With a dedication to all lives lost in the OK outbreak of 3rd May,1999

Raised in the heart of beautiful Burdekin cane-country, in the township of Ayr, north Queensland, Narelle's fascination with the weather can be Attributed to growing up in the middle of 'cyclone central' .  Her earliest recollections go back as far as TC Tracey's devestation of Darwin, in 1974.

Her parents knew they had an unusual child when one particular night,  they rushed in only to find their 2yr old babe still faaaaast asleep in the midst of pouring rain, during the severe storm that had just taken the roof from her bedroom ...... hmmm ....

Another memorable account from her younger years, was that of being able to spy the ground below the house, through the straining floorboards of their hallway, at 3 years of age, during yet another cyclone.

It was in the pursuit of photographing the severe storms of SE Qld, and the growing desire to understand what she was often witness to, )not to mention cyclones having become somewhat 'passe' in her reportiore'  <grin> ),  that led her to seek bigger things, and found her passions steering her into the field of active stormchasing over recent years.

Rals is actually fast becoming a regular sight in the plains of OK & TX too! 1999 was only her second year out  'playing with the big boys' on the plains of Tornado Alley in the US.  On the 3rd of May, along with chase partner Karl Schulze, of College Station, Rals (and Happiduck, her Internet Alter
Ego!) experienced the kind of chase that actually went beyond belief of all any of us could ever dream about!!

14 tornados in one day & night - 4 were 'wedge' class & included the long-track violent F5 that hit downtown Oklahoma City.  Another of the 4 was later classed F5 also.  By all reports from that tragic day,  Rals and partner Karl got the closest of ANY to the OKC F5 wedge, sometimes an
unbelievable 300 mtrs or so!!  Don't laugh! - they have the video footage to prove it !!!!

Hence the nickname "Wedgefoda" amoungst IRC aussie counterparts (NOT necessarily a good thing, she winks).

..... and she wants to go back and do it all again ??? !!!!

"livin la vida loca" ?  - Yeah Baby, YEAH!!!!!!!!!

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