The summer months in Saskatchewan bring storms along with them, and a local man intends on documenting them for the world to see. Ryan Crouse runs yorktonstormhunter.com, and is getting ready for the summer storm season.
Crouse describes himself as a photographer first and a novice storm chaser second. He says that his goal is to find unique cloud formations, different storms and weather events, and share them with the world.
Keeping track of the weather is the main part of the game, and Crouse uses a variety of different weather websites, radar services and mobile lightning tracking applications to see what's going on at any given moment.
Crouse's own site is a resource for anyone interested in weather in the area. There are links to weather services, his photography, as well as a live stream which he broadcasts to whenever he is out hunting for storms.
He says he has a good relationship with Environment Canada, who he says watches his streams and will update their own data if he finds something. A combination of their data and people like him out on the roads gives a clear picture of the weather in the country.
"It's the eyes and ears of Environment Canada... They don't get to go outside and look, so getting someone's outside perspective is valuable.
"Unexpectedly, it's the people who are most petrified of storms who most often watch his streaming videos of current storms.
"I know tons of friends, young and old, who are completely scared of simple thunderstorms. They can sit in their basement and watch in safety."
With the increased amount of technology available, Crouse believes there is now more tracking of storms than ever before, though he doesn't believe that there are actually more storms happening. He says that with more people watching and more ways to track weather, we are simply getting information on storms that might have been missed otherwise.
While he admits that there are dangers to storm chasing, especially when it comes to large events like tornados, he says that he relies on a combination of training and instinct to keep himself safe, and that he doesn't take any undue risks. He says that there are things that people simply shouldn't do, which you learn in training courses, but the most important part is trusting your gut feeling and backing away when you feel at risk.
"If I don't feel safe, I would know for myself how to keep a safe distance. People who aren't trained shouldn't do stuff that they aren't trained to do. I wouldn't do anything without training, I would strongly advise against it. In the United States, they have had quite number of casualties, even people who run professional live streams."
Crouse also says that when it comes to taking pictures, nobody should be holding a camera while driving. His own cameras are mounted in the vehicle so he doesn't have to touch them, and he says if someone sees a storm picture they need to take, they should pull over at the bare minimum. He says that he has heard of many people getting in accidents because they have been trying to operate a camera while driving.
To keep track of Crouse and his colleagues, go to www.yorktonstormhunter.com.
