While most of us would prefer curling up under the blankets during a major storm, some find approaching storms to be a great source of excitement and intrigue. Most storm chasers, as they’re often called, enjoy touring areas that are prone to bad weather in the hopes that they’ll see a tornado. Others are happy to witness a simple thunderstorm with brilliant cloud structures, lightning, and sometimes hail. A few very brave storm chasers seek out hurricanes and other dangerous conditions.

Believe it or not, there are dozens of outfits across the country willing to help the inexperience or wannabe storm chaser find a thrill. They have the proper equipment and gear to help you find a storm while staying safe at the same time. We proudly present some of the best storm chasing tour groups in the country.

Storm Chasing Adventure Tours

Storm Chasing Adventure Tours is an outfit based out of Boseman, Montana. They frequently conduct tours throughout the famed Tornado Alley and have been featured on a number of major news and television networks, including CNN and The Weather Channel. They usually host around 9 tours per season, which runs from early May through Late June. The weeklong tours begin in either Amarillo, Texas or Denver, Colorado and follow the appropriate storm tracks, depending on the time of the season. You’ll be escorted comfortably in a Suburban and will stay in local hotels and motels as close to the path of the storm as humanly possible.

TRADD Storm Chasing Tours

The folks at TRADD Storm Chasing Tours are highly experience and ready to guide you on a storm chasing tour through Tornado Alley as well. They encourage beginners and first-timers to participate and enjoy the experience of witnessing a thunderstorm or tornado up close. Founded by the Buck family from Abilene, Texas, their main mission is to educate the public regarding safety regarding severe storms. What better way is there to promote safety than to see one up close in order to gain an understanding of a storm’s true power?

Cloud 9 Tours

Cloud 9 Tours claims to be the oldest storm chasing outfit in operation in the United States. Opened in 1996, Cloud 9 Tours specializes in tracking storms that they believe will result in the formation of a tornado. Along the way, they’ve experienced supercells, lightning, and even baseball sized hail. They only conduct two-week tours, giving you the best opportunity possible to actually see a tornado. You’ll find yourself within viewable distance, yet safe at all times. They only run three tours per season, so you’ll need to reserve your space well in advance.

Tempest Tours

Tempest Tours, based out of Arlington, Texas, runs a variety of storm chasing tours between the months of May and June. They range from 6 days and 7 nights up to 10 days and 11 nights. All of their tours start at a base camp in either Dallas, Texas; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; or Denver, Colorado. Tours include a t-shirt and stays at local motels along the storm tracking path, but guests are responsible for their own meals and additional expenses. Your tour will begin with an orientation session upon arrival and, depending upon the weather, will hit the road right after. Pack light, and don’t forget your camera!

Windswept Chase Tours

Windswept Chase Tours offers a unique level of storm chasing skill. This particular group allows guests to play a major part in the formation of their tours, with lessons and activities tailored to the experience levels of everyone involved. You’ll work with Windswept to create a tour lasting anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks. You’ll also get to play a major role in the day-to-day planning and direction of your tour. Explore nature, experience severe weather, and tour parts of the country you might not have otherwise visited. Windswept offers private tours as well as short notice tours during off-season times when the weather may do something unusual. These highly customizable tours offer you the best chance of actually seeing the severe weather you’re looking for.

Thunderbolt Tours

Thunderbolt Tours is an incredible storm chasing company that provides opportunities to track storms no only in Tornado Alley, but in Australia as well. Each tour guide employed by Thunderbolt Tours has over a decade of experience. The company promises to put you in the best position to witness severe weather without getting hurt. They use a combination of satellites and radars in an attempt to determine exactly where the next super storm might land, in the hopes that you’ll get to see the most active weather cells possible.

While each of these storm chasing groups is wonderful, they’re limited in the services they can provide. Each group will do their best to ensure you see as much weather as possible, but it’s important to remember that they don’t cause weather patterns – they just track them. Prime storm chasing season only lasts from May through June, and tours book well in advance. Tours for the 2009 season are already selling out, so you’d better book soon if you plan on seeing a tornado up close next season!

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