Convergence. Helicity. CAPE. Shear. Dewpoint. Soundings. These terms are an integral part of storm chasing, yet they were foreign words to a fledgling storm chaser. But by the end of Silver Lining Tours' Northland Lecture Tour '06, my first year chasing with SLT, these terms became a familiar part of my vocabulary. Thanks to Roger Hill and Silver Lining Tours, I walked away from the Northland Tour '06 with a vast amount of usable knowledge. Every morning before departing for an exciting day of chasing, we would have a lecture session which was choc full of information. The lecture was taught by Roger Hill in such a way that it was absorbed into my mind like water to a sponge. He teaches with such passion and excitement, and it translates into lessons that any layperson can grasp with ease. But the learning didn't end with the lecture. During the course of the day, we were constantly getting weather updates and, subsequently, more knowledge on the development of supercells. Silver Lining Tours, with Roger Hill in the pilot's seat, put forth great efforts in trying to find strong storms in a season that was full of anything but. Roger lead each chase with the same vigor, persistence and safety as if it were the last chase of the season. Since 2006, I've been chasing with SLT every year since. Last year on Tour 4, we saw a stunning tornado, the same tornado that the Vortex team showed on The Weather Channel. The tours NEVER disappoint. And safety is always the first priority. That means a lot. If you have questions about my SLT experience, feel free to contact me via my website.
