Rituals

It has come to me that people often have rituals based on the weather; planting gardens, praying for the first above freezing day, dancing on the beach when it arrives...Every spring since I was in grad school my ritual was to watch Storm Chasers, the Discovery show that ran from 2007-2011.

I'd sprawl out in the futon in Waterbury, Vermont, dog by my side, and take a precious hour or two between studying and working two jobs to watch the different tornado chasers work towards achieving their goals. I'd start watching in early March so that by the time storms were ramping up in earnest I could follow the real thing instead of the show. 

This documentary series profiled different teams comprised of scientists, filmmakers, a team of adrenaline-junkies-masquerading-as-scientists, and a team of engineers as they studied tornadoes from many different angles. My favorite group to follow were the engineers; they seemed the most dedicated and were portrayed as being level-headed and drama-free. Twistex, led by Tim Samaras and Carl Young, sought to better understand the tornado life cycle and how it relates to building structures that can better withstand a tornado's winds. In a highly profiled incident within the chase community, Samaras, his son, and Young all lost their lives while chasing tornadoes in 2013.

Twistex in Action (Laubacht)

As we get closer to April 30, I realized that I hadn't gotten down to the business of beginning my usual spring ritual. Imagine my dismay when I discovered today that the show was no longer available on Netflix, and that I'd have to find some other way to build up the energy and excitement that usually comes hand-in-hand with warmer weather. Luckily I discovered Reed Timmer's documentary streaming on Hulu, but it isn't quite the same.

One of the things that I most anticipate with regards to this trip is witnessing the cultural phenomenon- I look forward to learning about the kind of people who anticipate thunderstorms with the same zeal that I do. One of my SLT tripmates has already reached out to me on social media, and I'm enthusiastic about meeting everyone else in person. Only 34 days to go!

86 Days

86 days until my adventure begins. As an '86 baby about to turn 30, this number is particularly significant. When I reflect on the fact that I began researching tornado chasing trips about a year ago, in the spring of 2015, it seems like time is progressing much too quickly. April 30th will be here before I know it!

Tornadoes in the US typically peak from April to June, and can impact a wide swath of the country's midsection. Chase tours go where the action is, which means that although they may begin and end in a particular location, these trips are mobile adventures planned around the prevailing weather patterns. Last spring I figured the best way to learn more about the storm chasing industry was to follow several tour companies over the course of the season, and see who had the most successes, best pictures, and most positive testimonials. 

Silver Lining Tours seemed to excel at all of these attributes. At first glance I was quite impressed with their website, testimonials, and, as the season progressed, their encounters. I followed a couple of other chase groups as well, but their online presence seemed to be more haphazard, with less structured commentary on chase experiences. As the 2015 season came to a close, I narrowed my options and did further research on Storm Chasing USA

Last September I learned that a friend of mine's sister is a meteorologist at NWS, which provided a great opportunity for insider insight. She recommended two reputable tour groups (including Silver Lining Tours), as well as the following tongue-in-cheek tip: "stay away from Reed Timmer." Although Reed is a figurehead of chase culture, with many documentaries and the Discovery series Storm Chasers under his belt, he is well known for pushing the limits of safety in search of storm chasing thrills. I would love to meet Reed Timmer some day- perhaps because one can't help but have a fangirl crush on his exuberant personality and infectious charisma- but I knew that his method of chasing was something I wasn't interested in pursuing.

Tornado probabilities for the week I will be chasing, courtesy NOAA & SLT

At the end of September, on a Saturday night where I was so tired I felt positively nauseous, I contacted Roger at SLT. I picked the second tour of the season, Caprock Magic, which focuses on the Texas panhandle and Oklahoma- prime chase territory. The tour runs during the first week of May, and after hearing back from Roger that space was still available, I spent another evening reading the pages and pages of waivers that are involved with embarking upon a chase tour. A few days later I put down my deposit for the trip. I distinctly remember thinking I can't believe I'm doing this! For real! It's going to happen! It has been a pleasure to arrange my trip through SLT, and Roger has been extremely helpful and responsive with regards to the questions that have come up so far.

A couple of weeks ago I booked my plane ticket to Oklahoma City and purchased extra travel insurance, just in case something happens to prevent me from taking this long-anticipated trip. Explaining the nature of my trip to the insurance company was a hoot! The agent asked me to repeat myself twice. 

Since storm chasing relies completely on the weather, I guess it's time to practice some of the techniques I'll be following on the tour; it's time to hurry up and wait for April to arrive.

The Origin Story

Being stuck at home with the chicken pox is the worst.

In fact, you can blame the fact that I've nursed a twenty year passion for meteorology and weather geekiness on the chicken pox.

I missed the entire first week of third grade, which meant that when the time came for me to start school I was seated in the back of the class with the only other girl who was as nerdy as I was- she was stuck sitting next to me as my interest in weather developed. It was the last week of August, 1995, and the Atlantic hurricane season was smashing previous benchmarks. A record four storms (Humberto, Iris, Jerry, and Karen- I can still remember the names!) churned in the basin at once, and I was hooked. Perhaps I was feverish, but I was entranced by the rotating rainbow colors of the radar maps.

 Babysitters would joke about how avidly I waited for the tropical update on the Weather Channel- it was always at :50 past the hour- and I insisted on watching the elderly John Hope describe what was going on with hurricanes and typhoons all over the world. My peers & cousins teased me, but my parents were kind enough to indulge me by getting me the grainy Weather Channel documentary "The Enemy Wind" for Hanukkah that year. Coincidentally, Twister was released in 1996, and I insisted that the entire family attend. Dusty will ALWAYS be my favorite Philip Seymour Hoffman role, and I have a feeling that Cary Elwys still regrets having to affect that Texan drawl.

Oh, and the special effects were incredible, too- there were flying cows!

Jo: [cow flies by in the storm] Cow.
[cow flies by in the storm]
Jo: 'Nother cow.
Bill: Actually I think that was the same one.

If you're near the age of 30 (as I am), then you'll remember how coolly nonchalant Jo was. I know I didn't exactly understand the tension between Bill and Jo, or Melissa's conversations with her patients at the time, but as an adult they seem to make much more sense.

Speaking of turning 30...that's why I've started this blog. I'm turning 30 next July, and my 30th birthday present to myself is to fulfill my decades old dream of seeing a tornado in person...preferably one that spins genteelly in the middle of a field...not hurting people, property, or cows. Additionally, I'll be continuing my annual birthday tradition of fundraising for a chosen organization. Next year's fundraising theme will be appropriate to this aspiration I've had since I was 9: I plan to fundraise on behalf of a nonprofit that supports disaster relief.

My chasing trip is booked for the first week of May, 2016. I plan on live blogging my tour through a part of the country I've never visited, and beyond that I look forward to keeping readers updated on the fundraising campaign, which will come to fruition in July.

I guess it's safe to say- I'm off to see the wizard!