lightning from within my car by placing the camera on a window clamp. The metal car can act to disperse the charge if it’s struck, though the open window still increases my risk. That said, I feel safer than I would outside with a tripod, though I do that, too, if the lightning isn’t too intense.
What’s the most dramatic storm you have chased?
My most exciting chase was in 2004 – May 12, 2004, in Attica, Kansas. My group saw three tornadoes. One we saw from its beginning as the funnel formed in a field. It was eerily calm. Because the tornado wasn’t destroying anything, it didn’t make that “freight train” sound you so often hear about. It sounded like a waterfall. As it gained power, it got closer and closer to us. We had to scoot up the road, and as we looked back to our west and filmed it, it destroyed a house as it crossed the road, just a quarter mile away from us. Big hail was falling, and another tornado was forming to our east, threatening to cut us off. We called a friend and asked him to try to get through to emergency officials – fortunately, the family in the house survived. We caught up to the next tornado, which became very large and started dropping small satellite tornadoes around the edges of the circulation. One dropped on the road right in front of us. That was the first time I ever thought about getting into a ditch. But it dissipated quickly, and we zoomed east and got out of the way.
What advice would you give someone who wants to chase storms?
Learn about strategy by partnering with other chasers or taking a tour. Other chasers appreciate enthusiasts, so if you build your reputation on an online chaser site, it may be easier to find a mentor. Most chasers won’t take you along just because you asked. And, of course, learn about weather and storms. If you have an understanding of how, where and why storms form, you are more likely to find the kind of storm you want to see while staying safe. And don’t believe everything you see on TV.
What web sites do you recommend for people interested in storm chasing?
Stormtrack.org is the most popular storm chaser site, with a large forum. Check out its FAQ. Facebook has also become a gathering place for chasers, but there’s a large noise factor there. Many chasers have their own sites, and some have detailed forecasts in their chase reports. Just reading these can teach you a lot. If you can afford it, take a storm chasing tour – there are many now, with some of the best being Tempest Tours, Cloud 9 Tours and Silver Lining Tours.
Learn more about FUNNEL VISION or buy the book