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Tour 2 2019


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Posted
  • Location: Macclesfield, Cheshire
  • Weather Preferences: Thunderstorms, Lightning, Tornado, Hurricane, Heatwave
  • Location: Macclesfield, Cheshire
3 hours ago, Lucas said:

Hi guys,

I'm not going on any tours this year so if this thread is only for people on tours feel free to tell me where I could post. I was following you last year almost every chase from the UK on my computer and had a few late nights watching radar and your live stream:-) I really like the fact I could see your live video and your live position together with the radar, feels like I was there with you, but obviously I'd love to try the real thing. I just want to ask if you don't mind, do you know about any publicly available radar (free of charge) that would show storm rotation (the storm relative Doppler winds)? I assume there is no way in your map with the position of your vehicle to show this. The best radar I found is: https://www.weatherradioapp.com/imap-weather

It shows if a storm rotates, but it's just a computer generated symbol that shows where a rotation was detected, but no actual Doppler Radar.

I'd also love to join you next year if all goes well, the main problem for me in the last years was Uni and the fact that exams coincide with tornadoes, but I'm finishing this year (hopefully) so should be fine timewise for the next. Finances was other thing, but I'm making a savings plan for going stormchasing so want to ask how soon I'd have to book if I wanted to go next year and when is the deadline for full payment? Also, other than flights, ESTA, etc. are there any other costs while in the US and would $500 cash with me be enough to have for food, downdays, etc. or would you recommend more? (feel free to direct me to some FAQ page, etc. if this is all explained somewhere).

I'm hoping to follow you online again this year. The only thing was that I'm having trouble loading your live stream. When I went to the live stream page (even at times when I thought you were chasing) it says "Event Has Been Deleted". I could see your posts, but no live video and your position is showing up in SW Kansas where I think you finished last year. Do I need to reset my browser somehow or is it just that you haven't been streaming this year?

Anyway, fingers crossed for you and I hope you get many successful days and see loads of tornadoes!

Hi Lucas,

Great to see you interest. I've been on the tours for last 5 years, think its safe to say I got the bug, thanks to the enthusiasm, friendliness and 'willing-to-go-the-extra-mile'-ness of Paul and the team. As Dorsetbred said, RadarScope is good, if you really get into it, then purchase a copy of GRLevel 3 which shows storm details as well. Both you can set up to draw warning polygons, and have storm reports on I believe.

I had the same problem with you in regards to exams being in May, its worth just getting your exams good, and then chase when you have no commitments in my opinion.

Regarding finances, the deposit for a tour is usually £150, and you can opt for a payment plan per month. Paul on this forum should be able to help you with that. Usually you complete payments by March for travel in May/June etc. Flights typically are around £500-£600, Denver was a bit cheaper this year, Dallas a little more expensive, but its worth hanging out on flights until January, maybe even February, as sometimes deals come up. Routes via Heathrow seem to be expensive, routes via Atlanta, Dublin and New York seem to be cheaper. ESTA, I've just bought and can tell you is $14, so just over £11 at the moment.

Other costs really, I tend to go a day before the start date on the WeatherHolidays site, and I know others do, just so I can acclimatise, and chill in the hotel for a bit. After all, it'll be 12-14 hours through various airports depending on where you board your flight. I pay for a hotel for that first night of the tour, and its usually £50-£60, half that, if you can find someone else doing the same thing, to split a double room with. Last year we chased pretty much every day, and as a tour group, we also got some evening downtime to go to some fantastic restaurants, other days was Subway/McDonalds/gas station for a sandwich on the move, this very much depends on the whether, when and where storms will be, and the plans for the day. I came away having spent sub $600 for 10 days, and this includes souvenirs, food, beers for the hotel and so on. It'd have probably been closer to $500 had I not bought an additional hard drive to store extra pictures and video! The only other thing that springs to mind now, is insurance. DogTag is a fantastic company for storm chasing specific insurance, and is usually around £100 for the trip, but obviously well worth it. Plus you get some cool goodies through the post from them!

Besides that, if you are into your photography / video etc of the storms, like I am, then you go into the £1000's for lenses, camera equipment, tripods, camcorders, whatever you're interest is.

Hope this helps, this is just my view as an incredibly obsessed tour guest, who counts down to storm season every year!

Mike.

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Posted
  • Location: Leigh On Sea - Essex & Tornado Alley
  • Location: Leigh On Sea - Essex & Tornado Alley

12Z GFS Run is an absolute wet dream of a run for Tour 2

If it plays out like it is showing then there will be multiple Severe Events over the Plains starting around the 17th to the 27th May

This really could be another 2016 setting up here

See you next week Guys

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Posted
  • Location: Poole, Dorset 42m ASL
  • Location: Poole, Dorset 42m ASL
13 hours ago, Paul Sherman said:

12Z GFS Run is an absolute wet dream of a run for Tour 2

If it plays out like it is showing then there will be multiple Severe Events over the Plains starting around the 17th to the 27th May

This really could be another 2016 setting up here

See you next week Guys

SPC onboard already ?

"In either case, the threat for severe weather is likely to increase on Fri/D6 into Sat/D7, and 15% probabilities have been introduced for Fri/D6. Increasing flow aloft with a substantial low-level jet and moisture should support supercells along the dryline Fri afternoon and evening..."

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Posted
  • Location: Bamford, Rochdale
  • Weather Preferences: Summer - Storms Winter - Blizzards
  • Location: Bamford, Rochdale
On 11/05/2019 at 08:29, Dorsetbred said:

Lucas, there is no live stream this year. As to a lot of your other questions concerning how...check out weatherholidays.com as a starting point for the tour schedule. Start there to begin with as it has a faq and contact email. As to radar app, a lot of people use RadarScope. Others will add more I am sure but being in a specific tour thread might mean your questions may not be seem the best place. There is a thread running on “What do I take...” and that is a really useful thread this year, drop in and ask....Good luck, it’s a great thing to do, you will enjoy...and want to go back for more!

 

“What do I take...” and that is a really useful thread this year"

 

Thanks!!  but very useful!

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Posted
  • Location: Macclesfield, Cheshire
  • Weather Preferences: Thunderstorms, Lightning, Tornado, Hurricane, Heatwave
  • Location: Macclesfield, Cheshire

Sat in Manchester T2, ready to rock, will try and share photos each night on here, wi-fi permitting! See everyone out there, it looks like a busy 10 d

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Posted
  • Location: Hayward’s Heath - home, Brighton/East Grinstead - work.
  • Weather Preferences: Snow and storms
  • Location: Hayward’s Heath - home, Brighton/East Grinstead - work.

Tour 2 looking very promising indeed. Good luck to all out on it. Bet cookie is wetting himself...

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Posted
  • Location: Cumbria UK
  • Weather Preferences: Cloud 9
  • Location: Cumbria UK

Day one for me. I am reminded of a song by B W Stephenson which has the line `five o'clock on a Texas morning and I've come a long, long way'. The journey wasn't too bad. I arrived at Manchester airport at 7am and asked if I could check my bags in but they offered me a flight two hours earlier than my existing flight. That gave me less stress when I arrived at T5 Heathrow. Flight on the Dreamliner was good. Nearly had some plane rage when a mother , her mother and their baby had swapped seats to be together pinching mine. I was about to throw them out but calmed down when I saw that hers was just on the other side of the aisle. I would have happily swapped seats if they had left mine and asked when I arrived. They had been very presumptuous and I have thrown a lot of people out a seat that I had paid for and reserved specifically because I want an aisle seat so I can wander up and down the plane to help prevent DVT. also I can go to the loo when I feel like and nothing fills you with wind more that a pressurised plane cabin.  Take off was delayed for about 3/4 hour because the gangway got stuck onto the plane, cant blame BA for that, but we still arrived on time, which tells me that if the pilot wanted to we could have got here an hour earlier anyway. Food was great and the red wine flowed. I had a musical trip . I watched a star is born, Bros , when the screaming stops and Bohemian Rhapsody (which I missed the end of because the plane landed) please don't tell me how it ends, I will watch it on the way home. No storms here today but things are looking good for the week end. Never good for the good folk of the plains because they will have lots of things planned. Ok off for a bit of breakfast.

Chicken George

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Posted
  • Location: Wickham, S Hampshire, UK
  • Location: Wickham, S Hampshire, UK

Tom - the end of Bohemian Rhapsody is not really a spoiler - it’s based on actual events after all!

Enjoy T2 - it’s looking very active from Thursday on.

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Posted
  • Location: Caterham-on-the-hill, Surrey, 190m asl (home), Heathrow (work)
  • Location: Caterham-on-the-hill, Surrey, 190m asl (home), Heathrow (work)

Safe journeys and good luck for those landing in next few days for tour 2, not often one sees risks highlighted for each of days of the 4-8 day outlook, but looking rather active! Will be following enviously from home before I make the trip out there on the 27th.

https://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/exper/day4-8/

 

 

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Posted
  • Location: Caterham-on-the-hill, Surrey, 190m asl (home), Heathrow (work)
  • Location: Caterham-on-the-hill, Surrey, 190m asl (home), Heathrow (work)

Friday the fun and games starts, probably go moderate risk in southern Plains and an area of the central/northern Plains, so jaunt up Highway 287 (highway to heaven) from DFW to NW Texas looking likely for Tour 2. Tornadoes likely along with big hail, no gently easing in for chase virgins on this tour!

day3.thumb.PNG.cd95724d4f06bc5328d3d3d5cae545f6.PNG

...Southern Plains...

Strong instability will develop along the dryline with daytime heating and dewpoints increasing into the mid 60s F. A capping inversion will exist east of the dryline, with development expected where heating is strongest. Ample deep-layer shear along with increasing SRH late in the day and overnight will support supercells capable of very large hail and a few tornadoes. Storms may not move very far east until overnight when a larger complex of storms is forecast from southwest TX into southwest OK, with all modes of severe possible.

https://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/day3otlk.html

Quick look at the charts for early Friday evening US time and decent strong 500mb winds for strong supercells, strong dryline over NW Texas + lots of CAPE

GFSSGP_500_spd_072.thumb.png.279d504275b1c158b3e90f81ea6bf117.pngusadew.thumb.png.2a61a4ad71d8f91ffb2e239c1a1a96bd.pngusacapeli.thumb.png.aa1fdfee3b6ba43bc37107520de31155.png

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Posted
  • Location: Cumbria UK
  • Weather Preferences: Cloud 9
  • Location: Cumbria UK

My day 2: Currently in Irving, Texas. Once all the rest of team have arrived this afternoon (our time) we may start heading north west provisionally in the direction of Childress, Tx, (but must add this is not set in stone) this is in order to position ourselves for the main event towards the end of the week. As to how far we get tonight, a lot today will depend on how heavy the traffic is whilst we are trying to escape the DFW metroplex. Things are looking interesting for Friday and over the week-end, at the moment that is. Important to note that the environment could cause plans to change at the drop of a hat, or a cap. 

Edited by Tom Lynch
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Posted
  • Location: Wickham, S Hampshire, UK
  • Location: Wickham, S Hampshire, UK

But you don’t want the cap to drop that quickly

A really active period coming up right through to the end of May I reckon. Good chance one of those days will be a ‘biggie’. Hope you chase virgins are strapped in tight!

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Posted
  • Location: on a canal , probably near Northampton...
  • Weather Preferences: extremes n snow
  • Location: on a canal , probably near Northampton...
On 14/05/2019 at 08:56, mikeofmacc said:

Sat in Manchester T2, ready to rock, will try and share photos each night on here, wi-fi permitting! See everyone out there, it looks like a busy 10 d

Cheers Mike, very disappointed in coverage of Tour 1 on here - especially after last years pointers and discussions to the organisers of this forums importance in raising awareness of tour chasing and information sharing to people who either don't do facebook/twatter or are limited in data use.

Im not going to bang on about it, and have tried to get a bit of interest on here on chase nights like the forum used to have, it would be great to see the actual NWchasing footage or stills on here too.

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Posted
  • Location: Weston-S-Mare North Somerset
  • Weather Preferences: Hot sunny , cold and snowy, thunderstorms
  • Location: Weston-S-Mare North Somerset

What is the facebook page and twitter, I follow net-weather on both don't see anything related to the storm chase!

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Posted
  • Location: Poole, Dorset 42m ASL
  • Location: Poole, Dorset 42m ASL
10 hours ago, matty40s said:

Cheers Mike, very disappointed in coverage of Tour 1 on here - especially after last years pointers and discussions to the organisers of this forums importance in raising awareness of tour chasing and information sharing to people who either don't do facebook/twatter or are limited in data use.

Im not going to bang on about it, and have tried to get a bit of interest on here on chase nights like the forum used to have, it would be great to see the actual NWchasing footage or stills on here too.

We  might be lucky and see some more coverage on Tour 2 (hopefully) given it's forecasted activity. I suspect that the cost of streaming and the fact it would drop a fair bit might have swayed it's use this year. Agree that streaming was a great way to sell the tours (as long as you know about NW and it's tours as a starting point), but with so many people streaming out there now, you could consider in some instances you are streaming the same as other people at a cost, who knows.

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Posted
  • Location: East Lothian
  • Weather Preferences: Not too hot, excitement of snow, a hoolie
  • Location: East Lothian
2 hours ago, SteveB said:

What is the facebook page and twitter, I follow net-weather on both don't see anything related to the storm chase!

Nowhere else at mo, I'll speak to Paul 

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Posted
  • Location: Bamford, Rochdale
  • Weather Preferences: Summer - Storms Winter - Blizzards
  • Location: Bamford, Rochdale
21 hours ago, Dorsetbred said:

Don't you mean "plain" food?

proper klever that!

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Posted
  • Location: Bamford, Rochdale
  • Weather Preferences: Summer - Storms Winter - Blizzards
  • Location: Bamford, Rochdale
13 hours ago, matty40s said:

Cheers Mike, very disappointed in coverage of Tour 1 on here - especially after last years pointers and discussions to the organisers of this forums importance in raising awareness of tour chasing and information sharing to people who either don't do facebook/twatter or are limited in data use.

Im not going to bang on about it, and have tried to get a bit of interest on here on chase nights like the forum used to have, it would be great to see the actual NWchasing footage or stills on here too.

Hi dude!

ill be driving on T4 and I will attempt to stream from ym Go Pro once i get it setup on Twitch, I will put a link up on the forums and try to keep an active thread going....its heard streaming with data coverage and with different staff this season its about getting the flow going again!  Tom is out there at the moment who loves a good thread so it will be improved dramatically with him there! 

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Posted
  • Location: Weston-S-Mare North Somerset
  • Weather Preferences: Hot sunny , cold and snowy, thunderstorms
  • Location: Weston-S-Mare North Somerset
1 hour ago, Jo Farrow said:

Nowhere else at mo, I'll speak to Paul 

Loved following it on here, would be good to bring it back, especially as there is a high risk from tomorrow onwards.

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Posted
  • Location: Cumbria UK
  • Weather Preferences: Cloud 9
  • Location: Cumbria UK

Another day another town - after a 314 mile jaunt we find ourselves in Elk City , Oklahoma City. We stopped off at Ardmore for lunch and watched the Oklahoma sunset as we cruised north up I35. Through Oklahoma City. Plans still to be made about todays target area. Although north seems to be the direction that we need to consider. At the moment at least.

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19 hours ago, Dorsetbred said:

We  might be lucky and see some more coverage on Tour 2 (hopefully) given it's forecasted activity. I suspect that the cost of streaming and the fact it would drop a fair bit might have swayed it's use this year. Agree that streaming was a great way to sell the tours (as long as you know about NW and it's tours as a starting point), but with so many people streaming out there now, you could consider in some instances you are streaming the same as other people at a cost, who knows.

I've got an unlimited pay-as-you go from Verizon for $80 a month. Just walked into their store and said I need a lot of data for a month and that's what they offered. I used to pay for 10 GB increments, at least $50 per 10 GB, so this is much better offer they have now. No contract needed. But you have to have a Verizon compatible modem, currently worth $199. Their coverage was fine for stormchasing during the last 2 years. I'm not live streaming, but will consider it for next year.

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