The Storm Chasers Tell Their Stories - with 2009 updates!

The Storm Chasers are back again this year, with more new chasers and new vehicles that up the chances of scoring more and bigger tornado intercepts. Sean Casey and the Tornado Intercept Vehicle are back in action with a modified TIV2 that's lighter and faster. Reed Timmer's team has completely overhauled their original TVN vehicle into the armored, super-stabilized Storm Research Vehicle nicknamed the Dominator SRV. It not only has enhanced radar and camera equipment, but Reed's even going to experiment with a remotely-controlled flying drone! Josh Wurman and the DOW have joined the massive VORTEX2 tornado research mission, but they'll be around part of the time to join in the chase. New teams include the veteran chaser Tim Samaras and his TWISTEX team plus a light scout vehicle, nicknamed the "DOGHOUSE, that will chase as part of the TIV team. Read all about the veterans and the new team members in their own words.

Brandon Ivey - DOGHOUSE Meteorologist / Navigator
"You might say that the fascination of weather has always been in my blood, although I first caught the passion for severe weather and tornadoes after the April 26, 1991 tornado outbreak in Kansas and Oklahoma. At the age of 16, I was reading almost every book I could find about weather. That same year, I began researching and chasing severe storms but did not become heavily involved in the documentation of weather events until 2001. I am represented by Breaking News Video Network (BNVN) and supply video of unusual weather to The Weather Channel, CNN, CBS and was featured on ABC's Good Morning America. In 2006, I earned my Broadcast Meteorology Certification and a year later, a degree in Geosciences from Mississippi State University."

"I am extremely excited to be working with the TIV team this year. I think our success rate will be higher this year than of that in year's past. Matt and I plan to coordinate the TIV into multiple tornadoes this year, providing that mother nature cooperates!"

Matt Hughes - DOGHOUSE Driver
"Born and raised in Wichita Kansas, the heart of Tornado Alley, it didn’t take long for weather to peek my interest. As a child witnessing such historic tornado days as April 26th, 1991 when an F5 tornado ripped through the Wichita area, I was certain that chasing storms was something I wanted to do long before I could even drive. Now I’m approaching fifteen years of chasing and have documented countless severe weather events including blizzards, floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes. If its weather and it’s extreme I want to be there! As far as tornadoes go I’ve witnessed around 100 and many of those were from ¼ mile or less away. It has always been my passion to get as close to tornadoes as possible and safely document them. I chase for a local TV news affiliate out of Wichita and am a regular contributor to The Storm Report which is a nationally syndicated radio show that’s all about extreme weather. It’s been great getting to know the TIV crew and I’m excited to be a part of the team this year!"