AccuWeather.com

The WeatherMatrix Blog

Discovery Channel Storm Chasers Cancelled!

Jan 20, 2012; 4:11 PM ET

UPDATE: 1/24/2012: There is still no confirmation from Discovery Channel, but we do have written confirmation from one of the show's stars, Tim Samaras, as broken by StormChaserMovies, who confirmed the rumor originally (although I still think it was irresponsible reporting to publish that confirmation without written, verifiable proof). I agree with what Tim says, and it doesn't surprise me. In the end, the show is very expensive because of the traveling, and the general populace doesn't "get it."

PRIOR BLOG ENTRIES:

UPDATE: 1/23/2012: Still no official word from the Discovery Channel; Reed Timmer calls a statement that he confirmed it "false." At this time, I think we have to close the book on this one until I get a response from Discovery.

UPDATE 1/21/2012: Additional hearsay has surfaced - which, if true, confirms that the show is cancelled. Since Discovery Channel has not returned my calls / emails, I'm leaning towards that direction now.

UPDATE: The blogger who "confirmed" it now says he's not sure.

A rumor, started this morning by a couple of people in the Storm Chasing community on Facebook, has spread like wildfire on Social Media today: Discovery Channel's "Storm Chasers" reality TV show is cancelled. One website "confirmed" it, adding fuel to the fire, but only showed a lengthy YouTube video which did not contain proof. But as of now, there is no proof.

And what I mean by that is that there has been no public statement by any of the crew or Discovery Communications, who I left a voicemail for earlier today. This is a great example of something that is not a news story being portrayed as news by naive Social Media users. They used to say "you can't believe everything you read" -- what ever happened to that?

So what's the real story? It's only a rumor at this time. As a reporter for AccuWeather.com I have to say that it is not cancelled, because I have seen no proof that it is. This is the problem with the Internet: Everybody's a reporter.

If I get updates, I'll post them here. If you have sources, please post them below. If the rumor ends up to be false, some respected people in the storm chaser community will have egg on their face, and I won't let them live it down. If it turns out to be true, it still wasn't good reporting to say that it was, with no source or an anonymous one. And yes, I admit I've been part of the rumor spreading, but I've been very clear that I only want to crowdsource an answer. (If you've never seen the show, below is the 2011 Premiere trailer).

Here are some pros (that the rumor is false) and cons (that the rumor is true) for the show:

PRO: The videographer claiming to have taped the video which was used by someone else as "confirming proof" said on Facebook: "In our video of Reed Timmer at the Minnesota Storm Chasing Convention, not once does he make reference to storm chasers being cancelled."

PRO: The message has some basis but is still false. Did a friend of a friend really speak to a member of the crew or not? Even if a crew member did start the rumor, has it morphed from "I lost my contract" or "The show might be cancelled" to "Aaaaaaaaaa! The show's cancelled!"?

CON: I trust the people who have connections in the storm chasing biz that have been saying this -- certainly *they* believe it's true.

CON: There has been much drama in the Storm Chasing community over the past year or two, especially in regards to the safety of the show (though some whining is just jealousy).

CON: Discovery Channel is not answering my requests.

CON: The show's most popular star Reed Timmer is not responding via his official Facebook or Twitter or YouTube channels.

A lot of storm chasers are opposed to the show; I recognize it as a drama, not real life, and I think it's quite good. I have respect for all involved in the show. Below is a photo of me with the "TIV" crew from the show in Fall 2010.

The views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of AccuWeather, Inc. or AccuWeather.com

blogs Home >

Comments

Comments left here should adhere to the AccuWeather.com Community Guidelines. Profanity, personal attacks, and spam will not be tolerated.

J's Breaking Weather News

WeatherMatrix on Facebook

More Jesse Ferrell

A Tale of Two Rivers: Flood and Drought in Brazil

May 25, 2012; 11:15 AM ET

In northern Brazil, record flooding on the Rio Negro took place last week, while on the other end of the country, record drought was seen on the Lower Rio Sinos.

A Record Early Hurricane Season?

May 23, 2012; 10:39 AM ET

Both the Atlantic and East Pacific tropical seasons got an early start; could Tropical Storm Bud become the earliest East Pacific major hurricane on record?

Eight Days and Weak: Blogitis, Silent Sirens, Other News

May 18, 2012; 12:50 PM ET

So I haven't blogged in over a week -- at least I had my nose in a book. Plus: What you missed it you're not following me on social media!

Strange Vertical Sunset Clouds in Pittsburgh

May 10, 2012; 12:37 PM ET

There were strange clouds sighted last night at sunset in Pittsburgh. The clouds looked like tornadoes, but I've had experience with these.

LRR and Tornado Eye: Interesting Weather Radar Images

May 8, 2012; 2:41 PM ET

I've got a story about a newly-discovered supercell thunderstorm component, and a radar image that may show the eye of a tornado.

500,000 Lightning Strikes Provide Awesome Photos

May 3, 2012; 12:59 PM ET

Already this week, over half a million lightning strikes have hit the Earth over the U.S., making for incredible lightning photographs across the nation.

Incredible Photos, Videos of a Tornado in France

Apr 30, 2012; 10:00 AM ET

Beautiful pictures of a tornado were captured in Southwest France Sunday. I show the photos and videos, as well as a radar image.

Maps: Tennessee MCS Shoves on through

Apr 26, 2012; 11:55 AM ET

A terrifying-looking Mesoscale Convective System moved through Kentucky and Tennessee and into North Carolina this morning, and I've captured its lifecycle on maps.

Which Storm Took Down Myer-Womble Observatory?

Apr 25, 2012; 12:41 PM ET

High winds at 14,000 feet took out the U.S.'s highest observatory this winter, but when did it happen? I investigate observations from nearby stations.

April Appalachian Snow Photos and Timelapse

Apr 23, 2012; 1:18 PM ET

The April Appalachian snow event is underway, and I've got photos and two awesome timelapse videos.

Models on Possible Bookend Northeast Snowstorm

Apr 20, 2012; 9:28 AM ET

The models are starting to agree on a possible "bookend" snowstorm in the Northeast in a few days, but first, the front with a possible squall line.

Behind the Scenes: NWS Spring Media Workshop

Apr 19, 2012; 1:37 PM ET

It was a pleasure to attend the NWS "Spring 2012 Media Workshop" today. We discussed River Forecasting / Drought Status, Forecasting PA Thunderstorms and Social Media.

Harrisburg, Columbia Flood Comparison Photos

Apr 17, 2012; 11:02 AM ET

The trick with getting flood photos to look impressive is to compare them to the same place when it's dry. Last week I revisited the 2011 Pennsylvania Flood areas to compare.

Don't Have A Cow: Simpsons Springfield Weather

Apr 11, 2012; 12:36 PM ET

The Simpsons live in Springfield, but what state? It would seem that Matt Groening has now set the record straight, but whither the weather featured in the show?

Pennsylvania Spring 2011 vs. Spring 2012, in Photos

Apr 11, 2012; 12:13 PM ET

Every spring, people say that flowers & trees are coming out earlier than last year. This year, they really are and I set out to prove it, by comparing photos I took in 2011 to 2012.