How old were you when you first got into the tropics or just weather in general?

[Ryxn]

Let's discuss. For me it was 8 years ago during the time of Hurricane Sandy that I started to track the tropics religiously. I was 12. Boy was I disappointed the year after.....







2013.....sigh

[Homie J]

Let's discuss. For me it was 8 years ago during the time of Hurricane Sandy that I started to track the tropics religiously. I was 12. Boy was I disappointed the year after.....





2013.....sigh

2012 after Sandy was when I also started tracking hurricanes. 2013 was a disappointment for 7 year old me for watching hurricanes. Admittedly most of my tracking up until 2017 was watching TWC.

[ElectricStorm]

I have always been interested in weather. Specifically severe weather/tornadoes considering where I'm at (NE OK) tornadoes will always be my #1 in terms of tracking weather but the tropics is a close second. I didn't start tracking the tropics until 2015, when Bill came over my area still as a TD, which I thought was pretty cool. I was 14 then

[AutoPenalti]

Wilma got me into tracking Hurricanes, before I learned about AmericanWX and Storm 2K. I was only 9.

[northjaxpro]

I had always been a weather geek growing up, but took it seriously when I was 15, and later went to met school to prepare myself and the rest is a wrap!

[storm_in_a_teacup]

The very first movie I saw was Twister, which my parents took me to see when I was three years old. One of my earliest memories is a scene from that movie.

I remember in preschool we had to draw nice weather like rainbows and cumulus clouds and I just kept drawing tornadoes instead.

The seeds for my ultimate interest in the tropics over tornadoes though were planted when in kindergarten backpacks full of books were placed on the floor of the classroom, and we had to pick one and read all the books in it and then report back to our class about what we read. I grabbed one that had a book about Hurricane Andrew in it.

In fifth grade we had to draw on the sidewalk chalk drawings of our school and neighborhood as a sendoff for graduating. I drew a big swirly hurricane and a vision of Houston underwater during Tropical Storm Allison. I don't remember too well, but I think the teachers weren't very happy me with me

It turned into a full blown obsession when 2004 freaked me out though, and I was really into hurricanes all throughout middle school. I dressed up as Hurricane Katrina for Halloween in 8th grade, which both won me a costume contest and the ire of an evacuee neighbor.

It's still a big interest of mine, but no longer quite such an obsession. A lot of Katrina evacuees came to my middle school and didn't really like to hear me get too interested by hurricanes. I was much relieved when I rediscovered my old interest in space and finally had a science-y thing to talk about that wouldn't make me enemies.

[Hurricaneman]

I grew up in eastern Massachusetts, and the first one that caught my interest was Gloria as it went by to the west I was 5, still caused borderline hurricane force wind but the one that stoked my interest as of the power of the wind was Bob in 1991 with wind gusts over 120mph I was 11

[AnnularCane]

I was 15 when I first got interested. I don't know how familiar any of you are with the "condensed books" section of the Reader's Digest, but I used to have a subscription, and one issue had the condensed book version of "Tornado Watch #211," about the May 31, 1985 outbreak, which got me all fascinated with tornadoes and weather in general. (I have the full book now.) My interest then was mainly tornadoes, although I had maybe a moderate interest in hurricanes too, and tracking them. Hurricane Emily in 1987 was the first one I tracked. It wasn't until Andrew that my interest in the tropics began to dominate.

For maybe a year or so I even toyed with the idea of being a meteorologist, until I found out what was really involved, and I'm just not that into math, so I decided I would be better off just keeping it as an interest.

It's still a big interest of mine, but no longer quite such an obsession. A lot of Katrina evacuees came to my middle school and didn't really like to hear me get too interested by hurricanes. I was much relieved when I rediscovered my old interest in space and finally had a science-y thing to talk about that wouldn't make me enemies.

I never came to your middle school, but if I had I probably would have been the one evacuee who would have been like "Tell me more!" Sometimes I feel like I think differently from everybody else. (I think I would have liked your costume too!)

[bigdan]

About 6 years old .After being in the totally cleared out eye of hurricane Donna...something you never forget..Didnt seem real.

[Dean_175]

I was 12/13. The 2005 season inspired me to become interested in tropical weather. Ended up studying meteorology in college.

[vbhoutex]

My first real memory of weather and hurricanes was at around 4 years old in 1955 when I would run into my parents room to jump under the covers and hide from thunderstorms. The first hurricane I remember is Flossie in 1958 in Gulf Breeze, FL. And now I am a weather nerd to say the least. IOW I have basically been following weather for 65 years.

[NotSparta]

I've always been interested in the weather but never really got into the tropics until I was 14, during my summer break in the 2016 season

[underthwx]

I was probably 8 or 9...I appointed myself the family forecaster... I have 3 older brothers, 2 older sisters... So every time we had a storm out there somewhere, I would carry around a tracking chart, so I could take care of my family... But it had the opposite effect...if my brother's or sisters saw me coming at them with my tracking charts, they would avoid me like I had the plague or somethin... But I didn't care... I really love tropical weather, it's one of my passions in life...I may not be as smart as alot of yall..... But I feel lucky to be able to be a part of this forum...everybody needs somebody, or something in their life they make they're own...I may not know much more now...than I did then... but thats ok... I love it just the same...

[GrayLancer18]

I was 28 when hurricane Maria swept through my island. I had gone through other hurricanes before but this one ignited a spark that became an obsession that has lasted to this day. What drives this interest is the search for the answer if hurricane actually are essential for the planet despite the destruction they cause. Like, if we actually managed to control them and get rid of them, would that actually create a worse problem?

Maybe it's because I was one of the lucky ones that did not experience much material loss or lost a loved one but I cannot find myself to "hate" the storm (I've even tried to) that literally changed my island. I can understand those who don't want to even hear the name "Maria" ever again because there are those who lost EVERYTHING and even the sound of a gust can give them PTSD but for me it's other way around. Had I been a high-school graduate by the time Maria hit, I'd most likely be studying meteorology.

[storm_in_a_teacup]

I was 28 when hurricane Maria swept through my island. I had gone through other hurricanes before but this one ignited a spark that became an obsession that has lasted to this day. What drives this interest is the search for the answer if hurricane actually are essential for the planet despite the destruction they cause. Like, if we actually managed to control them and get rid of them, would that actually create a worse problem?

Maybe it's because I was one of the lucky ones that did not experience much material loss or lost a loved one but I cannot find myself to "hate" the storm (I've even tried to) that literally changed my island. I can understand those who don't want to even hear the name "Maria" ever again because there are those who lost EVERYTHING and even the sound of a gust can give them PTSD but for me it's other way around. Had I been a high-school graduate by the time Maria hit, I'd most likely be studying meteorology.

I definitely can relate to that feeling of “Got lucky compared to everyone else but can’t bring myself to hate the storm and kind of struck by the role hurricanes might play in nature.” It was definitely one I felt after Harvey.

(If you look at my post history you can see how far that I took this feeling with Harvey though...I somehow made myself feel sorry for it.)

[Iceresistance]

Around 2009-2010 when I first started tracking Oklahoma Supercells & winter storms, became my thing since then. (Got more Serious after 2013, the scary year in Oklahoma)

Tropical Cyclones since 2015 (First storm was Tropical Storm Bill in 2015, which dumped a LOT of rain over me!)

[ElectricStorm]

Around 2009-2010 when I first started tracking Oklahoma Supercells & winter storms, became my thing since then. (Got more Serious after 2013, the scary year in Oklahoma)

Tropical Cyclones since 2015 (First storm was Tropical Storm Bill in 2015, which dumped a LOT of rain over me!)

Pretty much the same thing for me. Looks like we started tracking the tropics pretty much at the exact same time lol

[Iceresistance]

Wilma got me into tracking Hurricanes, before I learned about AmericanWX and Storm 2K. I was only 9.

I never knew that AmericanWX existed! Applying as a user there right now!

Also, how long does it take before I'm able to be on there?

[ElectricStorm]

Wilma got me into tracking Hurricanes, before I learned about AmericanWX and Storm 2K. I was only 9.

I never knew that AmericanWX existed! Applying as a user there right now!

Also, how long does it take before I'm able to be on there?

There's also WX Disco.
And I got right in American wx right after I verified my email

[Iceresistance]

Wilma got me into tracking Hurricanes, before I learned about AmericanWX and Storm 2K. I was only 9.

I never knew that AmericanWX existed! Applying as a user there right now!

Also, how long does it take before I'm able to be on there?

There's also WX Disco.
And I got right in American wx right after I verified my email

Mine never came, there is also Infinity WX, mainly for Texas . . .

Maybe try to type the link slowly?