Warren Faidley -
"America's Top Storm Chaser"
Reported by Mary Williams
His demeanor became subdued when his adventurous exploits turned to others. It was apparent he had a deep respect for those who were the victims of violent weather. I had been told privately before his lecture that Warren was specifically chosen based on his reputation as "The consumate professional." His anecdotes made it clear he'd been through some of the most dangerous situations imaginable.
There was the time in Kansas when a massive tornado chased him across county lines after "Sucking all the paperwork out of his chase truck's open windows." Then, a more unsettling time, in 1987 when he arrived in a small Texas farming community after an F4 tornado "Wiped the town off the map." His voice rose with excitement as he described his escape from softball-sized hail in western Kansas as it pulverized his chase truck. It was on to showing his scars from Hurricane Andrew and a death-defying lightning strike. I was expecting the same imbecilities, shrill screams and over-baked theatrics plaguing TV shows about chasers...... but they never came.
Here was a true-to-life, reality based storm chaser - an American icon of extreme weather -- not someone hell bent on chasing death and destruction under some ill-conceived legitimacy. Here was proof positive evidence that truth is often more exciting than fiction.
My interview with Warren took place following his keynote speaking engagement in Toronto, Canada. Speaking before the World Conference on Disaster Management in the fall of 2009, where Warren outlined his work as an "Extreme Weather Journalist."
Warren is one of the few individuals who has experienced firsthand an F-5 tornado, a category 5 hurricane's 155 mph winds (Andrew 1992), flash floods, firestorms, incapacitating cold, baseball-sized hailstones, food poisoning, rogue waves, lightning jolts, bullets, rock-slides, enraged farmers, reptiles, sinkholes and Mad-Max-like characters along the highways -- and survived to tell the stories. Because of Warren's first hand experiences of out-witting even the most violent of storms, he is considered as one of the world's top severe weather and natural disaster survival experts.
His amazing career began at age 12 after we was swept away by a flash flood. After recovering from the near drowning -- he moved on to riding his bicycle into the heart of dust devils. (Small, tornado-like desert whirlwinds). His very first tornado chase in 1987 landed him in a small west Texas town that had been swept away by a violent tornado. His professional storm chasing career was launched after he took an amazing photograph of lightning hitting a light pole in an oil and gasoline tank farm. The shot nearly cost him his life. The image was published in Life Magazine who billed him as a "Storm Chaser."
Foraging through storm surges and flying debris, his stunning images of Hurricane Andrew are some of the only known still pictures of the Category 5 hurricane (in progress) as it slammed into south Florida in 1992. He was the first cinematographer ever to capture a tornado on 35mm motion picture film. (McLean, Texas, June 1997). Warren was an initial motion picture consultant for Twister. One of his tornado images was used for the movie poster and DVD cover.
Warren has been featured in countless print and television specials including National Geographic Explorer, The BBC and The Weather Channel. He was recently the
star of a Discovery HD Theater "Risk Takers" special. His images and footage have been used by diversified clientele including Paul McCartney, NASA, MTV, The New York Times, MTV, The NFL, Sheryl Crow, Life and Time Magazines, NASCAR. and USA Today.
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Enter Warren Faidley - the real deal.
Biography
Warren was the first person to pursue severe weather in a full-time, professional capacity, as a journalist, consultant, cinematographer and photographer. This is in stark contrast to the majority of storm chasers, who only chase a few storms as part-time, seasonal or recreational pursuits.
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