We were just south of Dalhart, Texas looking northward on Highway 87 when we saw the ominous signs.
The updraft to the left of the highway was visible by a wisp of rising dirt. The low lying scud clouds were swirling towards the darkness of the rotating storm and were being sucked in as if by a giant vacuum cleaner. Within minutes, the clouds started coalescing into not one, but two funnel clouds. As one of them reached the ground, we were almost mesmerized by the spectacle before us. This is what we had come to see – a tornado.
Why do we chase tornadoes? It is a bit of an unusual way to spend a holiday. We are often met by perplexed gazes from others. “Are you guys nuts?” “Aren’t you frightened? These are just some of the comments from people who probably think we are indeed strange.
For us the obsession with tornadoes stems from recurrent childhood dreams. Some chasers say that their fixation with tornadoes started with the movie, The Wizard Of Oz, which for its time had a very menacing re-creation of a tornado.
Our first time chasing was in 2004. We were surprised to find that there were many others who seemed to have this form of insanity. Storm chasing has become quite a popular endeavour on the great central plains of the United States. We have met all sorts of people; doctors, teachers, retirees and even a few Australians. In some places the roads can literally become jammed with chase vehicles.
Experiencing a tornado transcends the physical. There is something metaphysical about being in its presence. It is nature at its most powerful, energetic and unpredictable.
It is also like watching a living, breathing organism. Each tornado has it’s own shape and personality. Some are innocent looking and rope-like, others wedge shaped, while the stove pipe tornadoes are absolutely menacing. This phenomenon of nature is known to have the strongest winds on the planet. A 1999 tornado that struck Oklahoma City had wind speeds clocked at 508 kilometres per hour! Despite this destructive power many find the tornado a beautiful phenomenon.
Today, thanks to technology these storms are becoming better understood and warning times have increased so that people in their homes can have a greater chance of surviving What makes storm chasing today so much easier is having satellite radar units which can be hooked up to a laptop computer. This gives you a whole assortment of meteorological data.
What does a tornado chasing tour look like and is it for you? There may be days when you are sitting in a van and absolutely nothing happens. On other days, after driving for several hundred kilometres, you reach a storm and it just fizzles as you get there. This is the frustrating aspect of storm chasing. Then there is the flat, mundane prairie landscape which may not be for everyone. You also have to cope with cheap motels and greasy food in the south, although you can find some healthy meals in places. It’s not exactly an exotic vacation. You will pay for this to the tune of $2000 for 5 or 6 days of chasing which does include the “luxurious” accommodation.
So the ultimate question remains, why do people do this? While there is no guarantee of seeing a tornado on any one trip, the indignities of below par food and accommodation are more than worth it if you do encounter a tornado. It is quite a unique experience.
How do you chase a storm? We have taken tours on four occasions with Tradd Stormchasing Tours. It is important to find someone who has a good grasp of the science of tornado formation and most importantly, who has safety in mind. You don’t want to go with a cowboy who thinks he can thread the needle of a storm and then end up dead smack into an invisible, rain wrapped tornado.
This May we have decided to chase on our own. We have our own weather radar unit with integrated GPS and with the experience gained the past few years, we are ready to go.
Admittedly, we are addicted and passionate for the excitement and thrill of the chase.
You can follow our adventures on http://travelblogs.mapquest.com/elyl2/the-passionate-retirees-tornado-alley-and-uk-2013
