[Tour 1 2018]

28 minutes ago, jtay said:

Are we feeling lucky? From the NOAA Storm Prediction Centre...

Day 4-8 Convective Outlook  
   NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
   0231 AM CDT Thu May 03 2018

   ..Picca.. 05/03/2018

I am feeling quite excited about the tour, first week brings a lot of promises even if no major outbreak is seen by EU at this moment. On the other hand lots of moist hot gulf air is getting pumped and we will have for sure a couple of quite interesting TS in the plains maybe in all days. I am really counting on a continuous stream of precipitation to improve humidity.

US vegetation is  delayed. In the photos of the outbreak of this week I have seen lots of freshly plowed exposed soil. Now it seems that it will get quite hot and quite humid. Thu-Fri next week might bring some severe TS. I do have a feeling for an larger outbreak in the second week of our tour.

[Tour 1 2018]

18 hours ago, Paul Sherman said:

Wednesday will almost Certainly be a Moderate Risk this week, Tuesday could hold a few surprises as well if Storms can Tornado early before the Cap kills em off. Would expect at least 2 siginificant Tornadoes on the 2nd May, most probably in Oklahoma and Kansas. Some of the Soundings are already showing PDS Tornado potential. Pretty gutting its not exactly a week later. But thems the cards we are dealt!

I was split between going a end of april-first decade of May and mid May because of an expected delay of the start of the season. 

Thinking this week will be a good beginning of the 2018 season (at least ending the Oklahoma drought) but still expecting the main course during our tour. There should be a bit more moisture and a  bit more heat... and it looks like no serious blocking feature to spoil everything. It was very cold in the US this spring and I am thinking that maybe mid May would be quite interesting...

Looks like something is cooking up from the 8-10th onward... starting to show up also on the Euro.

 

[Tour 1 2018]

3 hours ago, Paul Sherman said:

Nearly There People

11 Guests on Tour 1 of which 4 of returning guests.

We will have 7 Double rooms and 1 single on this Tour.

So far it looks like it will work out quite nicely with only 6 of the boys pairing up to share.

Room 1 - Paul and Andre

Room 2 - Richard and Ed

Room 3 - Jock

Room 4 - Danny and Ruby (Couple)

Room 5 - Sarah and Rebecca

Room 6, 7 and 8 between Adam, Sam and Paul Hunter (All returning Guests) and John Taylor, Gregg Lees and Mihai

Hello Paul,

I will introduce myself a bit maybe it will help with the pairing.

Got bitten by the convective meteorology bug since high-school (when I read all the old books on RO thunderstorm climatology), ended up 12 years later with a PhD in Geography-Climatology focused on the risk generated by thunderstorms in my region. Working in the renewable energy sector at the same company for almost 10 years first as a project manager and now heading all the project development. Forecasting more as a hobby, operator of Blitzortung station 960 (Vaslui/Romania) which replaced a system green station. Interested in energy meteorology / power trading. Also with a background on environmental science and some work in nature conservation.

Also Paul, wanting to ask you about the final information package, if it was send or not as I did not received it yet.

[Travel Insurance]

Bupa Global Travel said that storm chasing is fine as it is not on their list of exclusion. So I got their single trip medical cover for the duration of the tour on top of my normal travel insurance.

[Travel Insurance]

17 hours ago, Newbie85 said:

I was informed you cannot have 2 insurances as it invalidates both the insurances,  so i am looking at just getting fully comprehensive to cover everything else and one illness!

I understand you case is different than mine (you have a precondition and I cannot get a dogtag insurance because I am not residing in the UK or US).

It is my understanding that you cannot have (or it is pointless to have) 2 insurances with identical coverage. In case multiple insurances would cover an event than they would all need to be informed so they would split it accordingly.

In my case I am already covered somehow by my credit card travel insurance but it has many exclusions.

I also bought the trip cancellation policy coming with my flight booking which also covers normal medical expenses.

I am looking right now for an pure travel medical insurance that would offer a "broad carte blanche" for most activities.  I found this telegraph article as most informative (they talk about anual insurances but gives a good example of how insurances work and companies):

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/expat-health/9858125/Extreme-sports-expats-should-read-health-policy-small-print.html

Sent an email to Bupa Global Travel for a confirmation for storm chasing as it seems they would insure everything with the exception of:

Expeditions, mountaineering and trekking in Antarctica, the North Pole and Greenland are not covered by the insurance. Mountaineering which requires specialized equipment, regardless of destination, is not covered.

 

 

[Travel Insurance]

I cannot get a Dog Tag insurance as I am not an UK resident but I will try to bug some local insurance companies that offer "extreme sports" insurances to see if they would also cover "storm chasing".

I bought the comprehensive travel insurance when booking my flight to cover the normal, flight, cancellations, medical risks and I will be in the look out to complete is with something else.

[Tour 1 2018]

Hi there everyone as this is also my first post on the forum.

I will be also on Tour 1, arriving on the 8th with BA0193, landing at 15:25 and departing on the 19th with BA1521 at 19.00.

Quite a last minute decision but I am confident that mid-May will be a great time to chase.