Kevin Myatt is The Roanoke Times' weather columnist.

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"So, when are you going to chase a hurricane?" I sometimes get asked.

I appreciate the work hurricane chasers do, documenting violent winds and waves for everyone else to see, but I can't say I'm itching to be among them.

My annual May storm chasing adventures in the Plains with the Virginia Tech storm chasing group led by meteorology instructor Dave Carroll have been documented for the past four years. The assumption is that the natural progression of my interest would be to chase a hurricane.

But chasing a hurricane is not on my weather wish list.

Chasing potentially tornadic supercell thunderstorms and chasing hurricanes are very different kinds of pursuits.

With supercells and tornadoes, the objective is to locate where one can observe the storms but not be involved in them. "Observers, not participants," is one of our mottoes.

Sure, it's almost inevitable that attempting this will occasionally result in experiencing some severe wind or hail. Our group got caught in 80 mph winds and golf ball-sized hail following a tornado intercept on May 22 near WaKeeney, Kan. But we observed at least eight other tornadoes in two days without getting anything more than sprinkles.

Chasing a hurricane means actually positioning oneself, purposefully, to be in the core of the worst elements for hours.

Christopher Collura, a veteran tornado and hurricane chaser based in Hialeah, Fla., has experienced most of the nation's worst hurricanes of the last decade firsthand, including Hurricane Ike's arrival last week in Galveston, Texas. On the storm chaser Web site www.stormtrack.org, Collura has posted a list of cautions for anyone even considering chasing hurricanes.

Among the major concerns he notes are closed gas stations, the explosion danger of storing gas in one's vehicle amid the lowered air pressure of a hurricane, and flying debris that can kill and maim.

With Collura's permission, I've reprinted some of his other warnings below:

n "Plan to get WET -- Really wet. Cold and wet feet, shoes, pants, even in places you never imagined (the money in your wallet even gets soaked)! ... Rain drops feel like accupuncture and can even cause welts on the skin at 100-MPH plus!"

n "Plan to not sleep during most of a hurricane chase. ... Try staying awake for 52 hours straight -- I did that in Hurricane Lili and was hallucinating until I finally got sleep!"

n "Prepare yourself mentally for what you may experience since it may be really, REALLY ugly. Katrina taught me that very well, and made myself, a 35-year-old grown man, cry for days and feel really sad. The footage was great, but the utter sympathy sets in ... as well as seeing houses, boats, debris, cars, even people floating by and / or being ripped apart 'does things to you.'"

n "I have LOST many relationships because of 'hurricane chasing,' the most recent one being after I showed 'in-your-face' video of waves breaking over a seawall from a waterproof camera enclosure. I was called 'crazy' and even worse 'dumb' and 'stupid.' ... Most of the time, do not expect to be in a happy relationship AND be an avid hurricane chaser AT THE SAME TIME!"

That last part underscores an important point for me. My wife, Erica, who enthusiastically supports my storm chasing and monitors our group's progress on radar, would strongly discourage me from a hurricane chase. And she is actually more interested in tropical weather than I am.

The worst part about the idea of hurricane chasing to me would be that, after the hurricane passes, chasers are usually stuck for at least two or three days until debris is cleared and roads are reopened. In storm chasing, the day typically ends with a soft bed and sometimes even a hot meal.

I have a certain curiosity about hurricanes and some desire to experience a weak one firsthand, just once. But the desire for me doesn't outweigh the discomfort and the danger.

Just as a rock climber or kayaker should know his own physical and mental limits, I know mine when it comes to pursuing extreme weather. Please know yours, and if you ever even remotely contemplate driving toward a hurricane, take Collura's hard-earned warnings to heart.

On the Net: Chris Collura's Web site www.sky-chaser.com