What to expect on an Apex Storm Tour

What to Expect on an Apex Storm Chasing Tour

If you’ve never been storm chasing before, you’re probably wondering what it’s actually like to spend several days crossing Tornado Alley in search of severe weather.

The short answer? No two days are the same.

An Apex Storm Tour isn’t a scripted vacation with a predetermined itinerary. The weather decides where we go, and every morning starts with one goal: put ourselves in the best possible position to experience incredible severe weather safely.

Every Day Starts With a Forecast

Our day usually begins by analyzing the latest weather data and determining where the best severe-weather potential will be.

We look at the ingredients needed for severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, including instability, wind shear, moisture, boundaries and the position and timing of approaching weather systems.

Sometimes the target is close.

Sometimes the atmosphere tells us the best opportunity is several hundred miles away.

When that happens, we go.

That flexibility is one of the biggest advantages of a multi-day storm chasing tour. We aren’t waiting for storms to come to us. We’re traveling across the Great Plains looking for the best setup available each day.

Be Prepared to Cover Some Ground

Real storm chasing involves driving.

A lot of driving.

Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota and the surrounding Plains are enormous, and the best severe-weather setup can change considerably from one day to the next.

There may be days when we travel hundreds of miles just to reach our target.

But those miles are part of the experience.

During the drive, we’ll talk about what we’re seeing in the forecast, why we’ve chosen a particular target and what we’re watching for as storms begin developing.

You’ll get to experience the decision-making process behind a real storm chase instead of simply being driven toward a storm.

Then the Sky Starts Changing

This is the part that never gets old.

You can spend hours watching weather models and driving toward a target, and then suddenly towering cumulus begins exploding along the horizon.

Radar starts lighting up.

A storm becomes dominant.

And the chase is on.

Depending on the day, we could encounter towering supercells, enormous storm structure, rotating wall clouds, incredible lightning, giant hail, powerful winds and, when the atmosphere cooperates, tornadoes.

There is nothing quite like watching a supercell develop across the open Plains.

Are Tornadoes Guaranteed?

No.

And anyone considering a storm chasing tour should understand that before booking.

Tornadoes are one of nature’s most unpredictable phenomena. Even on days with excellent ingredients, the atmosphere doesn’t always produce one.

Our job is to analyze the weather each day and put our guests in the best position we reasonably can to experience severe weather.

Some tours may see tornadoes. Others may experience spectacular supercells, lightning and severe storms without seeing a tornado.

That’s storm chasing.

It’s also why longer tours provide more opportunities for the atmosphere to cooperate.

Safety Comes First

Seeing incredible storms is the goal, but getting everyone back safely is more important.

We continuously monitor storm motion, road options, radar and changing weather conditions throughout the chase.

We aren’t trying to drive directly underneath a tornado or take unnecessary risks just to get a dramatic video.

Our goal is to find a position where guests can experience the power and beauty of severe weather while maintaining appropriate escape routes and situational awareness. Every tornado is different. Some tornados allow us to safely approach for a closer intercept, while others can be less predictable and require us to observe a little further away.

Sometimes the safest decision means repositioning.

Sometimes it means backing away.

And occasionally it means abandoning a storm entirely to reposition.

Those decisions are part of responsible storm chasing.

Bring Your Camera

You don’t need professional camera equipment to enjoy an Apex tour.

Phones can capture incredible storm photographs and video, and guests are welcome to bring cameras, lenses, tripods or other photography equipment.

When conditions allow, we’ll find opportunities to stop and photograph storm structure, lightning and the landscapes of the Great Plains.

And if we’re fortunate enough to have a tornado develop in a safe viewing position, you’ll have the opportunity to capture something you’ll remember for the rest of your life.

What Happens When There Aren’t Storms?

Not every day will produce severe weather.

On quieter days, we may reposition for the following day’s setup, explore interesting places along the way, photograph the Plains or simply enjoy some downtime before the next chase.

Weather controls the schedule.

That’s part of what makes storm chasing different from almost any other vacation.

You may wake up thinking you’re spending the day in Oklahoma and go to sleep hundreds of miles away because tomorrow’s atmosphere looks better somewhere else.

Small Groups Are Part of the Experience

Apex Storm Tours is intentionally built around small groups.

Storm chasing means spending a lot of time together, and we want our tours to feel personal.

You’ll be able to ask questions, learn about forecasting, follow what we’re seeing on radar and understand why we’re making particular decisions throughout the chase.

By the end of the trip, we don’t want you to feel like you were simply a passenger on a tour bus.

We want you to feel like you were part of the chase.

Expect an Adventure

Storm chasing can mean early mornings, late nights, long drives, changing plans and occasionally waiting hours for the atmosphere to finally do something.

Then there are those moments when everything comes together.

You’re standing beneath an enormous Great Plains sky watching a supercell rotate in front of you, lightning is flashing across the horizon, and something you’ve watched on television your entire life is happening right in front of you.

That’s what we’re chasing.

Not simply tornadoes.

The entire experience of being out there when the atmosphere comes alive.

If that sounds like your kind of adventure, we’d love to have you chase Tornado Alley with Apex Storm Tours.

Nathan

Apex Storm Tours