EXTREME CHASE TOURS Storm Chasing Serious Business

Below is an article featuring Extreme Chase Tours and a little of what we do.:


Real Words from the Real World: Storm Chasing is Serious Business

In an age when video and picture sharing is easier than ever, the fascination with violent weather is reaching a fever pitch. Films like Twister depict storm chasing as an activity for seasoned scientists trying to learn from severe weather and provide earlier warning systems, but it’s now a major tourist industry as well. Companies across Tornado Alley are taking tourists from around the world on storm chasing vacations, driving anywhere and everywhere to find the big storm systems and charging anywhere from $1,000 to $2,700 for a week-long tour.

Although tourists get the thrill of the chase, the tours are frustrating emergency crews that are trying to keep the public safe. In Kansas, Rush County Emergency Management Director Jim Fisher says storm chasing tours can clog up roadways and cause dangerous situations. In one instance, a county road was blocked by a tour van, with tourists arguing that they’d paid for the tour and had the right to set up tripods in the middle of the road.“We tried to run them off, but they have every legal right to be out there, even if they are in our way,” said Fisher.Of course, not all storm chasing tours are clogging up roadways. Lanny Dean of Extreme Chase Tours stays out of the way of emergency teams and also helps provide vital information about storms to emergency workers. That same night in Kansas, rather than snapping pictures in the middle of the county road, Dean provided key information to emergency teams 10 minutes before the tornado hit. In general, Dean tries to steer clear of the large groups of tourists.

Mike Umsheid, Dodge City Meteorologist, says the more veteran chasers provide real-time information rather than simply hoping for the thrill of a storm.“[Some tourists] will set their tripods up on the white line of a highway, or in the middle of a dirt road. The tour operators running these things are supposed to manage that. Some do a better job than others,” Umsheid said.While witnessing a tornado is exciting, it’s also not something to be taken lightly. When it comes to storm chasing, always keep in mind that nearby residents in the path of the storm are in very real danger, and it’s important to help emergency teams do their jobs and keep people safe.


Full story and the link below:

http://www.bankersinsurance.com/blog/real-words-from-the-real-world-storm-chasing-is-serious-business/

EXTREME CHASE TOURS SCHEDULE 2013

Well after much media interviews from live reports with Fox Business to many, many print, neswpapers and radio interviews, we had a strong interest to get our 2013 storm chasing tour schedule up and on the website. So, as of last night, I have posted the schedule and we already have had many people booking their seats! You can fnd the schedule onling at the link below:

https://www.extremechasetours.com/Schedule.html

I also plan on posting some video from some of the tours as a promotional trailer before we really get into the production work......very exciting times for ECT!

All of us at ECT would like to thank all of our guests for a great 2012 season and thank all of those who will be returning for the 2013 season! Right now we have only a few more tours and it looks like we will be playing north to see any real action to due this death ridge we will be under.

By the way, if you have ever been interested in going on a real storm chasing tour that is the most personal tour period, now is the time to book before all seats are filled up.

You can find more out on our website at:

www.extremechasetours.com

"Storm Stories" Greensburg and Chaser-fest

(C) Lanny Dean 2007 watermarked
Greensburg tornado at 9:48pm just as it was hitting the south side of town


For those who have been keeping up with The Weather Channel since the NBC buy out, good news.... they are bringing back "Storm Stories" These 30 minute shows touch on human nature in relation to severe weather events of all kinds.


I have been fortunate to have done a few of these shows with most notably the Mulvane event coming to mind. I have enjoyed doing them and so far, the production people have been a blast to work with. I will be taking part in another one regarding the Greensburg event and its after effects. We are set to do the interviews tomorrow evening (weather permitting) and various b-roll stuff. Anyone who knows me or got a chance to see our show Tornado Hunters, knows that the whole Greensburg deal was pretty tough for me to deal with. I am not ashamed to say that I had to go see a psychologist due in part, to what I saw, and had to deal with that night. In looking back, I sometimes wish that I had not driven into what was left of Greesnburg. I know that sounds selfish and it is.....but I wonder where I would be today (as a chaser) both mentally and physically if I had bypassed the whole situation? After many deadly weather events through the years, including 5-3-99 and 5-4-03, I have seen my share of and death destruction so why was this event any different than all the others?

I suspect, after many hours on the old leather couch, that the base reason and difference was that I became a part of the story....and in some crazy way, I saw my own mortality.
At the time, I was working for KAKE in Wichita as their severe weather reporter and in house photographer and I loved the job. It was a dream job that most chasers could only wish for....getting paid a real salary to chase severe weather, and when there was no weather, I "became" an in house photographer, I loved it. In the 3 years I spent at KAKE, I filmed more than 60 tornadoes with almost half of them "live" I was even lucky enough to receive two Gold awards from the Society Of Professional Journalist (SPJ), one Bronze award and was nominated for an Emmy regarding my weather reporting. I was in heaven until Greensburg. That's when things really changed for me
Some of you may read this post and wonder why I am bragging about my accomplishments, for those who may be curious.....I am not bragging, that's the last thing I want to do. I guess I am just trying to set the stage to show what was and what is now.
Of course its my blog, I write what I want and I am focused on myself but there were other people who were affected in much the same way if not more so. At this point I do not feel the need to name names but I do feel I would be remiss if I did not openly show respect for those directly involved with Greensburg including those who were first on scene that fateful night...
Those guys are the true heros.
For obvious reasons, I left KAKE about 3 months after Greensburg.......I left Kansas soon after and for those that do not know, I basically took a year away from chasing, if for nothing more than self preservation, I had to. After leaving KAKE, I went to work down here in Tulsa at KJRH as their weather reporter and photographer, but again, I just could not do it. I had basically lost my edge, no questions, no exceptions.
So here I am almost two years later with a tour company and getting ready to do another show regarding Greensburg, and of course speaking at public forums and get togethers, anywhere I can get the word out, anywhere I can send the message to be prepared because you never know whats going to happen.

On to other things......The Tulsa area Chaser-fest is still on for Jan. 31 in Catoosa, OK

I am excited to be a part of it and although I am somewhat reluctant to speak about Greensburg, in doing so, I can only hope that the message gets out as it is intended. I will be showing some video from that horrible night that has not been seen before as I beleive it may help to show what it was really like. Everyone is welcome and I would encourage all to come by.
Jeff Smith is also going to present his "mission of compassion" and there is even a "car show" to boot!
For directions or info, feel free to send me a message here or through my e-mail at:
lannydean@extremechasetours.com

DISCOVERY STORM CHASERS

Well the first episode was shown tonight and my thoughts are the same as they were last year.....this show SUCKS! Let me make it very clear right now, there are a few that I really like on the show...Reed Timmer and company did a wonderful job as expected, infact, Reed WAS THE SHOW!
After being lucky enough to be in Tornado Hunters, I know what it is like trying to deal with ill informed and sometimes very stupid producers. Both Randy and I were put into situations when we did the show, but we held onto our guns as far as how the show should go and how the truth should be told, not only about the video but our story as well.
This was certainly not the case with this years Storm Chasers or even the last few years.
The first episode itself basically had the same "flavor" as in years past with all the same stupid ideas all over again, "non truthful" video (out of order), bad story line and what was/is Sean Casey thinking? I will refrain from telling the story from near Glenn Elder this year Sean!
As far as I am concerned, the best thing Discovery did for this "show" was bring in a real chaser and Reed and company were the highlight of the night for sure.

Tornado Outbreak possible!

Possible tornado outbreak for Northern Kansas and most of Nebraska later today. As seen above, WRF is painting strong convection sometime around 23z to 00z in far Northern Kansas and then sliding north into Nebraska. Both GFS and WRF show decent dew point returns with CAPE values 2000-2500j/kg and -4 to -8 LIs....would not be surprised to see a few strong tornadoes in this area. Eric and I should be chasing this event as it unfolds.

People in these areas need to stay tuned to local media outlets and local NWS offices.

Greensburg

Since the first of May I have been asked from other chasers as well as quite a few production companies about my video and selling it again for the year anniversary. Until now I have not really responded to the request but after seeing more of Dick M video on his blog site I thought I might address the issue.
For those who want to see what it was really like in Grensburg, and I say "really like" because there have been many people that went into Greensburg the day after or a week later or longer and somehow they say "it was bad" There have even been a few chasers implying that they were in the city that night when they were up in Northern Kansas! I find myself sick when I think about all the ignorant people trying to capitalize off of someone else's tragedy.
For the ones who were really there...they know what it was like and certainly do not want to re-live any of it.
I have had many people ask me "what was it like?"......since I am no longer posting any of my video from Greensburg, I would encourage all interested people to go to Dick M site at:
http://www.stackedplates.blogspot.com/
Dick, Darrin and company were right there right after the tornado went through and were able to help out quite a few people. Eric Duncan was helping as well.
Although I hate to say it, I still deal with Greensburg day to day, it is still a struggle. For many of you who saw our show "Tornado Hunters" saw what I went through.
For those who want to see more, please check out Dicks site...he was right there just like me or anyone else.

ExtremeChase Tours teams with ipixcel!

I am very happy to announce that Extreme Chase Tours has teamed with ipixcel to bring some of the most Extreme severe weather to the public possible!

I will post more info when I can between chases and tours.

May 1st Tornadoes!

Nikon D80 1.3 sec. F22 Iso 100 Copyright Lanny Dean 2008, watermarked

What a day.... filmed 3 tornadoes south and north of Fredonia and then a night "nado" north of Altoona KS.

All in all not a bad day but the best tornado was down in Oklahoma near the town of Pawhuska.

I think Mike Scantlin did a great job of getting to the game and shot some great video!

I had planned on going into Arkansas the next day but after blowing all 4 tires on the tornado truck I decided to make my way back to T- town and lick my wounds. Many thanks to Eric and the "guru: for nowcasting after I lost data and many thanks to JD for helping me with my tire situation. Looks like I missed a major outbreak but I just could not chance it.

Looks like Reed and the TVN boys got some good stuff as well. By the way, thanks for passing me doing like about 100mph Reed! lol