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Published Mar/Apr 2005 | |||||||
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Kansas man turns his passion for violent weather
into touring company. By Pam Grout |
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 im Farnham knows every line from the 1996 movie, “Twister.” He shows it at least 15 times a year in the back of his van.But even better than the movie, says the self-proclaimed weather junkie and tornado chaser, is “the real thing,” a sight he claims to find at least 25 percent of the time on his week-long tornado chasing expeditions. Last year, two-thirds of his tours through what he calls Tornado Alley spotted the very funnels most of us cower in our basements to avoid. It seems people will fork over big bucks for the privilege of chasing a tornado. “It’s a real-life, one-of-a-kind adventure. No two trips are ever the same,” says Farnham, the owner of Violent Skies Storm Chasing Expeditions. “I can’t guarantee tornadoes, but violent weather of all kinds is awe-inspiring. “There’s thunderstorms, torrential rains, severe lightning, hail,” says Farnham, listing various weather fronts with the glee of a 6-year-old sorting through a pillowcase of Halloween candy. “On May 29, just south of Concordia, Kan., we saw a large wedge, a regular stovepipe and a rope, all in the span of two hours.” Wedges, stovepipes and ropes are all different types of tornadoes. It’s about data and driving Farnham, who works as a property manager in his family’s Overland Park, Kan., business, during the off-season (the best tornado chasing months are May and June) started his Violent Skies Storm Chasing Expeditions to support his habit. “I’ll never forget the afternoon I got hooked. I was in college, studying for a test. The transformers behind the house where I lived popped in this huge explosion, sounded like a bomb. I got in my car and went out to this big bluff overlooking the storm. It was so incredible. I’ve been chasing storms ever since,” Farnham says. The 2005 tornado-chasing season marks Violent Skies’ fifth year of business and Farnham’s 12th year as a die-hard tornado chaser. Now instead of relying on blown-out electrical transformers, he finds weather cells with radar, GPS systems, mobile satellite dishes and other razzle-dazzle equipment. “It’s all about data,” he says. “To gather the data, analyze it, decide where to go is all part of the fun. I like to get people totally involved. I’ll have one person looking at maps, another on the scanner, someone else will be on the GPS and the lightning detector. “What can I say, I’m a weather geek. I watch the weather channel like other people watch CNN,” Farnham says. And he’s not alone. His 2004 tours completely sold out and if pre-sales are any indication, 2005 is looking like another blockbuster year, filling up with repeat guests. Farnham’s tours all start in Kansas City where Farnham picks up clients (he can take up to six per trip) in his storm-chasing van. From there, Farnham starts gathering prediction data, finds the most likely super cells and starts driving. He never knows beforehand which direction the van might be pointing. His is one of at least a dozen good storm-chasing companies. Many of the chasers follow the same fronts, ending up at the same places. Although Farnham gets a handful of customers from the Midwest, the bulk of his business come from the coasts and overseas. As for weather knowledge, Farnham gets everything from beginners whose only source of information is “The Wizard of Oz” to science teachers who often teach him a thing or two. Farnham says interest in his company always piques after good tornado footage appears on television. Respect for Mother Nature Although Farnham readily admits to being hopelessly smitten with his line of work and for the twisters he chases, he’s a suitor who gives his beloved the respect she deserves. “It’s important to be a little afraid of tornadoes,” he says. “Safety is our first concern. We don’t take any stupid chances.” Farnham just missed the May 4, 1999 tornado that ravaged Moore County, Okla., but getting there immediately after taught him an important lesson. “I learned some respect looking at the damage. I’ve seen what tornados are capable of and I can tell you, it’s a pretty humbling experience,” he says. Which brings up a good point. In addition to spotting skills, tornado chasers need to learn safe chasing habits, something Farnham dispenses at the beginning of each tour. “There’s no law that says people can’t chase tornadoes on their own, but I highly recommend joining a professional chase team at least once,” he says. “Your adrenaline gets going, but you don’t want to endanger yourself. You also need to be considerate of people who might have just had their house blown away or their car flipped over. Last thing you want to do is be insensitive and start taking lots of pictures, as much as you might want to.” Pam Grout is a new contributor from Lawrence, Kan. |
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