Last year was the first time I went on a storm chasing tour. I selected Tempest Tours because I liked the descriptions of what a storm chasing tour entails. The tour did not disappoint. We chased storms through Oklahoma, Kansas, Texas and New Mexico. We came close to seeing tornadoes a few times, but they never developed. Despite that, we saw numerous super cells, hail, lightning and torrential rains. The fun was in the chase, and our guide, Bill Reid and our driver, Bill Schuessler always made sure we were safe. On non-chase days, we explored parks and abandoned building, as well as a tour of the Fort Worth/Dallas Weather Service where we got to watch them launch the weather balloon. The motels we stayed in were very comfortable, as well as the hotel before and after. Kim George, who is in charge of guest relations, made sure everyone was accommodated. I enjoyed myself so much I didn't want it to end.
Vehicle review:
The van was very comfortable and roomy. The guests took turns in different seats so we could see the storms from other vantage points. We went over bumpy roads and you could hardly feel anything.
Tour guide review:
The tour guide, Bill Reid was fantastic. He was professional, knowledgeable and made us laugh. He showed us how to read the radar, wind direction, outflow and inflow charts. Even on the days when it looked like there would be minimal storms, he kept a positive outlook. He told us that we would see storms even though the NWS weren't predicting anything, and sure enough we did see storms.
