Ball State University issued the following announcement on Aug. 20
Ball State University’s Storm Chaser Class gives students hands-on opportunities to study the atmosphere, forecast severe storms, use radars, and chase storms in the Great Plains.
Talk about the weather to Ball State University student Ky’lie Garland-Yates, and it’ll quickly cease being a mere topic of chit-chat in casual conversation.
Clouds, sunshine, light rains, big storms, wind, temperature, humidity—Ms. Garland-Yates is fascinated by these, and all things in the realm of meteorology and climatology. It’s a passion she’s had since she was a young child delighted by simply gazing at the sky.
“If you were to ask my mother, she would say that I wanted to be a meteorologist before I could even walk. And, when I was in the fifth or sixth grade, my mother bought me my first camera and a journal. She and I would sit outside and do weather blogs,” said Ms. Garland-Yates, a senior majoring in Geography, with a concentration in Meteorological Studies, and Geographical Information Science (GIS).
So, when Ms. Garland-Yates got the chance to participate in Ball State’s out-in-the field, Storm Chasing Class in late Spring, she jumped at the opportunity. This Storm Chaser Class offers hands-on opportunities to study the atmosphere, forecast severe storms, use radars, and chase storms. During this class, usually held in the Summer, students spend four days in the classroom and about 18 days in America’s Great Plains chasing storms.
“Being out in the elements, getting real-world experience and seeing weather phenomenon up close—that was one of the greatest experiences of my life!” Ms. Garland-Yates said, noting that this hands-on learning opportunity augmented her classroom education. “There was one day where the storm was moving a lot faster than we thought it was. We got out the car to take pictures and we quickly got back into the car. We were safe and never in danger; the storm was a really good distance away. We were able to see this storm almost taking over the sky way behind us, while in front of us was a beautiful sunny sky. It was breathtaking!
“But you also realize that something so beautiful, like weather, can cause so much chaos, havoc, damage, injury to people, and sometimes, death.”
Case in point: two of Ms. Garland-Yates’ storm-chasing classmates captured video of an EF-1 tornado that hit Selden, Kansas, in May.
Original source can be found here.
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