TempestTours®  SCE

Tempest News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 28, 2002

CONTACT INFORMATION:
Kaylan Whetstone
817.274.9313
info@tempesttours.com

In Search of the Perfect Storm
America's Top Storm Chasing Team Readies for Spring

ARLINGTON, Texas - More than a year ago, Tempest Tours Storm Chasing Expeditions opened its doors and began signing up guests for the 2001 spring storm season.  Even though it marked the start of a new company, it also represented the culmination of decades of experience. 

Tempest Tours was formed by some of the most active and skilled storm chasers in the country.  That's what makes the company so unique among its competitors.  "We created Tempest Tours in order to establish an outlet to reach the public with our message," said president and founder Martin Lisius.  "We wanted to teach the science and romance of storm chasing with others in a safe and responsible manner.  So many people are fascinated by storms but don't posses the knowledge or skill to chase them.  Our goal is to share our knowledge of severe weather with those with the passion to learn more," he said.

Lisius began chasing storms fifteen years ago and has made numerous contributions to the discipline since.  In 1991, he produced the first television documentary about the science titled "Chasing the Wind."  He founded the Texas Severe Storms Association in 1993; a non-profit dedicated to severe weather education, and produced "StormWatch," a program utilized by the National Weather Service to train storm spotter groups nationwide.  He provided technical support to Warner Bros. during the making of "Twister" in 1995.  And more recently, Lisius dodged tornado debris in a Chevy Truck commercial that began airing nationally in 1999.

In addition to Lisius, the Tempest Tours team includes veteran chasers Dr. Charles Doswell, William T. Reid, Dean Cosgrove and Brian Morganti.  Dr. Doswell is considered to be one of the top tornado scientists in the world.  He began storm chasing in the early 1970's and was involved with some of the first-ever field studies on tornadoes.  He later joined the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, Oklahoma as a researcher, has lectured on severe thunderstorms and weather forecasting at the request of the United Nations' World Meteorological Organization, and now works as a Senior Research Scientist at the Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies in Oklahoma.  William T. Reid is a climatologist and well-known chaser of 12 years.  And, Dean Cosgrove has chased since the late 1970's and logs more than 55,000 miles each year tracking storms across Tornado Alley.

"One of the most satisfying things about starting Tempest Tours is hearing our guests say they signed up with us because of our experience and skill," Lisius said.  "We do our best not to disappoint them by conducting careful forecasts and well planned intercepts.  But then, that's what we've done for years as chasers," he said.  Lisius points out that it's a tornado that guests really want to see.  "We can't promise them a tornado every time, but if anyone can get them there, it's us, by gosh," he said.

Tempest Tours operates storm chasing expeditions on the Great Plains in May and June.  Their 2002 base cities are Oklahoma City and Denver.  Information about Tempest Tours, including the 2002 tour schedule and fees, can be acquired at http://www.tempesttours.com or by calling (817) 274-9313.