Haroldwx

White Sox, Bulls, Hawks, NU Cats Fan. COD Alumni. @ValpoU 26’. Meteorologist. Christian. Animal Lover.

[Haroldwx @HaroldDownsIII]

I figured since I got verified I’d make some sort of formal introduction post.

Hello everyone on Twitter (or whatever it’s being called now) my name is Harold Downs III. I am currently going to Valparaiso University where I am pursuing my Bachelors of Science in Meteorology. My end goal in life is that I want to work at the SPC. I started out hating weather because I was scared of storms and thunder but that all changed in 2016 when I went to Buffalo on a youth trip. On that trip, I saw 4 water spouts on Lake Eerie. As soon as I saw those waterspouts, I knew I loved weather and wanted to pursue it. I started taking classes in high school and have been taking full meteorology classes since 2020. I started my chasing career in 2021 where I saw my first tornado in Dekalb Illinois on August 9th. All I had for the chase was my phone, myradar app, and my dad to drive. Since then, I’ve made progress in forecasting and have gone on two legit storm chasing trips with College of Dupage. Since I’ve started chasing, I’ve seen 6 tornadoes in 2 years (not as impressive as full timers I know) all while managing finances, home life, work, and school. I’ve learned a lot at my time at COD and Valpo. I look forward to building a following and sharing my journey here. My end goal after college is working at a NWS office. Weather is my passion, and I can’t wait to continue it this fall. Below are some pictures of my chasing experiences the last three years. First image is Dekalb tornado from 2021, second is shelf cloud from this years COD chase, third is the Morton tornado, and fourth is a nighttime tornado just east of Tucumcari NM this past COD chase. I’ll add more pictures below.

[Haroldwx @HaroldDownsIII]

@NotTheExpertYT I also did camera work and was a graphics operator for FCS football. You are 100% correct. Our graphics datalinq with the clock which is tested well before the game. What the big ten said is completely false and fabricated to cover themselves.

[Haroldwx @HaroldDownsIII]

While sirens aren’t always reliable and not meant for those indoors, they do their job and scare the heck out of people to take shelter.Getting rid of sirens, especially in smaller midwestern towns would be catastrophic.I know that’s not what Matt is saying but they are important

[Matthew Cappucci @MatthewCappucci]

Yes they are. Sirens are a leftover relic from the Cold War.

They fail when the power goes out. Every county has different policies. They’re not meant to be heard indoors. They’re not operated by meteorologists. They’re unreliable.

Siren mentality does more harm than good.

[Haroldwx @HaroldDownsIII]

That Michigan result was embarrassing. Gifted an extra second for no reason, then storming the field. WMU should file an appeal and get a judge to act accordingly

[Haroldwx @HaroldDownsIII]

North Dakota State showing the country how they play football.

[Haroldwx @HaroldDownsIII]

I have like 8 new mosquito bites but here’s some lunar eclipse pics

[Haroldwx @HaroldDownsIII]

Look at these lovely boundary interactions!

[Haroldwx @HaroldDownsIII]

A couple pictures of tree damage. Not high end but pretty crazy

[Haroldwx @HaroldDownsIII]

These storms were wicked today. My neighborhood has lots of tree damage with a few trees down including one blocking a main road out of here. My Alma Mater Valpo and areas around there also got hit hard. Prayers for everyone and hopefully no fatalities

[Haroldwx @HaroldDownsIII]

Interesting to see the 03Z HRRR depict a slight northern shift from the 00Z HRRR on the line. Very minimal, but northern shifts would impact more highly populated areas. Gonna get some good sleep and get up for this potentially spectacular derecho

[Haroldwx @HaroldDownsIII]

A sea breeze has formed off of Lake Michigan and is slowly propagating west. Will be interesting to see if this brings in cooler stable air westward or acts as a lifting mechanism for this volatile atmosphere

[Haroldwx @HaroldDownsIII]

I really love boundary storm interactions man.

[Haroldwx @HaroldDownsIII]

That Mommy movie trailer really was not needed before the Odyssey bro…

[Haroldwx @HaroldDownsIII]

Been a long time since I’ve seen confirmed tornadoes associated with such a small dBZ number

[Haroldwx @HaroldDownsIII]

Atlanta drivers continue to impress me with how awful they are

[Renatta Oxendine @Renatta]

“Depart from Me”

[Haroldwx @HaroldDownsIII]

The sun sets on the final day of our family vacation. Now time for a lovely dinner!

[Haroldwx @HaroldDownsIII]

Was so blessed to be taught by the wonderful Ron Blatz and Corwin Leverich. While I might not be doing broadcasting with the group much anymore I enjoyed my 4 years with everyone. Two awards in four years show how talented our group is from the top down!

[Valpo Athletics @valpoathletics]

Congratulations to all of the students and staff, including Director of Broadcast and Live Event Production Corwin Leverich, on this well-earned honor!

📝⬇️

https://t.co/tu4DSQcYgh

[Haroldwx @HaroldDownsIII]

It’s not the best quality but here’s star link launching. First time I’ve ever seen a rocket launch.

[Haroldwx @HaroldDownsIII]

Day two of another amazing outflow boundary in Melbourne FL

[Dov Kleiman @NFL_DovKleiman]

Great News: After 14 surgeries battling cancer, Deion Sanders has announced he is officially cancer-free.

Coach Prime is finally healthy ❤️🙏