April 15, 2002: Storm Chaser - Warren Faidley
Podcast: The Art Bell ArchivePublished On: Fri Mar 28 2025
Description: Art Bell opens with a harrowing firsthand account of a devastating windstorm that struck Pahrump, Nevada, with sustained winds near 100 miles per hour. Local callers describe roofs torn away, pole barns lifted and deposited in neighboring yards, chain-link fences ripped from the ground, and zero visibility from blowing sand that forced drivers to stop in the middle of roads.Storm chaser and photojournalist Warren Faidley joins to discuss the science behind the extreme winds, explaining the intense low-pressure system and pressure gradient that created conditions rivaling the jet stream at ground level. Faidley shares stories from nearly 20 years of professional storm chasing, including his first encounter with an F5 tornado near Red Rock, Oklahoma, where scientists recorded the highest wind speed ever at 318 miles per hour. He describes his custom chase truck equipped with NASCAR-style harnesses and a defibrillator.The conversation covers the physics of tornadoes versus straight-line winds, the dangers of microbursts to aviation, and a troubling decline in tornado activity that may signal broader atmospheric changes. Faidley notes that the growing number of amateur storm chasers since the movie Twister has created safety concerns on chase days across Tornado Alley.
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