Storm Chasers: People Who Chase Tornadoes
While most of us watch storms from our windows at a safe distance, there are some who only want to get closer.
"Storm chasers" try to get as close to a strong thunderstorm or tornado as possible, usually to photograph, analyze or report on the event.
The first storm chasers were actually American pilots who flew into storms in the late 1940s, collecting data for weather scientists.
But by the 1950s, amateurs were chasing storms on the ground too. And in 1972, the US government and the University of Notre Dame started the Tornado Intercept Program, chasing tornadoes on the ground to get data on them.
The 1996 Hollywood movie Twister, which follows a group of scientists trying to get under a tornado, led to an increase in interest in storm chasing — and to more people studying weather science, too.
In recent years, "chase vacations" have even become popular, with tourists watching strong storms and tornadoes with the help of a storm chasing tour company.
However, storm chasing can also be dangerous. While for years the only known storm chaser deaths had been caused by driving accidents, in 2013 three experienced storm chasers were killed by a tornado that grew larger and moved in different ways than anyone had expected.
Some storm chasers also use special vehicles to protect themselves. The Tornado Intercept Vehicle 2, created by film director Sean Casey, weighs about 6,500 kilograms and was used to film the inside of a tornado in 2013.
Tornadoes happen all over the world. But a part of the American Midwest known as "Tornado Alley" is famous for how often they happen there.
