Severe Weather Intercept & Film Team(SWIFT)

By - SWIFT Lead Forecaster Joseph Cooper

 Just so everyone knows,the tropical weather information has been moved to the tropical page.So don't think I dont care about the Coasts anymore!lol

By - SWIFT Lead Forecaster Joseph Cooper

 I wanted to do a little spot for a NEW gaming website that a couple of friends and I have developed.It is www.takersgaming.com .Here is the basic idea of the site.It is a site that combines XBOX 360 and PS3 gameplay with cash payouts.Basically how it works is you pay the site a certian amount of money and then you sign up for a match.If you finish in the top 5 spots on free for all or on the winning team on team deathmatch you get a payout and depending on the match and what you signed up for that payout can be anywhere from a few cents all the way up to a few hundred bucks!So if you are a hardcore gamer then check it out!Again the site is http://www.takersgaming.com/.  This is a legit site and I back it 100%

By - SWIFT Lead Forecaster Joseph Cooper

  Well,another big severe weather event will hit the Great lakes Wed.The first round should come through early in the morning as a squall line or possible derecho.So the biggest threat will be damagind winds but a few tornadoes can't be ruled out.

  Another line of severe weather may develope and move through the same areas tomorrow night bringing with it damaging winds,hail,and isolated tornadoes.

  However,there could be a bigger threat tomorrow afternoon.If any discrete cells should form in the warm sector across the Great Lakes/Midwest region they could be capable of tornadoes.So if you live in the highlighted are you need to be weather aware tomorrow!

 SWIFT will be chasing tomorrow,we also will be streaming LIVE not only here but on http://www.fox59.com/ .So if you live in the Central Indiana you will want to tune into FOX59 for severe weather coverage because between their great weather team and ours, we will bring you the best severe weather coverage in the state!

By - SWIFT Lead Forecaster Joseph Cooper

  After tornadoes ravaged the Nothern U.S. yesterday more severe storms are exploding across the Midwest today!There were 65 official tornado reports yesterday across the Dakotas,Minnesota,and Iowa!And there were even more hail and high wind reports.

  Today another major severe weather situation is setting up.The SPC has upgraded parts of the Midwest up to a Moderate risk of severe weather!The main risk is going to be extreme damaging winds.However the Eastern part of Wisconsin today needs to be on high alert because dynamics are set up for more tornadoes across that area.So if you Live in Southern Iowa,Northern MO,Southern and eastern WS,and Northern IL you will want to keep in touch with local media outlets and local National Weather Service office for the latest watch/warning info. Here is the link to the NWS http://www.weather.gov/

Sorry for the blocky video,not sure why it is like that.

 By - SWIFT Lead Forecaster Joseph Cooper

 Here are a couple pictures from yesterdays storm chase.The first is from the initial supercell in Vigo County South of Terre Haute.This storm produced a long lasting wall cloud and a few funnels!Video will be up of it soon!The second is from Martinsville,Indiana in Morgan County.You can see a extreme shelf cloud with this sqaull line and let me tell you the storms bit was a lot bigger than its bite!This thing produced 70 - 75 mph gusts!

 Also,I found out today we will be teaming up with FOX 59 in Indianapolis during severe weather to bring everyone a LIVE streaming footage and info. via phone from in the field.So next time severe weather strikes Indiana tune in to FOX 59 because between their awesome weather team and ours we will bring you the best severe weather coverage in the state!Here is a link to their website http://www.fox59.com/

By - SWIFT Lead Forecaster Joseph Cooper

 For the past 3 nights Illinois,Indiana,and Ohio have been hot with sqaull line after sqaull line.Now it appears for the fourth night in a row these same areas with be hit again!Except this will be the last and it might be mother nature is yet to show her worst!

 The Storm Prediction Center has issued a Moderate risk of severe weather across Illinois and Indiana.The main threat will be damaging winds.However,hail and some tornadoes can not be ruled out.Especially with any discrete supercells across the area.

 It appears that the severe threat will start by mid afternoon as the atmosphere becomes unstable and storms start to develop.However,these storms that develop will have a little more kick then the ones in the past few nights because the midlevel jet max will be pushing in back of this system adding more instense winds.If you live in the threat area you need to stay alert and ready to put your severe weather plans into action!

By - SWIFT Lead Forecaster Joseph Cooper     5/9/2010

  A big time severe weather event looks to unfold tomorrow across Kansas,Oklahoma,and very SW. Missouri where it appears we will see the potential for very large hail and tornadoes.

 A big time low pressure system,dryilne,and strong jetstream will provide the lift and instability to cause a major severe weather/tornado outbreak tomorrow.The Storm Prediction Center(SPC) has allready issued a moderate risk of severe weather for tomorrow with a 45% chance of severe weather and some potentially significant events such as very large hail and some strong long track tornadoes.SWIFT will be out chasing this storm tomorrow afternoon and we will be live streaming so make sure to tune in tomorrow aft!

 If you live in this area you need to be on high alert tomorrow for severe weather.Here are some links to keep you weather aware tomorrow. http://www.spc.noaa.gov/   http://www.weather.gov/   http://www.accuweather.com/

 Here is the video from the high risk chase in Arkansas.This was shot a few miles South of Warren.We will have a few more pics in the photo gallery in a little while!

By SWIFT Lead Forecaster Joseph Cooper 5/01/2010

 A major severe weather event is getting ready to unfold across the South today.The SPC has issued a HIGH risk across AR,Southern MO,West TN and KY,and NW MS.The high risk has been issued because of the tornado potential.SWIFt is currently right in the middle of the HIGH risk and are waiting for storms to really get going a little later this afternoon.We will be streaming LIVE today so make sure to check that out.

 If you live in the high risk area you need to be ready to put your severe weather plans into action.

By- SWIFT Lead Forecaster Joseph Cooper  04/24/2010

 Everyone across the South needs to be on high alert today!The Storm Prediction Center has issued a HIGH risk of severe weather acoss portions of Mississippi and Alabama for today.In fact the tornado porobabilities are at 30%!So if you live in the HIGH risk area you need to have your tornado preparedness plan ready for action tomorrow.If you want more info. on this you can go to http://www.spc.noaa.gov/

 However,I do want to urge residents down in the South not to go into severe weather panic mode.Today a lot of forecasters were really thinking there were going to be a ton of tornadoes and there were only 8(some of which were the same tornado).So just because thr SPC says outbreak doesn't mean there for sure will be one.In fact I personally am a little skeptical of todays high risk,however,I want to emphisize that I don't mean it should be taken lightly!If you live in the high risk area you need to be weather aware tomorrow and be ready to put your severe weather plans into action as soon as needed!Here are some links for other weather sources for severe weather coverage. 

http://www.weather.gov/   http://www.weather.com/   http://www.accuweather.com/  http://www.intellicast.com/  http://www.wunderground.com/

By - SWIFT Lead Forecaster Joseph Cooper 4/22/2010

 I just wanted to let everyone know a couple things today.The first is that the severe weather event will continue over parts of the Plains today.In fact the Storm Prediction Center has issued a 10% tornado risk across the Eastern Texas Panhandle and SW. Oklahoma today.If you would like more information on that situation here is the link to the SPC's homepage http://www.spc.noaa.gov/

 Also,I wanted to mention we now have a couple new features that are brand new on the site!The first is we have a live stream set up so now you can view our chases while they are in progress!We also have a new affiliate with imapweather,so we have new High Def. radar on the site that only a couple other chasers have!So be sure to check those out.You can do so by clicking the Live Cam/Hd Weather tab at the top of the page.

 By - SWIFT Lead Forecaster Joseph Cooper 4/21/2010 

 It has been a long time coming,but today looks to be the start of the severe weather season.Right now it appears there will be a smaller episode today of severe weather across the Texas Panhandle with the risk of damaging winds,large hail,and a few tornadoes.However,I think tomorrow is going to be the main day of severe weather.In fact I wouldn't be suprised to see the SPC go Moderate risk tomorrow across the East TX Panhandle and very SW. Oklahoma.I really think we could see our first tornado outbreak this year across that area by tomorrow afternoon.It also appears we will see severe weather right through the weekend with this system.With the SPC issuing a day 3 slight risk across the nations heartland.I also think we could see severe weather both Sat. amd Sunday from this system.So if you live from the Great Plains eastward keep your heads up cause this one could affect you!

 I also wanted to mention a couple things...SWIFT will be streaming this chase season right here on the website so when there is severe weather just log on the website and click on the LIVE chase cam link!And just to remind everyone SWIFT is leaving next Wed. to go to Oklahoma for a few weeks to chase and help Richard Wyllie with his documentary so make sure to keep checking here for daily updates because the next few weeks look explosive severe weather wise!

By - SWIFT Lead Forecaster Joseph Cooper 4/14/10

 Well,it is now at the two week mark for our trip to tornado alley to film the upcoming chase documentary and the chase vehicle is almost done!

 Today we got the laptop stand and external moniture up and going with a few modifications and the help of Lisa's husband Roy,the Interceptor is ready to go!

 As far as what you see here...on the right is my laptop and on the left is another computer screen that will be hooked up to my laptop so I can look at GPS and radar data at the same time.Since the external screen rotates it will allow both Lisa and the backseat passanger to be able to see GPS or radar.This came out exactly like I was hoping if not slighty better!There are more pics as well as more info on The Interceptor on the SWIFT's Equipment page here on the site!

By - SWIFT Lead Foercaster Joseph Cooper 4/5/2010

 Here we go!The real chase season looks like it's going to get started today.There is a major system moving through the nations heartland and it will bring the potential of monster hail,damaging winds,and tornadoes.Some of which may be large,long track tornadoes!

 I think there are two potential areas where we could see intense tornadic activity today.The first and most obvious will be in the Northern,MO and Southern,IA area.I think more specificly the NW corner of MO and the SW corner of IA.It appears a 40 knot jetstreak will come through and really enhance the tornado potential.

 The second place is down across Southern KS where it appears there will be a classic triple point as well as a dryline bulg by mid to late aft.These kind of setups are classic tornado producers.

 There is also a risk for severe weather tomorrow and Wed.SWIFT will not be out today but we will be out the next two if something happens.We do have some other chasers in the field today so if they do get some pics and footage we will try and get it up for you!

By - SWIFT Lead Forecaster Joseph Cooper

  Thursday night I was invited to speak on severe weather preparedness in Morgan Co. Indiana for the Community Emergency Response Team(CERT).

 This is me talking about PDS tornado watches and how to identify them in a SPC watch statement.There are more pictures from the meeting in the photos area.We should have video up next week.

  By - SWIFT Lead Forecaster Joseph Cooper    Aug. 4,2009

    A huge sqaull line moved through the Midwest this morning and afternoon. These pictures are out of Eminence, IN where damaging straight line winds moved through. We were chasing just about 5 miles east of this location. As you can see the cornfield was completly blow down and this storage shed was demolished!

 Overall the have been 30+ severe wind report across Indiana and over 80 across the Midwest. As of now no tornadoes have been reported. And no injuries or deaths to report either.

The first clip is of a small rope tornado that never fully developed, but was still looked cool. The second clip is of a massive wall cloud. It has been sped up so that the rotation may be seen better. And there isn't any audio because of it being sped up.

This is the video taken from inside our tornado probe just South of Richview, IL Sunday. We estimate it was a very small tornado, however it did provide some incredible shots!