ADAM LUCIO
- 1) What is your name and where do you live?
- Adam Lucio and I reside in the overcrowded, urban wasteland known as Chicago.
- 2) Do you have a website or a brand name that people identify you as?
- Aerostorms - www.aerostorms.com [currently getting a major facelift]
- 3) What got you interested in weather?
- Simply watching storms as a kid. Something about the power and chaos of storms is what drew me in.
- 4) What is your favorite aspect of weather?
- The raw power of it. There are no forces greater on the planet.
- 5) When did you first start chasing?
- Locally as soon as I could drive when I got my License in 1998, this simply consisted of driving around in the rain. I started taking a more organized approach in 2004 and made my debut as a full time chaser who travels to the plains in 2007
- 6) What do you see chasing as... a hobby or a business?
- Neither, its my life. Everything else is just a detail.
- 7) Who do you credit for getting you into chasing and what have they done to further your career?
- Honestly noone. Growing up I didn't know anyone interested in it, nor was there some vivid childhood event that sparked my interest. It was my own fascination with storms that planted the seed. I supposed if I had to name one person it would be Matt Fischer, he helped my interest accelerate once we met back in 2005 and was the first person with an interest in storm chasing I ever came into contact with and made me aware of things like SPC and GR3. Before then, I thought I was just a loner with a weird obsession.
- 8) Do you have any chase partners?
- I have a couple of people I chase regularly with, but its up to them based on their availability. I will go out alone if I have to.
- 9) What wass your most successful chase?
- 6-17-10 - got my best footage that day and saw numerous tornadoes of all shapes and sizes.
- 10) What is your most terrifying moment?
- Getting stuck in the field in South Dakota with multiple tornadoes bearing down on us. I can handle being close, as long as I am able to move if I need to. Being stuck in one spot means you are the mercy of the weather, and that is a very different feeling.
- 11) About how many tornadoes have you seen?
- 70 confirmed. If I count all the maybe-nados that number would be around 85
- 12) What do you think about people who chase for sales and the need to get up close and personal with Mother Nature?
- I think its awesome. I love watching the video, as long as they are real about why they chase, and don't try and feed me bogus reasons like "i am trying to save lives." I don't care what your reasons are for chasing, as long as you are real about them.
- 13) Describe your dream chase.
- A surprise supercell with amazing tornadoes close to home that noone [or very few people] is on. It happened on 6-7-08. I pride myself on trying to get unique video that noone else has.
- 14) What is your favorite set up to chase?
- One thats closer to home that doesn't get allot of hype or attention. Of course it has to produce some sort of action like large hail, a nice tornado, breath taking structure or intense winds to make it totally worthwhile.
- 15) Which state has brought you the most success? Least success?
- Tough question. I would say Minnesota and South Dakota, just because I only have a couple chases there but with amazing results. Kansas and Iowa are probably the most frequently visited states I have yet to pull anything truly amazing from. I've seen a good number of tornadoes in both, but for some reason the tornadoes themselves and/or video I get is always sub-par.
- 16) Do you want to pursue a career in meteorology? Would you ever chase locally for a t.v station?
- A career in meteorology - no. I know a bunch of meteorologists, and their jobs require so much commitment they barely get to chase. I do already chase for a station - Wood TV in Michigan.
- 17) What do you see chasing as being like in 5-10 years?
- Allot more competitive, commercialized and exposed. Like it or not, this is the trend of the past few years, and I don't see it going away.
- 18) Despite all the deaths and destruction in 2011, are you looking forward to chasing in 2012 knowing you can run into a Tuscaloosa or Joplin?
- Of course I am looking forward to it. Noone wants to see events like that, but its an ugly side of chasing that will happen whether I am there or not. At least if I am there I can help out and give back.
- 19) Is there any point in time where you had no desire to chase anymore? What caused that and what gave you the power to move on.
- I have yet to experience that, and feel bad for those who do. I don't see how someone can suddenly not want to do something they claim they love.
- 20) How long do you plan on continuing chasing?
- Till the day I die.
- 21) Outside of chasing, what do you like to do?
- I am a big outdoors man. I like to fish, camp, BBQ, hike. If it were up to me I would never be indoors.
22) What kind of music do you like to listen to on the chase or in general?
I am 90% heavy metal, and when I say heavy, I mean VERY heavy. I can listen to just about anything though and occasionally enjoy techno, dance, even classic rock, oldies and a bit of country. But yea, 90% of the time the music is heavy and I'm throwing the horns \m/
23) What is your favorite professional and college sports team?
I generally loathe sports, especially at college level. The only team I really care about is the Chicago White Sox, every other sport and every other team can cease to exist and I wouldn't care.
24) Do you have a family or pets?
Of course I have a family, as far as pets go I have cats and fish. Not a dog person at all.
25) Tell me 3 things that someone outside of chasing may not know you for.
My rants, my obsession with junk food and my hate for city life.
26) If you have kids or plan on having them... would you like to involve them in your chasing?
No plans for kids, if the day ever happens, of course I will introduce it to them, but won't force it on them.
27) Do you have a job and what do you do?
Right now I have a couple part time Jobs, one working as a trade show rep for Bath Fitter the other is an on call backup for a snow removal/landscaping company. Both are flexible and allow me to chase most of what I want. Financially its not the best way to live, but whatever. Jobs are just jobs, meaningless things we do to get by.
28) How do you feel about people who say they chase tornadoes for the sole purpose of saving lives?
I think they are full of themselves and using that as an excuse to justify their chasing. Noone chases JUST to save lives. If you want to be a hero then sign up for the army, become a police officer or firefighter.
29) If there was one event in history that you wish you were around for to chase, what would it be?
The Oak Lawn tornado of 1967, that was part of Northern IL's largest tornado outbreak. It probably would have been a difficult chase, but it is my home turf and I am not afraid of a challenge.
30) Do you only chase severe weather or do you chase hurricanes and winter weather as well?
I will chase other weather events, I've done the snow chase before, gone "wave" chasing and want to do a hurricane someday. However, these are lower priorities I typically wont embark on unless it is very cost efficient and I am teaming up with people. typically it has to be a higher end event. You wont see me driving 4 states away for 7 inches or snow or a cat 1 hurricane. Give me 30 inches and/or a cat 4 then we'll talk.
31) Do you go to a college or university, if so, what do you major in?
Currently not in school. Could never finish after I ran out of money so I went straight into the working world.
32) What do you expect in 2012?
Im a little worried about 2012, the pattern has been mild for several months now. I know sooner or later itll be offset by a cooler than normal pattern like we saw in 2009 which was a pretty dismal year for chasing, but regardless of what happens, Ill be giving it my all to make the most out of it.
I am 90% heavy metal, and when I say heavy, I mean VERY heavy. I can listen to just about anything though and occasionally enjoy techno, dance, even classic rock, oldies and a bit of country. But yea, 90% of the time the music is heavy and I'm throwing the horns \m/
23) What is your favorite professional and college sports team?
I generally loathe sports, especially at college level. The only team I really care about is the Chicago White Sox, every other sport and every other team can cease to exist and I wouldn't care.
24) Do you have a family or pets?
Of course I have a family, as far as pets go I have cats and fish. Not a dog person at all.
25) Tell me 3 things that someone outside of chasing may not know you for.
My rants, my obsession with junk food and my hate for city life.
26) If you have kids or plan on having them... would you like to involve them in your chasing?
No plans for kids, if the day ever happens, of course I will introduce it to them, but won't force it on them.
27) Do you have a job and what do you do?
Right now I have a couple part time Jobs, one working as a trade show rep for Bath Fitter the other is an on call backup for a snow removal/landscaping company. Both are flexible and allow me to chase most of what I want. Financially its not the best way to live, but whatever. Jobs are just jobs, meaningless things we do to get by.
28) How do you feel about people who say they chase tornadoes for the sole purpose of saving lives?
I think they are full of themselves and using that as an excuse to justify their chasing. Noone chases JUST to save lives. If you want to be a hero then sign up for the army, become a police officer or firefighter.
29) If there was one event in history that you wish you were around for to chase, what would it be?
The Oak Lawn tornado of 1967, that was part of Northern IL's largest tornado outbreak. It probably would have been a difficult chase, but it is my home turf and I am not afraid of a challenge.
30) Do you only chase severe weather or do you chase hurricanes and winter weather as well?
I will chase other weather events, I've done the snow chase before, gone "wave" chasing and want to do a hurricane someday. However, these are lower priorities I typically wont embark on unless it is very cost efficient and I am teaming up with people. typically it has to be a higher end event. You wont see me driving 4 states away for 7 inches or snow or a cat 1 hurricane. Give me 30 inches and/or a cat 4 then we'll talk.
31) Do you go to a college or university, if so, what do you major in?
Currently not in school. Could never finish after I ran out of money so I went straight into the working world.
32) What do you expect in 2012?
Im a little worried about 2012, the pattern has been mild for several months now. I know sooner or later itll be offset by a cooler than normal pattern like we saw in 2009 which was a pretty dismal year for chasing, but regardless of what happens, Ill be giving it my all to make the most out of it.
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| * Strong tornado crosses I 55 near Litchfield, IL April 19th, 2011 |
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| *Violent tornado near Albert Lea, MN June 17th, 2010 |
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| *Beautiful backlit tornado on the Colorado prairies June 10th, 2010 |
- What Adam has to say:
- Chasing is what I love, and is always given number one priority in my life. Sometimes its a blessing, others its a curse because it wont allow me to be happy with a "normal" life like so many other people strive to have.
- I've always been an advocate of doing what you really enjoy in life, and would tell anyone who wants to chase to just get out there and do it! If you want it bad enough, you will find a way to make it happen.
I love Adams attitude! So blunt and not scared of how people will view his opinions…yet you can hear the genuine "good guysness" in every word!
ReplyDeleteI actually read the entire thing. Well done!
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