When I moved to Santa Barbara in 1964, I missed the four distinct seasons. I mostly missed the clouds. So, when a 2005 newspaper article featured a fellow in Lompoc who chased storms, I inquired immediately. By that time, I had stopped working in the wine industry and in high schools; I only taught part-time at Santa Barbara City College, which allowed me to travel to the Midwest at the height of tornado season.
“Stay safe,” my friends would say. I told them that storm-chase leaders always make sure that we are a safe distance from tornados and that we have an escape route if necessary. It didn’t happen that way this May near Linwood, Kansas.
This was my 12th year chasing storms. Most of those years were devoid of tornados because sightings are not a given. It takes just the right amount of shear, lift, instability, and moisture for one to form. Tour leaders often drive 400-600 miles a day to reach the most promising destinations, continually checking National Weather Service reports on a computer bolted next to their seat.