The storm chasing community is in mourning following news that three storm chasers – including a high-profile father and son team – were among those killed by a deadly tornado that tore through Oklahoma this weekend.
Tim Samaras, 55, his 24-year-old son Paul Samaras and chase partner Carl Young, 45, were killed when they were overtaken by Friday’s tornado, Tim Samaras's brother Jim told The Associated Press.
Canadian storm chaser George Kourounis said this is the first time any professional tornado hunter has died while chasing a twister.
"We are completely shocked," Kourounis told CTV News Channel on Sunday.
Kourounis was among the hundreds of professional weather adventurers that converged in Oklahoma City’s western suburbs last weekend when an EF-3 tornado charged down Interstate 40, leaving a path of destruction near El Reno, Okla.
"We are deeply saddened by the loss of Tim Samaras his son Paul and their colleague Carl Young. Our thoughts and prayers go out to their families," Discovery Channel spokeswoman Laurie Goldberg said.
Samaras was a veteran in his field with decades of experience hunting down twisters.
Described as cautious, Samaras collected scientific data, measuring the power and unpredictability of a tornado to help improve warning times.
Jim Samaras said his brother put himself in harm’s way in order to help others.
“I honestly believe that he saved lives, because some of the ... tools he's deployed and developed,” he said.
Samaras was a regular contributor to National Geographic and was also featured on the Discovery Channel’s Storm Chasers. His Twistex tornado chase team regularly presented at meteorology conferences.
"Tim Samaras was by far one of the most well-respected researchers. There’s no one out there that knew his stuff more than him," Kourounis told CTV News Channel.
But despite the Colorado native’s experience, Friday’s tornado, which left more than 100 people injured, was too much for the storm chaser and his team to handle.
"When it comes to Mother Nature, it doesn’t matter how much you know, how many decades of experience you have,” Kourounis said. “When things go bad, they can go bad very quickly. And of course these tornadoes are so powerful that we’re just a small force compared to them."
In Samaras’ final Twitter post on Friday, the veteran storm chaser recognized the dangers ahead of his team: "Storms now initiating south of Watonga along triple point. Dangerous day ahead for OK – stay weather savvy! (sic)"
In a statement Sunday, the Storm Prediction Centre noted Samaras’ many contributions to the science of storms.
“Samaras was a respected tornado researcher and friend … who brought to the field a unique portfolio of expertise in engineering, science, writing and videography,” the centre said.
The National Georgraphic Society posted on its website a recent interview with Samaras, whom they called a “courageous” and “brilliant” scientist.
“Being close to a tornado is one of those incredible, fleeting moments that sometimes you have to take a couple of seconds to take in,” Samaras said in the interview.
According to Kourounis, Friday’s devastating storm, which hit just a few miles north of Moore, Okla. where an EF-5 tornado on May 20 killed 24 people, was “atypical.”
"It was actually numerous storms that merged together that formed this line…. The tornado was huge. I could barely fit it in my camera screen," recalled Kourounis.
He said Samaras and his team were approximately 200 kilometres away from the storm before they were overpowered by it on Friday.
"(The tornado) was wrapped up in rain. It was moving in an odd direction,” he said. “There was a lot of traffic, a lot of people on the road. Maybe the escape routes were blocked."
A Weather Channel crew was lucky to survive the same storm after their vehicle was picked up by the twister and thrown about 180 metres.
Kourounis said Friday’s tragedy has made him reconsider how dangerous storm chasing can be.
"(Their deaths) make me realize that maybe we need to revaluate and be a little less cocky."
In light of Friday’s deaths, the Storm Prediction Centre urged all storm chasers, including media and amateurs, to be safe.
With a report from CTV’s Joy Malbon and files from The Associated Press
