Sunday, October 25, 2009

Comments about "Tornado Road" on TWC


I've finally had a chance to watch all 6 episodes of Tornado Road on TWC, and felt I should post a few comments.

Some people are saying that the show was somewhat repetitive, depicting chasers driving in lots of rain cores (there were many HP storms during filming) and waiting for things to happen. But, in many respects, that's what real chasing is about. The show was intended to be, in a way, like "Deadliest Catch" to show what typical storm chasers (like crab fishermen) go through during a typical season. In that sense, I think the show succeeds.

However, I was very disappointed that extensive interviews filmed with NWS Omaha personel such as Daniel Neitfeld and Brian Smith regarding the June 11 '08 Boy Scout camp tornado were discarded. I want to emphasize that the NWS did a great job with warnings that day, and also with the ground survey. My work was informal and only supplemental to their work, but that wasn't shown or clarified. I very much wanted to see the NWS material included in the program. But on "reality" shows like this, unfortunately, one has no control of the editing and what will and won't be shown.

We also allowed a camera crew to film Shawna and me in a short "storm chase" wedding with friends in the Flint Hills in late June '08. Just to be clear, we chose a garden-variety thunderstorm day with minimal threats. Please rest assured that Shawna and I would never make light of a severe weather situation with potential to hurt or injure people.

All that said, Shawna and I enjoyed taking part in the show, and the production crew from Original Productions was fantastic and fun to work with.

- Jon Davies 10/25/09

Thursday, October 15, 2009

"Tornado Road" air times on The Weather Channel

The Weather Channel has confirmed (finally) through a press release and on-air/online advertising that the short series "Tornado Road" will indeed air beginning Sunday October 18. The first three episodes (Shawna and me included) will be at 7 pm, 8 pm, and 9 pm CDT (see EDT listings here).

Additional air dates through October 30 (these are tentative!) are listed below:
Times EDT, not CDT !

October 18
TR1 8p and 2a
TR2 9p and 3a
TR3 10p

October 19
TR1 2p
TR2 3p

October 20
TR3 2p
TR4 3p

October 21
TR5 2p
TR6 3p

October 24
TR1 8p
TR2 9p and 2a
TR3 10p and 3a

October 26
TR1 3p

October 27
TR2 3p

October 28
TR3 3p

October 29
TR4 3p

October 30
TR5 3p

I'm sure we'll all be portrayed as "thrill seekers" (oh boy), but if you choose to watch, Enjoy!

- Jon Davies 10/16/09