wxsniss Posted November 21, 2011 Share Posted November 21, 2011 A friend an I are considering a storm-chasing trip next May 2012, and reservations are already filling up. I thought I'd ask here if anyone has any experience or recommendations for this. We are checking out www. stormchasing.com Reservations run $2400 not including flights. Starts and ends in Oklahoma City. Time is week in May 2012. Of course there's no guarantee we'll see a tornado... we could be sitting under a sprawling high pressure for a week. But they do anticipate we'll at least experience a supercell thunderstorm. Lots of driving, ~200-500 miles / day chasing these storms, mostly in the afternoon-evening hours. 6 people / van, lead van has all the radar equipment. Any experience / thoughts / recommendations? TIA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtticaFanatica Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Most of the chase tours are pretty good, you should be fine with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IWXwx Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Chase with Ian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SerialDerecho Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 I have gone 3 times with Tempest Tours (2007, 2008, 2011), and would highly recommend them. Chuck Doswell runs a tour with them once a year. I've never been on his tour, but have met him once. They have some really knowledgeable guides and overall good people. Over those 3 times, I've seen at least 13 tornadoes, baseball size hail, and saw a lighting strike about 30 yards from our van... (it was CRAZY seeing the ground smoking from it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QcSevereWx Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 May I ask, why not chasing with 2-3 of your friends ? For 20 days, no more than 1500$ each. And it's a lot more exciting when you have to do your own forecasts. If you know how to storm chase, you will see tornadoes. My 2 cents... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wxsniss Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 Thanks for all your thoughts everyone! May I ask, why not chasing with 2-3 of your friends ? For 20 days, no more than 1500$ each. And it's a lot more exciting when you have to do your own forecasts. If you know how to storm chase, you will see tornadoes. My 2 cents... We seriously are considering that too, for price and timing flexibility... What the tours offer that we don't have: - mobile broadband internet and computers - purported knowledge of local dirt roads - local and meteorological expertise... I have minimal experience detecting tornado vorticity signatures on radar / predicting optimal conditions (eg. EHI forecasts on twisterdata.com) etc., and certainly have never done it on location I could probably learn the expertise, but the broadband internet/computers and local navigation would be hard. Of course if it's a large outbreak, all of this would be easier but getting the timing right is hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QcSevereWx Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Thanks for all your thoughts everyone! We seriously are considering that too, for price and timing flexibility... What the tours offer that we don't have: - mobile broadband internet and computers - purported knowledge of local dirt roads - local and meteorological expertise... I have minimal experience detecting tornado vorticity signatures on radar / predicting optimal conditions (eg. EHI forecasts on twisterdata.com) etc., and certainly have never done it on location I could probably learn the expertise, but the broadband internet/computers and local navigation would be hard. Of course if it's a large outbreak, all of this would be easier but getting the timing right is hard. Or, with the 1000-1500$ you would save, you could buy a computer and be able to chase for years to come. Renting an internet wireless card is not that expensive. About 99$ for a week, Verizon coverage. verizon coverage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtticaFanatica Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 People who "have minimal experience detecting tornado vorticity signatures on radar" should not be chasing unless they're with someone who has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QcSevereWx Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 People who "have minimal experience detecting tornado vorticity signatures on radar" should not be chasing unless they're with someone who has. Of course, but you have to start somewhere. Internet is there to learn new things. Nonetheless, I agree that chasing a supercell with no knowledge in storm chasing is dangerous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brettjrob Posted November 22, 2011 Share Posted November 22, 2011 Regarding mobile broadband, it isn't nearly as expensive or convoluted to acquire as one might think. For example, I bought a used wireless card on eBay for $5, and have used Millenicom for service. They basically resell Sprint and Verizon business-level broadband plans on a month-to-month basis; you can get a true unlimited plan for $70/mo, contract-free. That being said, I would recommend a tour group for newcomers from the east coast. I think your chances of coming away satisfied with what you see are much higher that way than forging it alone. Experience plays a large role in chasing success, IMO, and there's almost no way to substitute for it -- not even extensive reading. Needless to say, if you're not local to the Plains, building experience is quite difficult without lots of vacation time and lots of funds. The chase tour leaders usually have experience in spades, and also will be more capable of taking reasonable (and often-necessary) risks that a newcomer might understandably balk at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wxsniss Posted November 22, 2011 Author Share Posted November 22, 2011 You guys are great, thanks for your help! Will probably end up dropping money on a tour rather than going it alone. I am from the northeast and have tracked fewer than 5 local tornadoes in my lifetime. Just too rare here. So a tour is probably the smarter way to go. True, even the most expert chasers at one point had no knowledge. And a good deal can be learned from the internet. But I've never done this on site, and the proven local expertise and equipment is the safer way to go for a first tornado chase. Future trips, I might learn enough to go it alone with friends. Let me know if you have any other tips / recommendations! If not sooner, I'll update this thread with hopefully spectacular obs next May . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyhb Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 - local and meteorological expertise... I have minimal experience detecting tornado vorticity signatures on radar / predicting optimal conditions (eg. EHI forecasts on twisterdata.com) etc., and certainly have never done it on location Check this thread out: http://www.americanwx.com/bb/index.php/topic/21304-2011-tornado-radar-images/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FreshAJ Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 I would go with Silver Lining Tours....they are almost always booked up and have such a great success rate for seeing tornadoes. They have been in the business for a long time and some of the smartest storm chasers out there. Good luck! AJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brettjrob Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 I would go with Silver Lining Tours....they are almost always booked up and have such a great success rate for seeing tornadoes. They have been in the business for a long time and some of the smartest storm chasers out there. Good luck! AJ Good call. Roger Hill is simply God when it comes to identifying good chase targets on a daily basis. He saw some absurd number of tornadoes (possibly >60?) in 2010, nailing one difficult/quirky setup after another. The only thing that could lead to disappointment on one of his tours is the Death Ridge from Hell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunder Road Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 I've got to suggest Robert Edmonds. He runs a personal service for less than the compares that run 10-person vans. Really nice guy who knew his stuff and taught me a lot. It was neat working out the target for the next day together in his room instead of just being told where to go. He stepped in and helped us out with like a month's notice when somebody else canceled on us. I really can't say enough about this guy. http://stormchaseguide.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
messier77 Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 I'd strongly recommend chasing with Tempest Tours. Bill Reid and Brian Morganti are giants of the industry. I chased individually for years beforehand, but I finally decided that it was getting stressful doing my own forecasts, prepping my own chase vehicle, dealing with all the electronic stuff, driving through the night over and over again to make chase targets, spending days in a zombified state, and then having the car break down in the middle of a chase. So I let other experienced guides do all that for me (except the breakdown). It has honestly been very rejuvenating to be able to sit back, relax, and enjoy mother nature's show without having to deal with all the logistical crud. Yes, it is more expensive than chasing by myself, but it has been worth every penny. In the future I might go back to solo or small group chasing, but right now I'm perfectly fine letting others handle it for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wxsniss Posted November 23, 2011 Author Share Posted November 23, 2011 You guys rock, thanks for the comments! Check this thread out: http://www.americanw...o-radar-images/ Thanks, that's an awesome thread, a remarkable collection of radar images. April 27 was especially astounding. Thanks, yes so many unfortunately... I guess we also have to remember that this year isn't over yet, we still have the entire fall season ahead of us, and more importantly the south... I'm really anxious for what next year is gonna be like, particularly in April and May. Why do you say this? I will likely be writing a report on 2011 once the year comes to an end outlining all of the major tornadic events of this year (we could see more this Fall) and some of the statistics/weather scenarios that came together for each one. Like many others here, eager to read this if you're still working on it...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted November 23, 2011 Share Posted November 23, 2011 Chase with Ian. Only if you don't want to see anything! Re topic: seems silly to pay so much for a week. Going with friends would chop it more than half most likely. I spent a little over 1k for 10+ days -- not counting pre purchases. If you want to get dangerously close it might be a poor idea if you're a total n00b, but otherwise it seems like it's not terribly dangerous outside road conditions etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brad1551 Posted November 24, 2011 Share Posted November 24, 2011 Tornado chasing is Dangerous. I have done Tornado chasing many of times. You half to know what your doing if you want success. If not you will be pulling hair and fighting with your bestfriend like me. I go every year and every year I get better. I would rather go any day over paying someone to take me. It depends all on the person I guess. If you go by yourself, make sure you have good car insurance & AAA service. You never no what might come your way. Lol a falling tree in the Ozark mountains came my way. I am sure you will have a blast meeting new people and having a better chance of seeing a tornado in the beginning then you might. No offense to you. Ian is right, getting to close is nuts without experience. Trust been there and done that. But all in all going with a friend who has the passion like you, will give you some wonderful memories. Also knowledge gained by yourself will stick in your head better then a guide. Ian is also right, you will also save a lot of money. Best luck to you wxsniss. I hope you have lots of success in going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoMo Posted November 24, 2011 Share Posted November 24, 2011 I would go with Silver Lining Tours....they are almost always booked up and have such a great success rate for seeing tornadoes. They have been in the business for a long time and some of the smartest storm chasers out there. Good luck! AJ Yeah, Silver Lining is so good, the tornadoes come to them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdt Posted November 24, 2011 Share Posted November 24, 2011 Silver Lining Tours. Nothing like chasing with Roger Hill. His enthusiam and excitment are addicting and he is one heck of a knowledgable chaser. I have worked with him and SLT numerous times! A top notch operation and a heck of alot of fun too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted November 24, 2011 Share Posted November 24, 2011 I remember last May -- the 8th I guess -- everyone was in Nebraska including us waiting for the cap to break--it never did. TIV, Timmer etc were all there caravaning around. Hill was just about the only one up further north in SD and he caught a tornado (brief and weak as it was). It does seem he has some magic skill with that stuff. But, I'd sooner go alone than with a tour group. Perhaps that's just me. I agree it's important to have someone who's done it before and knows the general ropes etc. But with spotter network and handheld devices even novices can "follow" the experts and find themselves in a good area. I think time is more important than skill in many regards these days. Even two weeks was not enough.. I'd not gamble on one unless I was flying out into something I knew would be a major outbreak. I could do two again but am looking more at 3 next spring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyhb Posted November 24, 2011 Share Posted November 24, 2011 That video is always disturbing, you can just hear the desperation in Roger's voice over the radio... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundersnow12 Posted November 24, 2011 Share Posted November 24, 2011 College of DuPage gives the best chasing tours by far IMO, and I'm not just saying that because I'm a met major there. Paul Sirvatka is one of the best chasers around. This is from our site "What is the difference between the College of DuPage storm chasing program and a commercial storm chase tour group? The major difference is we can offer you the same experience as a storm chasing tour group for a lot less money! A storm chasing tour company going out for a similar length of time will typically charge between $2500 and $3500. In addition, because we are educators and you are obtaining college credit, everyone participating on our trips can expect to learn about thunderstorms, tornadoes and storm chasing. Finally, we have been taking students out storm chasing since 1989, so we offer you more experience than any of the major storm chasing tour operators that we are aware of." http://weather.cod.edu/chasing/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wxsniss Posted November 24, 2011 Author Share Posted November 24, 2011 Really appreciate all the advice, you guys are awesome. I understand hook echoes and velocity couplets, but never having done this alone, I think it's safer to consider myself a noob. Right now debating: 1) Silver Lining 2) Tempest Tours 3) Robert Edmonds 4) StormChasing.com I've got to suggest Robert Edmonds. He runs a personal service for less than the compares that run 10-person vans. Really nice guy who knew his stuff and taught me a lot. It was neat working out the target for the next day together in his room instead of just being told where to go. He stepped in and helped us out with like a month's notice when somebody else canceled on us. I really can't say enough about this guy. http://stormchaseguide.com/ This sounds great and very flexible. Any one else have experience with Robert Edmonds? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdt Posted November 24, 2011 Share Posted November 24, 2011 Just a few other thoughts about chasing: I have chased with SLT as a guest and many times as a driver working for them. After doing that a while and learning much about the ins and outs of chasing I finally chased on my own. Both experiences are fun and exciting but quite different in my opinion. Obvisouly with most tour groups you will be part of a large group. This adds the extra group dynamic to the entire experience. It can be very fun surrounded by a group of like minded severe weather nuts while out on the road chasing wild weather. That can also be a bit of a hinderence too at times. Larger groups just tend to move slower over all. Pit stops take longer and this can sometimes be critical to whether you make a great storm or tornado or not. But I also find the success of intercepting the best storms and tornados is greatly increased when led by a very experienced guide. SLT and Roger Hill will definitley provide you with that experience. Of course there are several other successfull tour groups out there too. Tempest, Cloud 9 to name a few are well seasoned and you would not be making a bad decision to go along with them. I do caution though that there have sprouted up many lesser companies over the years as the popularity of chasing as increased significantly. As for chasing solo it is, in my mind, a much different beast. My first solo chase was just my wife and I in June 2010. I had the car completely outfitted with laptop, mobile interent, cell booster (very important), gps software etc. With the exception of one day calling Roger and asking for a little advice on a target I did all my own forecasting. Funning thing about that is having learned so much from Roger I have began to think like him and thus several times ended up running into him and SLT on several storms. That is a true confidence boost! One of the big differences to me from chasing solo vs working with SLT was the stress factor I realized that can occur once you become 100% in control of your own forecasting and abilities. It is a fun, exciting and satisfying to do it on your own especially if you have a succesful day. But sometimes I just want to pull my hair out when trying to determine between two equal targets or a storm to the north vs one to the south. But that is just the nature of chasing. To me chasing is not just about seeing a tornado, and for those that it is it can become even more frustrating and likely less satisfy most of the time. For me I enjoy the total experience. From the long drives across some beautiful and less traveled parts of the country, to figuring a place to stay for the night, to forecasting a target for the day and finally getting on the chase. The chase, to me, is like a game of chess. Its not just a matter of watching radar and following its about trying to think one or two moves ahead of the storm. Factoring its movement and speed, the environment it is in and heading towards, and then the big one what are my road and terrian options to keep up with this in a favorable and safe postition. When on my own I am confident in my abilities but only to a point. I will not push it with regards to getting very close or punching a core. If I want that experience I will hook up with Roger for that. Of course since I choose not to push those issues it can put me at a bit of a disadvantage with rergards to getting a good tornado. But for me that is ok. I am just as happy with sitting back a little and see the big picture of a beautifully structured super cell. There is not one aspect of the chasing experience, whether solo or with a tour group, that I do not enjoy! One last point. I have never chased in May (minus the first few days) and I never will. It is just way to crowded for my liking. Sure it is the peak of season climatologically but the number of chasers out is just crazy. I have chased late April into very early May and mid to late June. Late April can be intense with some wild outbreaks but the chances of down days is high too. I prefer the later half of June. Though there are still many chasers out there the number starts to dwindle. Storm motion generally is slower thus easier to keep up with storms. Climatology suggest chasing further north up into NE, SD, ND, WY, MT! To me that is some of the most beautiful chase country out there and where I prefer to be. There is also the added benifit of longer daylight hours. Yep chasing till 8, 9 even 10PM! If you are a first time chaser with little experience or with little severe weather knowledge go with tour first with out a doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert_Edmonds Posted November 29, 2011 Share Posted November 29, 2011 This sounds great and very flexible. Any one else have experience with Robert Edmonds? If you would like, feel free to contact me ([email protected]) about tours through StormChaseGuide.com. I would be happy to talk in person and get you intouch with past customers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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