Storm Damage Could Happen at Any Time

2/7/2020 (Permalink)

What is ChaserCon? 

More than 200 storm chasers have been attending this conference every year since 1998. It was held in Oklahoma City one year, and it was in Wichita in 2019, but every other year it's been held in Denver.

"We have it in January to re-energize chasers out who are usually dealing with storm deprivation syndrome by that time," Roger Hill said.

Roger created ChaserCon at his house in Bennett 22 years ago with another local Colorado chaser named Tim Samaras. Hill said he didn't really know Samaras too well until they started doing ChaserCon together. They grew to become close friends.

“Storm chasing is like a brotherhood,” Roger Hill said. 

ChaserCon became their tradition, and something that other storm chasers looked forward to as winter weather winds down and heads toward the spring.

The ChaserCon tradition almost came to an end in 2013 when Samara was killed while launching a research probe into the El Reno tornado in Oklahoma.

“Caryn and I both knew that Tim would want ChaserCon to continue,” Roger Hill said.

So they’ve kept it going for several more years, but this Saturday they will tell the chaser community that they're closing the doors on ChaserCon for good.

“It’s really going to be hard to do it with a dry eye, it really will," Roger Hill said. 

He said that organizing ChaserCon had become a full-time job for him and Caryn, who want to spend more time traveling the country together outside of storm season. 

They also say they had taken a financial loss on the conference a few years. 

The Hills own the trademark on the name ChaserCon and say they don't want anyone to take the reins and continue the tradition, but they said they would be thrilled to see someone start a similar event in the future. 

There are only a limited amount of spots left in this final ChaserCon. You can try to register for one of those positions until midnight Wednesday, or show up at the Doubletree Hotel in Stapleton North at 7 a.m. Saturday to try to get in as a walk-in. 

He says, "When I first moved here, the problem wasn't here, and it's just gotten worse."

Rainfall is supposed to flow through storm pipes, but Watson says it moves directly into his yard and driveway. He says, "It's a mess. I mean, when we have a good rain, we've got to get wet feet to get in our vehicles if we're going somewhere."

Water runs from the street, down his driveway, and pools up around his house. Clumps of debris clog various drains around Watson's home, and a tree stump blocks a storm pipe.

For several years, Watson says he asked for help from Macon-Bibb County Public Works to clear the storm drains. He says he asks, "About every six months. They know me."

Macon-Bibb Spokesperson Chris Floore says Interim Public Works Director Tim Wilder came to look at the storm drains at Watson's property. 

He says Watson put in about five service requests over the years. Floore says it's not uncommon that drains get clogged up over time, but the tree stump is a problem.

Watson feels his home is getting damaged, and possibly on its way to seeing long-term effects.  

"There's a crack starting right here. It hasn't made it all the way, but how much longer is the water going to tear up my house," says Watson.

Floore says Public Works will remove the tree stump.