Let us pay tribute to this wonderful Gentlemen and his team

Tim Samaras and his team  have been professional storm chasers for the past 25 years. His obsession with storm chasing led him to develop his own tornado probes to record meteorological data inside of tornadoes. His team included his son Paul and long term partner Carl Young. The objectives of their work is to increase the warning times in Tornado alley through understanding the formation of tornado.  Their work have significantly resulted in more lives being saved in the face of tornado due to the advanced warning system in place. Tim Samaras also runs the scientific field program called TWISTEX ( Tactical Weather Instrumental Sampling in Tornadoes Experiment, www,twistex.org) for the purpose of providing a more efficient advance warning system.

His Team had a successful probe deployment in Grand Island, NE during the last storm. This year, TWISTEX is introducing new instruments to help them meet their scientific goals, including a new probe called TOWER. The new probe features multiple anemometers to measure wind speed and direction, cans of smoke to track circulation, and a brand new 360-degree camera mount. In addition, Tim  Samaras is conducting research for Boeing, testing the effects of large hail on the company's new aircraft.

As a scientist, Tim Samaras have contributed greatly to save others in the event of natural disasters. His meticulous method of recording every single data about tornado allows him to provide a system whereby the advance warning system can depend upon for data input. With the current warning system in place, potential survivor only have on average around 13 min in advance for warning of a tornado occurrence. This has make his work all the more important for every seconds that he increases in the warning system, the higher is the chances for people to survive through the crisis. 

As a storm chaser, Tim Samaras is consider as a deeply devoted person to his job. His car is jam packed with GPS gear, radios, scanners, wireless internet connection and satellite tracking devices. He is constantly checking on weather changes and monitoring the sky using all the devices that he have on hand. With a deep desire to service the public and saving lives, Tim Samaras and his team have embedded this motto deeply into their attitude. 

One of the greatest recall from his work would be June 24, 2003. On a road near Manchester, South Dakota, a F4 tornado dropped from the sky and run riots across the landscape with more than 200 miles an hour wind speed. The storm chasers team was there as the right place and right time. Three probes were deployed to capture the data provided by the storm. These data eventually lead to a better understanding of tornado formation and help to increase the timing for the warning system. 

On May 31, 2013, Tim Samaras and his team were killed by tornado along with 10 more people in central Oklahoma. Tim Samaras, age 55, Paul Samaras 24 and Carl Young, Age 45 were all killed by the tornado that rampages through central Oklahoma. The team have sacrifice their life doing a high risk job simply for the purpose of saving others. Let us have a moment of silence and pay tribute to their contribution. They shall always remain in our memory for their contribution is invaluable. Their dedication to saving complete strangers deserve our utmost respect.  

Forever in our memory, thank you Storm Chasers for your sacrifices to save others!!