Into The Storm - don't just watch it, live it!

It's been a long time since Twister introduced the world to the slightly surreal idea of storm chasing, and after an 18 year wait, Into The Storm is released this week and we again get to see a little of the life of a Chaser on the road.

There's bound to be plenty of poetic licence, real life storm chasers will most likely roll their eyes and raise eyebrows and possibly even tut a little as the movie pushes the reality a little too far - but that's why it's a movie, not a documentary I guess?

I'm fortunate enough to be going to watch a preview screening tonight, I'm ready to suspend belief and enjoy the ride, I've seen enough previews and trailers to know that the CGI effects look amazing.  I'm also fortunate enough to have spent plenty of hours on the plains doing the real thing to know that making a true to life film would not be able to capture the sheer scale and goose bump raising sights and sounds of the chase.

The first time you track and watch a small cloud in a cobalt blue sky grow into a towering superstructure over the course of a few hours, the bright white bubbling cumonimbulus punching through the cap and slowly darkening as the sky turns angry is always jaw dropping.  But what happens next is the most astounding sight, as the cloud you have followed for a number of hours becomes something unique and almost unbelievable - a supercell, each one is different, and every time you are left wondering how the hell something like that can actually be real.

Listening to the rumble of hail above your head as the huge updrafts throw ice balls the size of grapefruit against themselves is distinctly different to the sharper crack and roll of thunder as lightning crawls across the anvil or explosively strikes the ground and adds to the incredible atmosphere.  Watching as the supercell grows skywards, adding tiers like an inverted wedding cake and slowly starts to rotate, all with a bunch of like mided travellers hoping to spot that elusive lowering from the wall cloud, the excitement of each and every piece of scud that might just be a tornado forming.

Until finally a finger of cloud slowly drops towards the ground, and the sound of dozens of camera shutters as chasers try to catch the perfect shot - all except the first timers, who will stand with cameras forgotten by their side trying to take it all in, the absolutely mind blowing beauty and power of one of natures most violent storms unfolding in front of you - it's better than any movie, and you can join us on the plains to experience it for yourselves every May & June.

Trust me, it's a once in a lifetime experience that you'll want to do again and again, there is nothing quite like it for seeing a side of America very few get to see and experience some of the most spectacular sights you can imagine from the safety of cars staffed by experienced chasers and equipped with the best equipment to get you in the right place at the right time to safely watch as the sky puts on a show you'll never forget

Check out Weather Holidays our sister site for the details and tour dates, I hope we see you on the plains soon.

Ian