Against the Odds: Dickinson, West Virginia - June 28, 2003 - 9:30PM
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In September of 2025, my work is generating the most income it ever has in my career. Yet, I'm being forced to shut down my successul operation, against my will, due to one cause alone: 95% of that revenue is being stolen by piracy and copyright infringement. I've lost more than $1 million to copyright infringement in the last 15 years, and it's finally brought an end to my professional storm chasing operation. Do not be misled by the lies of infringers, anti-copyright activists and organized piracy cartels. This page is a detailed, evidenced account of my battle I had to undertake to just barely stay in business, and eventually could not overcome. It's a problem faced by all of my colleagues and most other creators in the field. |
EXPEDITION VIDEO: RealVideo, 1.1MB - Distant coalfields thunderstorm on June 28
DIGITAL VIDEO FRAMES: GIF Animation, 704KB - Cloud-to-air lightning
West Virginia was outside of all forecasted severe thunderstorm risk zones on the Saturday evening of June 28. In fact, no storms were expected to form over the state at all. But that didn't stop rogue storms from beating the odds and developing over parts of the region. Several cells fired late in the evening, mainly over the southern coalfields and in the Clarksburg-Elkins area to the north. Surprisingly, one of the coalfields storms briefly reached severe criteria with one-inch hail reported in two locations, and warnings were issued.
It was this severe storm that presented itself on the southern horizon in Kanawha County at dusk, giving anyone fortunate enough to be watching an incredible sight. Clear skies surrounding the storm gave viewers within a 70-mile radius an unusual view of lightning illuminating the cloud from the inside. Several discharges leaped out of the side of the storm into clear air.
The video shows the storm as viewed from near Dickinson, WV, as it passes over McDowell and Wyoming Counties about 60 miles away at about 9:30PM.
Frames from Video:
Digital Video: Sony DCR-TRV900 3CCD MiniDV, 720x480 NTSC
35mm Camera/Lens/Film: Pentax K1000 SLR, 75-205mm zoom lens, Fuji Sensia 100 slides.
35mm Exposure: 45-90 seconds @ F3 |
