Storm chasers killed by Oklahoma tornado died 'doing what they LOVED,' family and friends say

Tim Samaras, his son Paul and longtime colleague Carl Young were among nine killed Friday in El Reno after an EF-3 twister tore through the town. Families and friends on Sunday remembered the meteorologists' contributions to understanding the powerful storms.

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By Nina Golgowski / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Published: Sunday, June 2, 2013, 12:12 PM



Tornado chaser Tim Samaras, seen here in 2006, was killed alongside his son, Paul Samaras, and his longtime chase partner Carl Young when a EF-3 tornado ripped through El Reno, Oklahoma on Friday.



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Three storm chasers were among the nine killed in the deadly EF-3 tornado that ripped through El Reno, Okla., on Friday.

Colorado storm chaser Tim Samaras, 55, his son Paul Samaras, 24, and his longtime chase partner Carl Young, 45, were killed, Tim Samaras' brother confirmed in a statement posted to Facebook on Sunday.

"It truly is sad that we lost my great brother Tim and his great son, Paul. Our hearts also go out to the Carl Young family as well as they are felling the same feelings we are today. They all unfortunately passed away but doing what they LOVED. Chasing tornados," Jim Samaras wrote.

Tim Samaras, a 30-year veteran of storm chasing, was a regular contributor to National Geographic and was also featured on the Discovery Channel's Storm Chasers alongside Young, a California native.


Gene Blevins/ZUMAPRESS.com

Samaras, who was known for his work with National Geographic and on the Discovery Channel program Storm Chasers, is seen at an earlier date beside his 1,680 pound, 1.4 million frames per second camera called The 'Kahuna' that he used to photograph lightning strikes.

Samaras also founded TWISTEX, the Tactical Weather Instrumented Sampling in Tornadoes Experiment, to better understand tornado formation and increase warning time, according to its website.

TWISTEX's page boasts Samaras holding "the world record for measuring the lowest barometric pressure drop (100 millibars) inside of a tornado that destroyed the town of Manchester South Dakota on June 24, 2003."

RELATED: TORNADO CLEANUP UNDERWAY AS LATEST STORM MOVES EAST

In Samaras' final post to Twitter on Friday, he recognized the dangers his team were facing that day, writing: "Storms now initiating south of Watonga along triple point. Dangerous day ahead for OK--stay weather savvy!"


Chris Machian/AP

On Friday the deadly tornado touched down near El Reno, Okla. killing nine people and causing massive damage to structures and homes.

Only three days earlier he similarly tweeted having experienced a close call north of Lebanon where two large tornadoes allegedly came down upon him.

"Intercepted large tornado 4 N of Lebanon--two large tornadoes at once--too close--wow!" he tweeted.

On Sunday fellow meteorologist and storm chaser Tony Laubach confirmed Samaras' death on TWISTEX's Facebook page as a "devastating loss to the meteorological, research, and storm chasing communities.

"I ask that you keep the families in your thoughts and prayers during this very difficult time. There is some comfort in knowing these men passed on doing what they loved. ... Your support means the world. Thank you," Laubach wrote.


RICHARD ROWE/REUTERS

The tornado was a mile-wide and further captured in a harrowing video taken from another pair of storm chasers who only just managed to escape with their lives.

As of Sunday morning few details into the storm chasers' deaths were being publicly released.

RELATED: OKLA. TORNADO: STORM CHASERS GET TOO CLOSE TO TWISTER

The Iowa Storm Chasing Network responded to the tragic news of Samaras, a former colleague, by speculating "poor judgment or an unexpected tornado played a role, but we just don't know."

"There are a lot of people who get way too close to these things but I never thought Tim was one of them. He was greatly respected for his focus on the science rather than simply capturing video," the website wrote.


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/storm-chasers-9-killed-oklahoma-tornado-article-1.1361060#ixzz2V5E8P8t4




n a dramatic video taken from another group of storm chasers attempting to flee the tornado's crosshairs near Oklahoma City on Friday the storm's massive strength is harrowingly seen with these men lucky to have made it out alive.

Several cameras positioned inside the vehicle capture the passengers' brush with death as they terrifyingly do their best to out drive and maneuver flying debris that eventually smashes their windshield.

Oklahoma University meteorology student Brandon Sullivan and fellow storm chaser Brett Wright, both seen screaming inside the vehicle, are later described as "very fortunate to live to chase another day" in the video posted to YouTube.


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/storm-chasers-9-killed-oklahoma-tornado-article-1.1361060#ixzz2V5EKinnc

That blows.
Wonder what their last words were

"This sux?"