Chase 5-24-23 - Grady, NM down to Whiteface, TX — Adam Young

Published on May 24, 2023

What began as a pretty standard enhanced risk day, changed pretty quick on storm initiation. Maybe not for others, but for me it did.

It got real. Been a long time since I was that concerned when it came to family and friends with weather. Hundreds of chasers converged, and I quote one of them, on a “nowhere, plains town”. That town is one I consider as close to a hometown as I have. The damage was significant from wind and hail, but thankfully the tornadoes themselves missed. And it doesn’t sound like anyone was hurt, which is first and foremost. Also glad the Grady Seniors all got home from their Senior trip, as they were on their way back, and would have been driving right through Broadview, NM and the reported touchdown there. They slowed up a bit to say hi to me.

My pictures of the Grady storm won’t be as good as some others. They had better angles as I became more worried about people instead of being objective. No complaints.

Chaser convergence was a significant problem with traffic, so it also became a game of leaving an out to not get ran over by the storm… or someone’s truck.

But as I left New Mexico, and was able to get far enough ahead to turn around. Got some of the best lightning pictures I ever have. Also found a new way to edit them. Hope yall enjoy!

Adam Young

From Grady, NM and a graduate of Grady High School. Graduated from Northland College in Ashland, WI with a degree in Meteorology and a minor in Physics. I wanted to be a Meteorologist since I was 6 years old and pushed to make the dream come true. After graduating from a real small high school, I was accepted into OU, but didn't want to go to a University that large that wasn't Texas Tech (Wreck' Em!). SO I found the smallest college in the country that offered meteorology and southern boy me went and froze for 5 years. I met my wife in school (also a meteorologist) and I was fortunate enough to be a part of several TV stations in Duluth, MN during undergrad. After school, my first full-time position was in Lubbock, TX at a TV station. Afer a few years, I changed careers into IT at Texas Tech and now fill-in and chase for the #1 station in Lubbock. So weather has turned into more of a hobby/side-job then a living, and to tell you the truth, that helped me re-discover my love for it all. My chasing will be different then others. I do not have a heavily modified vehicle and am often chasing in my daily driver. I stay out of hail. I may often have my family with me. So my views may be more distant. But that allows for good reads on position, sometimes getting great mothership views, sweeping in after the storm passes to verify damage or hail. I still have a good time and hope you will as well when I do stream. Thanks for reading!

Chase 5-24-23 – Grady, NM down to Whiteface, TX

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