Tornadic Expeditions

Name: Christoffer B
Tour: Tour is not registered
Year: 2016
Blogged about the tour: Read more

General review

I was chasing with Tornadic Expeditions and Erik Burns as one of their first guests ever. We were treated with one of the best weather setups in ages with notably the Dodge City tornado outbreak (which we saw) and the 90 minute Chapman tornado (that we missed) during our week. All in all we some something between 15-20 tornadoes, which is absolutely incredible! The tour itself was in most aspects great. We started each morning by going through the forecast so we would understand what would happen during the chase. During the chase and at each stop Erik would explain what was happening and answer every question with good and elaborate answers, which was highly educational. The tour was an emotional rollercoaster starting off with seeing tornadoes three days out of four, including the amazing Dodge City-tornadoes. We unfortunately missed on the Chapman tornado just like many others, but it still was a huge bummer. Then we experienced the "perfect setup" on our last day that turned to a state wide-bust. Erik still managed to find a supercell in OK where we were some of the first ones to be on. All in all, it was a great tour, especially considering it was the first one for Tornadic Expeditions and I can highly recommend TE for other guests. The 4 out of 5 is a strong 4.

Tour guide review

Erik Burns did a great job forecasting the storms and "gave" us the chase of a lifetime in terms of the Dodge City tornado outbreak by recognizing the pattern early enough for us to blast up there, despite having another target selected. As with most other tour guides we caught some tornadoes and missed some other days. As a tour guide Erik is very friendly, energetic and involved/emotional. You can tell he really loves tornadoes and will share both ups and downs with you, maybe even to a greater extent than most guests! He is highly dedicated to make the tour guests feel welcome and catered for during the tour.

Vehicle review

We drove a very comfortable Toyota van that was equipped with a screen for the passengers in the back to be able to watch radar etc, which is a VERY good feature all tour vans should have. There is plenty of leg room and the van has both USB and regular power outlets as well as WiFi, which is very convenient. The only thing that bothered me is that the van has reduced visibility out the front window but Erik told me he would reconsider arrangements for that until next season, based on our feedback.
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Name: Pete
Tour: Tour 3 - The Extreme - 7 Days
Year: 2024

General review

tl;dr: Erik is a fantastic storm chasing guide and I would tour with him again without question. All-in-all this was a tremendous experience. Not everything was perfect but I would still recommend Erik and his team if you want a fun exploration and storm chasing adventure. The plusses: Erik is a great host and excellent guide. Unfortunately, there weren't any tornadoes to see on our seven-day tour. However, we chased five of the seven days and on each of those days Erik found a severe warned storm. On the first day, we latched on to the only tornado warned storm in the southern Great Plains. Travelling way down in southwest Texas, Erik put us on a supercell in the desert: a fantastic sight. And, on the last day, Erik's expertise placed us on a monster storm on the Kansas/Oklahoma border. Erik gave us a comprehensive briefing every morning and kept us up-to-date throughout the day. It was amazing to see him forecast on the fly and with great accuracy. We had a great group. Five of the eight had toured with Erik before. That's all the recommendation you need. For foodies, this is the storm chasing trip to choose! Erik seems to know (or finds) the best places to eat across the Plains. As a vegetarian, it was a little more difficult for me but Erik did his best to accommodate. It was harder for the vegan in our group. But, that's just a function of eating in the U.S. Great Plains. The vans were comfortable and we had a computer screen to follow radar and other data. Erik also showed videos and acted as DJ. It was more difficult in van 2 as we only had a driver and no guide to manage the laptop etc. The OKs: accommodation was comfortable and (for the most part) clean. One or two guests had a few issues but that's down to the hotels not the tour company. And on one night we did have to stay in lesser accommodation due to college graduations. Travelling and waiting: no two ways about it, you have to like or tolerate travelling vast distances (we did over 2600 miles in seven days) in a van, as well as waiting at truck stops or whatever for storms to develop. But that's part of the experience of storm chasing, and it meant we were always well placed to pick up storms as they developed. It was also nice to travel through smalltown America, not sticking to the interstate. I never knew there were so many grain elevators. On our final chase, we did have a nice wait in a city park in Anthony, KS (big town: two grain elevators). The not-so-goods: we chased well into the evening which meant we sometimes ate very late and didn't get to our hotel until midnight. There were some days when I would have gladly skipped the meal and gone straight to bed. Again, this is part of the storm chasing experience. The could be improved: the communication between vans could have been better. Our driver was on his first tour (he was an experienced storm and hurricane chaser) and was sometimes in the dark as to where we going or what the plan was. I know this was discussed with Erik by others and he plans to improve this for future tours. Also, I would prefer that drivers don't use their mobile phones when driving.
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Name: Martin
Tour: Epic April - Tour 1 - 10 Days
Year: 2024

General review

Awesome week, forceasting really excellent, we were on every storm that mattered and alone on some ..food awesome, every day was fun ...highly reccomended

Tour guide review

Erik is honest, approachable, a strong communicator , fun and clearly loves what he does Drivers excellent, always felt safe

Vehicle review

Really comfortable, small groups, 4 in the van , wifi and power points supplied, cant ask for more .
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Name: Jack Williamson
Tour: Extreme Instability - Tour 5 - 7 Days
Year: 2023

General review

Great tour led by Erik and his team. Extremely knowledgable and made the whole trip an enjoyable experience.
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Name: Bev B
Tour: Upslope Supercells - Tour 6 - 6 Days
Year: 2023

General review

I joined Tours 6 and 7 this year and both were fantastic. I’m from Australia, so I decided to do 2 consecutive tours, to make the most of my time over in the USA chasing. I am so very glad I did. I met Erik and both sets of different drivers on the different tours and they were all fantastic. I was the only person on each tour who hadn’t been with Tornadic Expeditions before, so if that doesn’t say enough about Erik and his team, I don’t know what does. I highly recommend these guys and wouldn’t go with any other company. They were extremely approachable, answered everyone’s questions, and there were no dumb questions. On any down days, we went sightseeing, but to be honest I can’t remember if we actually had an. Over both tours we saw 16 tornados and lots of stunning lightning shows. If you’re thinking of booking with them, do it sooner rather than later as they book out well in advance. If I could afford it, I’d go for the whole season each year! These guys know where to chase!

Tour guide review

Tour guide was fantastic. Very friendly and looked after everyone and made sure everything went smoothly.

Vehicle review

Vehicle was perfect. Everyone had a window seat and very comfortable.
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Name: Laurent
Tour: Epic April - Tour 1 - 10 Days
Year: 2023

General review

Although it was my first time chasing in the tornado alley, I was already a weather enthousiast when I embarked on the journey with Tornadic Expeditions. These guys are experts and their tour is super on the chasing part. I learned so much from them, they were really patient answering all my technical questions. We had the chance to observe 3 tornados during our 7 day tour. And chased almost everyday. We saw some incredible cloud structures and lightning shows. I highly recommend!

Tour guide review

We got super good service between the chases. We went visiting a national park during a good weather day. We even had a chase when there was almost nothing on the models, but Erik somehow saw something and we ended up directly under a supercell and almost had a touchdown.

Vehicle review

The tour vans were some comfy Toyota sienna vans so we each had a captain seat. We had plenty of outlets to charge our gear, wifi and even a big screen were we would watch the radar and models
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Name: Review of May Madness - Tornadic Expeditions
Tour: May Madness - Tour 2 - 7 Days
Year: 2023

General review

I recently completed Tour #2 (April 29th - May 7th, 2023) with Tornadic Expeditions. It was a fantastic experience, one that I would highly recommend to anyone who has an interest in tornado chasing. This tour originated in Oklahoma City and took us to locations throughout Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas. Tour Director Erik Burns and his colleague Conor O'Leary were extremely professional and knowledgeable, not only about Tornado chasing, but the science involved in mapping and responding to changing weather patterns. This experience would be appropriate for seasoned chasers and novices alike. If you are looking for a relaxing experience, this may not be the experience for you as you are "on the move", particularly on chase days, which typically last until late in the evening. On days where a chase did not occur, these were definitely not "down days" as we toured, state parks, and visited monuments that guests thoroughly enjoyed. Attention to detail was also a hallmark of the experience as our accommodations were comfortable when we were not chasing. Likewise the touring vans we used were comfortable and climate controlled that enhanced the enjoyment of the experience, especially when driving longer distances. I really appreciated having a small group of chasers (4 + two guides) during our adventure as it allowed us to have our questions answered about weather patterns and tornados. Because of their experience in chasing, Erik and his team have also mapped out all of the great dining venues, that would appeal to everyone's tastes - We ate very well! Erik and his team also held an orientation prior to our expedition, where they explained much of the terminology and the nuances of storm chasing. It would have been helpful to perhaps had some a "chase pack" that supported the material discussed during the orientation, as there was a lot to remember. It was never a concern because Erik and Conor were quick to answer our questions.

Tour guide review

The May Madness four was excellent, suitable for seasoned chasers and novices alike. Our accommodations were appropriate and comfortable for our adventure, we would typically stay at a Holiday Inn Express or equivalent hotel. Our tour Director Erik and his colleague Conor, were very professional, ensuring that guests were provided with a fulfilling experience. As mentioned, there were 5 of a possible 7 days to chase and the days where a chase did not occur, we toured state parks and other local attractions. I was particularly impressed how Erik and his team knew where the best restaurants were and where to get a great cup of coffee, which kept everyone happy. We did have one very small vehicle related issue which was quickly addressed by Erik and Conor and it did not interfere whatsoever with the enjoyment of our tour. They were prepared for any eventuality. Erik and Conor were very knowledgeable about the science of forecasting storms, utilizing available technologies to put our group in the best possible position to see the storms we were chasing.

Vehicle review

The vehicle was very good for our tour it comfortably fit our guides Erik, Conor and 4 guests along with their luggage. I never felt cramped, or uncomfortable while chasing. Each passenger had their own seat, with reasonably good site lines. The vehicle was wifi enabled with the ability to charge our personal devices. I would suggest to any potential participants to pack lightly, (think carry-on luggage on an airplane). Packing larger bags could present an issue for spacing.
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Name: Ciaran G (Ireland)
Tour: Epic April - Tour 1 - 7 Days
Year: 2022

General review

My first chase tour; my expectations were we would see some mad weather but would be dependent on mother nature. In reality, it exceeded my expectations. While we didn't get to see a full on tornedo on my week/tour, got to see/experience everything else, coming from Ireland, the thunderstorms we got to chase most days were epic, the lightning intensity, the large hail we had to shelter in a steel shed was epic (the noise alone!). Felt safe at all times but was surprised AND DELIGHTED how close we could get to these systems, had situations where we were under a storm cloud where we could hear the hail in the cloud + getting behind a storm where the wind inflow was (must have been 100kph+ ... as it was like storms on west cost of Ireland) + seeing the circulations/spinning clouds where a tornedo would emerge (or tried to). Dusk/nightime lightning storms usually ended the chase days which was magic. The tour was much more than weather/chase; being from Ireland, it was a fantastic road trip to boot; travelled 2500 miles in 1 week across Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas through varied landscapes and towns/cities; highlight being San Antonio where we had a few hours to spare. Would never in a million years get to see/stay in these places in a week. And then there was the food/dining; what an experience... steak house (72lb steak special in Amarillo) to tex-mex to some mad (in a good way) diners; Erik knew where all the good places were to go in the towns/areas we landed in. Ours was the first Tour1 so was with a couple from Chicago, and got on great and were there for the reason and expectations (just added to the experience). There will be another trip for me; probably 2024, will be with Erik/team for certain, may just go for later tour which is in the northern plains; just to see another part of the states. If you are comin form Ireland, let me know!

Tour guide review

Erik was very enthusiastic.. which was infections; and added to the tour experience. Clearly demonstrated he had years of experience and knowledge; which was tested on our tour week given it was early season and we had to choose carefully what 1/2 chances/opportunities there were (which invariably, we went to the right location). Erik also explained the conditions/weather setup's with the online radars we had in the van (screens). Special mention too for Brian Press who was our driver for that tour; he was also very knowledgeable ... and some great stories to boot!

Vehicle review

Van was excellent; less van actually, more people carrier (6 seater; own separate seats) ; screen in back so could see radar/weather screens; USB power + wifi too.
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Name: ChasingStormsNotWomen
Tour: Epic April - Tour 1 - 10 Days
Year: 2022

General review

Erik was a lot of fun and very personable and very helpful and even though chasing storms is an adventure he took it seriously to make sure that everyone's experience will be a very memorable one! Highly recommend tornadic expeditions

Tour guide review

Everything was handled very well and long days and efforts were put into it so that everyone can get the best experience possible, safety was always taken seriously as well as moments of downtime to include lots of fun!

Vehicle review

They always took the time to explain everybody's questions and made it very fulfilling and enriching and fun!
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Name: Ciaran G (Ireland)
Tour: Epic April - Tour 1 - 10 Days
Year: 2022

General review

My first chase tour; my expectations were we would see some mad weather but would be dependent on mother nature. In reality, it exceeded my expectations. While we didn't get to see a full on tornedo on my week/tour, got to see/experience everything else, coming from Ireland, the thunderstorms we got to chase most days were epic, the lightning intensity, the large hail we had to shelter in a steel shed was epic (the noise alone!). Felt safe at all times but was surprised AND DELIGHTED how close we could get to these systems, had situations where we were under a storm cloud where we could hear the hail in the cloud + getting behind a storm where the wind inflow was (must have been 100kph+ ... as it was like storms on west cost of Ireland) + seeing the circulations/spinning clouds where a tornedo would emerge (or tried to). Dusk/nightime lightning storms usually ended the chase days which was magic. The tour was much more than weather/chase; being from Ireland, it was a fantastic road trip to boot; travelled 2500 miles in 1 week across Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas through varied landscapes and towns/cities; highlight being San Antonio where we had a few hours to spare. Would never in a million years get to see/stay in these places in a week. And then there was the food/dining; what an experience... steak house (72lb steak special in Amarillo) to tex-mex to some mad (in a good way) diners; Erik knew where all the good places were to go in the towns/areas we landed in. Ours was the first Tour1 so was with a couple from Chicago, and got on great and were there for the reason and expectations (just added to the experience). There will be another trip for me; probably 2024, will be with Erik/team for certain, may just go for later tour which is in the northern plains; just to see another part of the states. If you are comin form Ireland, let me know!

Tour guide review

Erik was very enthusiastic.. which was infections; and added to the tour experience. Clearly demonstrated he had years of experience and knowledge; which was tested on our tour week given it was early season and we had to choose carefully what 1/2 chances/opportunities there were (which invariably, we went to the right location). Erik also explained the conditions/weather setup's with the online radars we had in the van (screens). Special mention too for Brian Press who was our driver for that tour; he was also very knowledgeable ... and some great stories to boot!

Vehicle review

Van was excellent; less van actually, more people carrier (6 seater; own separate seats) ; screen in back so could see radar/weather screens; USB power + wifi too.
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Name: jmandak
Tour: May Madness - Tour 2 - 7 Days
Year: 2022

General review

This was my wife's 60th birthday present to me. Had chased with another tour company nine years prior and had a good time, but Erik Burns and Nick Busby took things to another level. My wife went in dubious, doubtful and, quite frankly, pretty afraid of what we'd experience and came home a believer. She felt safe and secure once she realized Nick and crew understood the science of storm-chasing. We chased 6 tornadoes and several supercells and had a great time. I expect to do another tour with them in the next 3 years or so.

Tour guide review

Erik was great. Funny, personable, knowledgeable, and still as excitable as a little kid even though he's seen 260-plus tornadoes and my wife and I were on our first half dozen.

Vehicle review

Vehicle was roomy and comfortable.
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Name: Samdebaldwin
Tour: Epic April - Tour 1 - 10 Days
Year: 2022

General review

One of the best trips of my life! This was my second year going with Erik and his crew and I plan on booking again for next year. They work very hard to find you gorgeous supercells! And on storm-less days we checked out national parks and monuments I’d never been to. Everyone is super nice and extremely knowledgeable. As a vegetarian it could be a little tough to find options on the road but I brought plenty of snacks and was fine 🙂 thank you guys!!

Tour guide review

Erik and his fellow guides are great. Super nice, down to earth and give personal attention. They’re also very patient with my endless weather questions!

Vehicle review

The vans are really comfortable - part of the reason I chose tornadic expeditions was the smaller tour group experience, I didn’t want to be crammed in a 15-person van. Free WiFi in the van was also nice as we spend so many hours on the road!
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Name: Mitch
Tour: Epic April - Tour 1 - 10 Days
Year: 2022

General review

Having been on tours with another company for 4 years, I decided to give Tornadic Expeditions a shot this year. And I was not disappointed at all! I went on tour 6 in mid-June with a pretty decent weather pattern - 4 out of 6 days were chase days. And on all 4 of those days, I felt that we were on the best storm of the day, despite not seeing any tornadoes. There was one day where we chased a storm that was moving so fast that most other chasers weren’t able to keep up, but Erik and Tornadic Expeditions stayed on it for 6 hours! That was possible because of how small the group was. While other tours can have 12 and even up to 18 guests, this one just had 8, which made for much quicker stops and a more personal experience. I also enjoyed how we stayed in nicer hotels - including 2 nights in Hilton hotels - and not the old run-down motels you see in a lot of towns. And there were always fun activities on down days. On one of them we went to Rocky Mountain National Park, and on the other we explored the Badlands.

Tour guide review

Erik was awesome!!! From the moment he picked me up from the airport I could tell how enthusiastic he was about storm chasing. Even though he chases for a living and he’s seen pretty much everything, he still gets very excited when he sees a pretty supercell, and he shows it. He’s also very knowledgeable, as I’d expect a tour guide to be. But he had some moments where he seemed like a psychic, which really impressed me. The one that stuck out to me most was the time he booked a hotel in Sturgis, SD the day BEFORE the chase, knowing that the chase would likely take us there. And lo and behold, the chase literally ended on the outskirts of the town, so we only had to drive about 10 minutes to our hotel. The other guides, Colt and Steve, had experience with chasing too, and they were always available to answer questions when Erik was busy looking at data.

Vehicle review

I loved the vans. They were very comfortable with enough leg room for someone tall like me. There is a monitor in the front that shows the radar or whatever else Erik is looking at. On one down day, he played tornado videos on it. There’s also a power strip in the back so everyone can charge their phones and other electronics. Guests are asked to switch vans and swap seats in the van every day so we all get a turn to experience the chase in different positions.
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Name: Bruce
Tour: Epic April - Tour 1 - 10 Days
Year: 2022

General review

My daughter has been fascinated by severe weather, especially tornados, since she was 6. So, the 2 of use (she is now 12) went on the upslope Tour #6 of Tornadic Expeditions in early June 2022. It was everything we hoped for, even though we did not see a tornado. The lead tour guide, Erik, got us to all the bad weather he could during our 7 days of chasing. Usually we were in the lead and first to the scene of all the other chasers (who were reporting their location). We got into large hail and under super cells and saw many beautiful weather formations. We chased until there was no more to chase, which meant very late nights at time. But that is the excitement of it. We had one night when the severe weather chased us about 170 miles east of where we wanted to be in South Dakota; we finally hide at a truck stop and weathered the storm. Usually when my daughter and I vacation, we have fun but after 4 nights are ready to go home --- we are both home bodies. Not this trip, both of us could have gone longer than 7 nights. Erik said we were the first father-daughter pair to come and Jade was the youngest he's ever taken on a tour. For those reading this and thinking of taking a younger child, you need to know that Jade is a super traveler and road tripper, that usually it is dad and his coffee that request the first stop. Understand there is lots of down time, too, waiting for and planning for the next chase, which could be 500 miles away. But, the down times were a blast: went to Estes Park, Badlands National Park, spend time in general stores or village playgrounds out in the middle of nowhere. One thing we both loved is we saw rural America from roads we would never ever probably see. Maybe we were just lucky, but the other tourists were great to be with and we all became friends and had fun together. After a few days my 12 year, who is reserved and shy, had warmed up to some of the other adults and I would find here going off and talking with them and not needing dad around. It is a unique time. Pretty awesome trip and would like to go again, and if we/I do, it will be with Erik. One thing I would do differently, when there is a Walmart stop get lots of healthy, non-perishable snacks because you really don't know where you will be from day to day. Looking back, Erik and his team have a pretty good handle on dining and motel logistics given you don't know where you are going to be from day to day.

Tour guide review

Erik was the lead tour guide with Steve and Colt supporting. They knew what they were doing and tornados, knew how to find and chase the weather, and knew how to keep us comfortable. We could ask any questions, even 2 or 3 times, and they would explain and answer. Erik likes good food, so be ready to eat, if/when you stop. They never seemed to tire, and I don't know how they did all the driving they did, 2500 miles in 7 days. All 3 are very personable and created a friendly, relaxed and fun atmosphere. Again, if you are looking for a tour, try to get in with Erik.

Vehicle review

Our tour had 2 Toyota vans with a total of 10 persons between the 2 vehicles: 3 guides and 7 quests. Now this is the first time I've ever done anything like this, but this seemed like a ideal combination: not too many vehicles or too many people that made it hard to stay together or made the stops long and time consuming. Advice: if you go with a big group, then the number and length of stops could be a very big pain. Ask about the max size of the group before you sign up for a tour. The vans were comfortable and had all we needed including a WiFi hot spot that had service ability to all major carriers/ internet providers, so there were only a few times we were out in the boonies with no service. What to take: have a medium suitcase or duffle that goes in the trunk and then you can have a backpack of daily essentials/water/snacks/electronics in the seat/floor with you. A perfect combination. The vans were not big, so less agile folks may feel constrained or have trouble getting in and out, but that was not a problem for anyone on our tour. We were on the road 7 days for over 2500 miles and we loved it!
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Name: Ray
Tour: Violent Skies - Tour 7 - 10 Days
Year: 2022

General review

This is tour # 5 for me with Tornadic Expeditions - and like every tour before - it was filled with fun & adventure! We saw amazing storms, crazy lightning, a meteor, a wildfire (which also lit up the bottom of a supercell) and more. On a couple of down days, we saw Yellowstone, Old Faithful, Mount Rushmore, The Badlands, Devil's Rock and more. It was a great group - and 10 days just flew by. I can't wait to go again!

Tour guide review

Erik and Adam were top-notch pro's They kept us 100% safe and 110% entertained. Great restaurants, hotels, and sights! Long hauls to find the best weather wherever it happened to be

Vehicle review

Clean. Safe. Easy to get in and out. Plenty of storage. Comfortable. Wi-Fi.
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Name: Will
Tour: Epic April - Tour 1 - 10 Days
Year: 2022

General review

I went on two tours this year. One in late May and one in late June. Although the outlook wasn’t the best for both tours, we still managed to see four tornados and tons of beautiful supercells. One day, we were on the only supercell in the country and we were the only chasers there! Erik always manages to get us into the perfect spot. The tours are very comfortable with only 4 guests per van. If you ever need to stop for anything, he will gladly stop. You don’t just get a wonderful tour and an awesome experience, you get lifelong friends. All in all I would 100% recommend Tornadic Expeditions.

Tour guide review

Erik Burns is one of the most friendliest people ever. No matter how good the weather is during your tour week, or how good the results are, he always has a great time and you have a great time too. I still message Erik with any questions I have about weather even when I’m not on tour. He is more than a tour guide but a friend too.

Vehicle review

The vehicle space is probably the best in the business. With only four guests per van and a max of three vans, it’s never too crowded and you’re able to make personal connections with everyone. He always has water for the guests and there’s power outlets everywhere. In one tour we spent 82 hours in the van, but I never had a single complaint about the ride due to the great vehicles.
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Name: Kim Watson
Tour: Epic April - Tour 1 - 10 Days
Year: 2022

General review

This was my 4th year chasing with Tornadic Expeditions and it didn't disappoint! 2 tornadoes and baseball size hail made for an exciting time. Have already booked for next year and the years to come! Thank you to all the guides for the wonderful time and huge thanks to Erik Burns who again outdone himself with making my time on tour one to remember.

Tour guide review

Erik and the guides made sure all the guests were comfortable and answered any questions that were thrown at them. The communication from start to finish was spot on. It was a very challenging time for weather but they got us chasing when we needed to and planned some great activities on the down days.

Vehicle review

Comfortable and roomy..no problems there!
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Name: Nsomnya
Tour: Epic April - Tour 1 - 10 Days
Year: 2022
Blogged about the tour: Read more

General review

One of the greatest experiences of my life. Me and my son booked with them and learned so much. They explain everything from why we are chasing an area to how the storm is working. Met some great folks as well.

Tour guide review

Erik is very knowledgeable and very personable. He takes the time to explain what is going on and you can see his passion for what he does.

Vehicle review

Clean, lots of room, and monitors to see what he is seeing.
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Name: Ray
Tour: Extreme Instability* - Tour 5 - 7 Days
Year: 2021

General review

This was my fifth time to tour with Tornadic Expeditions - and as usual - it was a week-long adventure filled blast! The point of chasing storms of course is to find some - and we did. We found amazing storms every day except the last day - so we took advantage of the clear skies in our departure city and did some late night star gazing with an amazing meteor shower and some stunning stellar photography! Our group was perfectly sized at 8 guests and 3 guides. I'm always amazed at how wonderful the people are - a thirst for nature adventure draws a diverse group of fascinating people from all over everywhere. I've already booked tour 8 for next year. We didn't encounter any severe problems. The service level was excellent

Tour guide review

All 3 of our guides were extremely professional and safe - but also fun, knowledgeable, helpful, and just great people to get to know. I've known Eric for 4 years now - and he draws very strict lines around safety, he knows how to have fun too. I never felt unsafe even for a moment. I've heard most accidents are not related to weather - they are related to driving. Our drivers were very focused and safe. Jason and Billy, our other two driver/guides are now new friends as well. .

Vehicle review

The vehicles were clean, well-serviced, and very comfortable. Each vehicle had its own WiFi with access to two different data providers - so we had amazing data coverage.
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Name: Frank Parker
Tour: The Extreme - Tour 3 - 7 Days
Year: 2021

General review

We had Tour 3 on a very challenging week to chase. Not much was going on anywhere. We also had quite a few people because of the tour cancellations of 2020. Because of the lack of activity these guys really had to bust their asses to find storms to chase. We covered 3000 miles in 7 days through 5 states. I thought they did an excellent job with what we had to work with. I found the experience to be very enjoyable as I got to see a lot of country I had never been to. They always found great places to dine and comfortable motels. Plus tge two Toyota vans and the rental Chrysler van performed flawlessly.

Tour guide review

I thought that the tour guides got us on as many storms as were available to chase. We didn't have a whole lot to work with.

Vehicle review

We rotated between three different vans each day. No complaints about them.
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Name: cokersmoker
Tour: Upslope Supercells - Tour 6 - 6 Days
Year: 2021

General review

The 6 days I spent with Tornadic Expeditions ripping across the Plains chasing tornadoes was one of the most intense, unforgettable experiences of my life. Eric’s passion for what he does and his great depth of weather knowledge is truly impressive. He is also a very good driver and never seems tire. I swear that man is a force of nature, and he is totally funnel- visioned (couldn’t resist that). There were 3 tornadoes in the US on 6/10/21. Eric, and Nick, his talented copilot, navigated our trusty and comfortable van to all 3. Though grueling sometimes - we drove 2646 miles in 6 days - every single one of those miles was worth it. To have stood before the fearsome force of these tornadoes is something that will be forever burned in my brain pan. Five stars!
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Name: Tom
Tour: The Extreme - Tour 3 - 7 Days
Year: 2021

General review

I was extremely pleased with the tour. The guides studied the weather situation at the end, the beginning and through out each day. We covered a lot of ground in order to get to the storms. We were positioned at the storms where we could see the dynamics but care was taken to make sure that we were safe. The tour was conducted professionally but was kept fun and exciting. Everyone was treated in a friendly and respectful manner. All questions were answered in a way that could be understood by both experienced chasers and novices.

Tour guide review

The tour guides could not have been better. Even if we had a slow day they were able to keep the mood positive. We had 4 guide/drivers. All seemed well versed in analyzing the weather data and in chasing storms. They made sure everyone was having fun and not left out of the action. Even after long days of chasing, the guides made sure the guests were taken care of before they called it a day.

Vehicle review

There were three vehicles. All were minivans. Each person had there own seat and we never felt uncomfortable or crowded. The vehicles were in good shape and kept clean and uncluttered. There were computers and multiple monitors in the vans so that everyone could follow the live radar and data. There were outlets for personal computers and USB outlets.
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Name: Jenn Racki
Tour: The Extreme - Tour 3 - 7 Days
Year: 2021

General review

This tour was absolutely amazing! It was kind of a down weather week but the tour guides always found us whatever severe weather there was. The one day that we saw a funnel, we were following the only tornado warned stormed in the country that day. The vans were clean and everyone had plenty of room. The hotels we stayed at were always nice. There was plenty of communication prior to the tour, details of the tour were very clear and we were also sent a list of things to bring which was very helpful. I will absolutely be taking another tour with this company.

Tour guide review

There were four tour guides, they were all very professional and knowledgeable. They all did a great job explaining what we were seeing and why the storms were doing what they were doing. I learned so much more than I would have ever expected to.

Vehicle review

The vans were great, they were clean and well kept. They provided chargers for everyone to use for phones/iPads etc. I felt I had plenty of space to myself.
Comment on this review

Name: Ianw33
Tour: The Extreme - Tour 3 - 7 Days
Year: 2021

General review

The tour was a great experience. The amount of combined storm chasing experience between the tour guides allowed me to learn a ton about chasing and storm structure/development. Service before/during/after the tour were top notch. When I emailed Erik questions regarding the tours before I scheduled, he answered promptly. The vans used were comfortable, and I appreciated the fact that they were small vans, not the big 15 person vans I saw elsewhere, it allowed for a more personal tour feeling. The team was also great at organizing food and hotel provisions. The weathers conditions were not ideal for widespread development of severe storms during the tour. With that said, the team did a great job of forecasting and finding the diamonds in the rough and were able to place us near multiple severe warned (and one tornado warned) storms. I plan on attending another tour in the next year or 2.

Tour guide review

The guides are where this tour really shines. The knowledge they share is very helpful in understanding what you are witnessing when chasing a storm. Even more impressive was their passion regarding the storms, you could truly tell that they absolutely love it and enjoy sharing the experience with their tour clients. These guys will do everything possible to get you to a good storm if it exists.

Vehicle review

The vans were comfortable. I enjoyed the fact that they use smaller vans and not the big 15 person vans I saw out there. It allows for a much more personal type of tour. They provided equipment that allowed us to keep all of our phones/computers/cameras charged. I also enjoyed that they had a screen mounted in the passenger area that showed us the weather maps they were using upfront to forecast, that allowed us to feel like we were part of the chase.
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Name: Daniel Itzigsohn
Tour: Extreme Instability* - Tour 5 - 7 Days
Year: 2019
Blogged about the tour: Read more

General review

The tour was great in many aspects. I arrived to Oklahoma the day that weather in the US pretty much 'stopped' and was anxious to see what was going to happen during the trip and if something could be 'saved' out of this gloomy outlook. Erik, after reviewing the options, decided we should go to New Mexico (Roswell Area) since there (according to his words) "orography works magic". And so it was, we drove all the way to new Mexico to witness the most impressive Supercells (mostly LP, but also classic and HP). Nowhere else in the US anyone could find such weather during this time It is a testimony to Erik's professionalism and utter dedication that we could see such amazing weather. Given the situation, we could not ask for more. I certainly intend to join another tour in 2021 with Erik and his team. Highly recommended. The vans used for this tour were very comfortable, clean, well equipped and with very decent wifi and radar and weather displays. We drove hundreds of miles without tiring too much, due to the fact that the vans were comfortable, the captain seats in the second road were very nice, and that the group and Erik's team did everything to make us feel good and comfortable. the tour organization and nimbleness was also very good, and we could accommodate to changes required to pursue the weather (hotels, restaurants, etc.). Erik always looked for decent hotels and good restaurants, and the last two days, after weather stopped everywhere (even in New Mexico) we spent touring on our way back to Denver (from where we departed). We visited many great places and that was also a very pleasant and beautiful part of the trip We did not see a lot of tornadoes (there were very few), but we managed to see one landspout and some HP storm that 'hid' a tornado inside.

Tour guide review

The tour was very comfortable and professional, Erik and his team were always willing to answer any question and shows us how (and why) they reached their decisions regarding where and when to chase.

Vehicle review

Erik did indeed make the best out of the weather that took place during this week. We managed to see amazing cloud structures, but not many tornadoes (there were none). I think that Erik and his team handled the scarce weather and maximized our experience, and this is a testimony to their professionalism and dedication
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Name: Christina Bird
Tour: Extreme Instability* - Tour 5 - 7 Days
Year: 2019
Blogged about the tour: Read more

General review

This was my first storm chasing tour. While I have always had an appreciation for Mother Nature and what she can produce, the main reason I went on this tour was because my best friend couldn't stop bragging about it and I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. I can hand on heart say that this was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Beyond stunning supercells, lightening, hail, dust storms... No tornados this time but I was in no way disappointed. A truly fantastic experience that had me smiling and excited from the moment I woke up until the moment I crawled into bed. I 100% intend on coming back to do another tour in 2021 (already have big plans for 2020).

Tour guide review

Erik and Colt were amazing! They got us on the best storms of the day, and their passion and excitement was utterly contagious. They were always willing to answer my stupid questions, and explained things in ways that made it easy to understand. On our last day of the tour there were absolutely no storms to chase, and upon finding out that at 27 years old I had never touched snow, the decision was made to head up to a just-opened mountain pass to make my dream come true. If that's not great customer service, I don't know what is!

Vehicle review

The van was super comfy, even for those with long legs. Window seats for everyone, a monitor in the back so we could follow along with the radar and forecasting, plenty of room for snacks, WIFI and we were able to charge our electronics too. Being a small van (4 guests) made it feel like a very personal tour.
Comment on this review

Name: Pam Chapman
Tour: Extreme Instability* - Tour 5 - 7 Days
Year: 2019

General review

I just loved my time on this tour!!! So much so, that I booked a spot on the 10 day tour in 2020 before this one even ended. Cannot get a better review than that surely. The team were amazing, informative, enthusiastic and so much fun. Could not recommend Erik and his team more.

Tour guide review

Erik was clear and concise with all the information from the 1st email, safety briefing, what he expected of you and in return what you can expect of him and his awesome team. We never once felt that he was taking a risk with us as his guests but we were getting the most bang for our buck with the weather, no matter what the weather gods decided to do. The enthusiasm from Erik and Colt was seriously contagious and the laughs were plenty! A lot of delicious food and the places where we stayed were great.

Vehicle review

The vans were comfy and had great wifi. Room to have bags and snacks handy. Guests were able to see the forecasting in action on the road.
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Name: George "jinx"
Tour: Upslope Supercells - Tour 6 - 6 Days
Year: 2019

General review

The tour was professional, The service was excellent, Nice tourguides with a lot of knowledge about the weather. Unfortunatly because of a coldfront we didn't see any tornado's, but I would recomment this operation to everybody. When the predictions were not good for the day, we went out for interesting alternatives that day.

Tour guide review

They tried very hard to get the best out of every day.

Vehicle review

Very comfortable van. Maybe for the future a better (stronger) wifi signal for everyone. Now only one or two passengers could use te wifi at the same time.
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Name: Shad E. Sanders
Tour: Northern Expedition - Tour 8 - 10 Days
Year: 2019

General review

This was my first time to go on this type of tour. I am a member of the CoCoRah community and always wanted to do a storm tour. No we did not have tornadoes every day, nor did the storms always cooperate. However this tour focused on placing us in the best position each day. I was happy with how each day played out and happy with the storms that we chased and pursued. In between storms we checked out the local tourist places of interest and allowed the tour to be a foodie paradise sampling the local delis, shops, and places. I loved the fact that we ate local and not fast food every single time (we only ate fast food 4 or 5 times), we chased the major storms of the day and kept repositioning ourselves until the storm had nothing left to give.

Tour guide review

Erik Burns (owner) and Adam Lucio was approachable, enthusiastic, and patient and truly a lot of fun to spend 10 days with. I was nervous at first getting in a van with strangers for 10 days but Erik provided a safe, friendly, comfortable environment. I do want to note Erik was just as enthusiastic about answering the same question on the tenth time as he was the first time. We had a lot of terminology and jargon thrown at us but Erik was happy to explain and reexplain what we were seeing and witnessing. I felt he was more concern that we were getting the pictures of the storm that we wanted before he even pulled out his own camera. He and Adam definitely made this a trip of a lifetime. I feel I made friends for life when we started out as complete strangers.

Vehicle review

The vehicle was comfortable. We each had personal space, charging stations, window blinds, personal air vents, and adjustable seats. We drove over 3,000 miles but did not feel cramped at all even with 6 people and luggage and cameras. . The vehicle had great thread on the tires, I felt was tuned up before the trip. Most importantly I felt it was clean.
Comment on this review

Name: Straya2019
Tour: Prime Intensity - Tour 4 - 10 Days
Year: 2019

General review

I have now toured with Tornadic Expeditions and Erik Burns 3 times. I did a 10 day tour in 2018 and two 10 day tours in 2019 (Tour 4 and Tour 7). In fact, I booked my 2019 tour on the third day of my 2018 tour (as did all the other guests) which says it all - what better advertising is there. Erik is an excellent communicator. He keeps in regular contact in the lead up to the tour starting so you know all the logistical details and makes sure all the arrival arrangements are handled smoothly with no fuss. Once you are on tour, you would struggle to find someone more passionate about giving his guests a great experience. Erik is a patient teacher who is keen to share his amazing knowledge about weather, tornadoes (and local points of historical interest). He always enthusiastically answers guests' questions. Erik is absolutely committed to finding severe weather for his guests. He thinks nothing of driving 5000 miles in 10 days (across Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana) to ensure that his guests have the best chance of witnessing tornadoes/severe weather/amazing super-cells/structure. There have been multiple occasions touring with Tornadic Expeditions when we were the only tour company on a tornado (often when it was the only tornado in the USA). If there is a tornado to see, rest assured Erik will find it. Not once have I missed a tornado or even been out of the best viewing position in 30 days of chasing with Erik. In 4 years touring with another company I saw 1 tornado. In 2 years touring with Tornadic Expeditions and Erik, I have seen 30 tornadoes including breathtaking tornados in Waldo Kansas and Golden City Missouri (tour 4 2019). The other company I toured with, does not get reviewed by stormchasing usa and probably for good reason. Having toured with another company, I can now properly appreciate just how fantastic Erik and Tornadic Expeditions are.

Tour guide review

Erik sets the standard right from his first email communication. All of his emails are clear and professional (and engaging). Once booked, Erik makes sure you know all of the details you will need before arriving - what to pack, when to arrive, how to contact him when the plane lands, how to arrange transport from the airport to the arrival hotel, etc. He then arranges an orientation and dinner on the first night before chasing so that the guests can get to know one another. The orientation presentation (a little over an hour in length) is comprehensive and provides a great basis for understanding for what you will see on tour. During the tour, Erik always keeps his guests informed about where you are headed to chase and what to expect. You will not be left in any doubt about Erik's enthusiasm. He loves chasing and genuinely loves making his tour guests dreams come true. He is genuinely thrilled to see the look of joy on his guests' faces when they see severe weather and tornadoes. Erik, unlike other operators I have encountered, also does not stop once he has found tornado for his guests. There have been multiple chase days where I have witnessed a tornado following which Erik has kept chasing until very late into the evening always looking for more. Erik wants his guests to have every opportunity to see tornadoes and will chase into the late evening without hesitating. I can't speak highly enough of Erik's customer service and commitment to his guests. He ensures the tour is an amazing experience (even on down days where there is no weather to chase - which has been a rarity in my time touring with him).

Vehicle review

The tour van is very comfortable - I would know as I have done around 15,000 miles in it on three 10 day tours over the past 2 years. It is easy and quick to get in and out of (even when you are tall) and every guest has a good view. Erik ensures that all guests rotate seats to make sure that everyone gets to have the same experience. The van is equipped with WiFi (unlimited) so you can stay in touch with those at home. Erik also has the van equipped with multiple cameras and provides his guests with his best of the tour photos and a video of all the season's highlights. The video is amazing and a great reminder of a fantastic experience.
Comment on this review

Name: Lauren Wingate
Tour: Prime Intensity - Tour 4 - 10 Days
Year: 2019
Blogged about the tour: Read more

General review

I really can’t say enough about my experience with Tornadic Expeditions. It far exceeded my expectations on multiple levels. My guides were not only highly knowledgeable, professional, educated and extremely experienced, they were loads of fun to be around! Over the years they have attracted like minded people as well, that have come year after year so it was like being with one big happy family! But the tour was perfectly sized! The perfect amount of people (not too big). Only two vans and only 4 guests per van. This is essential when choosing a tour company. Storm chasing can move super fast depending on the storm you are chasing, so being able to get moving at a split second can mean seeing a tornado or missing it. All it takes is one person to hold up a group, so the smaller the group, the better. Our group size was perfect! The vans were spacious and very comfortable. Each van had its own WiFi and sockets to charge phones, batteries, etc. There were also TV screens facing all the passengers that displayed what the guides were looking at on their radars. This was beyond helpful in understanding what chasers look for in a storm cell that sets one apart from the others. I loved how educational this was and how consistent our guides were with explaining everything we were seeing (on the screens and outside our windows). Tour 4 2019 had epic and record breaking weather, but that is not what made this tour incredible. Erik and Adam were able to pin point exactly where to go and get us to the cells that had the most potential for tornados. Half of the time, they were not even favorable on the radar projections. They used their own experience and knowledge of what these storm cells need to create “The Perfect Storm” that would actually produce tornados. And amazing ones at that! I’m beyond impressed! Some of these storms were tiny little blips on the radar that ended up producing 5 tornados that we were able to see. I was able to see every kind of tornado that exists and over half of them i had front row seats for! The whole experience was very emotional and moved me to tears on more then one occasion. I’ve never been in such awe of mother nature. I felt safe and happy the entire time and feel blessed I was able to make the right choice in choosing Tornadic Expeditions as my guide. No matter how lucky we were with the weather, these guys continued to chase into the night until there was nothing left to chase. Their energy was always so exciting to be around and never once did I feel like they were tired or needed a break. We were on the road for 10 days strait, chasing a dream i’d waited my whole life for! I can’t wait until next year! These guys are the best!

Tour guide review

Erik and Adam are amazing! These guys don’t quit! If there is even the slightest chance for a storm, they are on it! They will find the needle in the haystack and i watched them do it multiple times. They’ve got a great sense of humor, love to laugh and share their love of storms and all they know about them with the tour. They were very professional, made our safety a top priority, and made seeing us happy their number one goal. Chase day or not, their goals stayed the same! There was never a dull moment.

Vehicle review

Our van was spacious and very comfortable. It was clean, it had WiFi, chargers to charge your phone, batteries or whatever else you needed to charge throughout the day. Screens to see our guides radar while chasing. Comfortable air circulation that guests had control over. Every guest had a window seat which is so important. Easy access to get in and out of the vans quickly and efficiently. Great tires to keep everyone safe and sound when on slick roads, dirt, mud, rain, etc.
Comment on this review

Name: KN Perth
Tour: May Madness - Tour 2 - 7 Days
Year: 2019

General review

Went chasing on all the 7 days of the tour owner Erik Burns and his assistant Nick busby used their knowledge to make sure we had the best opportunity to see any extreme weather that could develop were able to witness tornadoes and watch supercell storms forming which I found to be totally amazing. The tour turned out to be all that I hoped for plus more it was fantastic.

Tour guide review

I found Erik burns and his assistant Nick busby to be extremely professional with a friendly and helpful attitude and respond to any questions that were asked I found that they had a real passion and enjoyment for their subject which encouraged their guests to be a part of as well which was really good.even though we encountered some extreme weather our safety was always put first at all times

Vehicle review

The van was comfortable considering the travelling that was needed to reach your destination it was well equipped so all the occupants could monitor what they were seeing on the radar as well which was great enough leg room and space for everyone
Comment on this review

Name: Lisa S.
Tour: The Extreme - Tour 3
Year: 2018

General review

How do you describe getting to live out a cherished dream? For years, I’d been dreaming of chasing storms across Tornado Alley and learning a little weather science along the way. It’s not an overstatement to say Tornadic Expeditions made my dream come true and showed me the best time I’ve had as a grown up! From the moment I walked out of the airport and boarded the “Night Crawler” (the Twister-inspired nickname we gave the chase vehicle), I was having fun and it only got better. We spent the next 7 days crisscrossing the country from Colorado to New Mexico. Erik, owner and operator of TE (and henceforth known to me as Bwana) and Adam Lucio, a battle-hardened, yet hilarious professional chaser made sure we were always “on the weather,” finding storms when others might have given up. If there was wicked weather to be had, we were on it. We saw other large tour groups quite frequently during our adventure and when we did, I was glad I’d chosen Tornadic Expeditions. The limited number of people in our chase vehicle meant we always had a highly-personalized experience, a great view and we NEVER had to wait in line for the bathroom! We were people with a shared purpose who enjoyed each other’s company, we saw incredible storms and learned the science of weather, we traversed miles of magnificent countryside, we ate deliciously indulgent food, we stayed at great hotels and we had a blast doing it. I’ve already booked my next trip and I’m beside myself with excitement for my next adventure with Tornadic Expeditions.

Tour guide review

Erik Burns, owner-operator of Tornadic Expeditions and seriously skillful veteran chaser and Adam Lucio, a battle-hardened, yet hilarious chaser, kept us entertained, well-informed and very well-fed. They made sure we were always “on the weather,” finding storms when others might have given up. In other words, if there was wicked weather to be had, we were on it. When there was no wicked weather to be had, Erik took us on some excellent little excursions.

Vehicle review

The van was comfortable, had window seats for every passenger and handled all those dirt roads like a champ. It had the all- important USB chargers and power outlets, WiFi and a cool real-time display of radar imagery and our location (via GPS).
Comment on this review

Name: Kim Watson
Tour: Prime Intensity - Tour 4 - 10 Days
Year: 2018

General review

Well.. this was my second year chasing with Tornadic Expeditions and it was by far the best one yet! We got some amazing storms and also some incredible tornadoes! I went from having seen no tornadoes to seeing 10 in 3 days.. absolutely incredible and it's all thanks to Tornadic Expeditions for making my dreams come true. Excellent communication from Erik all the way through until the tour.. excellent service. We were all well informed about the day to day plans and where we were going. We did some long hours in the van but it was very comfortable and we were well entertained. Looking forward to doing 2 tours next year!

Tour guide review

Erik and Aaron were awesome guides! No shortage of entertainment at all times and they forecasted well and got us on the best storms of the day!

Vehicle review

The van was very comfortable and clean. Quite a few times we had to get in and out of the van very quickly and and that was done easily with the way the van is set up. Heaps of leg room and great to be able to control the air con in the back ourselves
Comment on this review

Name: MJ
Tour: Upslope Supercells - Tour 6
Year: 2018

General review

This tour was phenomenal. With only 4 guests and two experts up front, it was perfect. Eric and Adam were very knowledgeable and were always "on the chase" checking their radar constantly to keep us in line for any storm developing. Although we did not see a tornado, we still got to experience some fantastic storms.

Tour guide review

The guys were great! Very easy going, but professional and knowledgeable. Every little thing was handled so well. Always in a good mood and positive energy flowed abundantly. We went from 6 strangers to friends in one day. The van is very comfortable and roomy. Sometimes spending over 10 hrs driving in one day, but we had so much fun, laughing and eating great food. I will definitely use them again in the future for another tour.

Vehicle review

The van is very comfortable, he even has wifi. There are two computer screens so people in the back can see the radar and follow along with the chase plan.
Comment on this review

Name: Emz
Tour: Prime Intensity - Tour 4 - 10 Days
Year: 2018
Blogged about the tour: Read more

General review

I went on tour 4 for 10 days. During that time I saw 10 tornadoes & covered 9 states from New Mexico to South Dakota & Montana. Erik the tour director would drive miles on end to get us to the best storm of the day, even if the outlook didn't appear severe. He trusted his gut alongside his knowledge and experience and we got to see supercells, lightning shows, amazing sunsets & TORNADOES!!! This was the best experience of my life. The van had 3 other guests, Erik and a guide. It was a comfortable ride with a window view every day. The fun we had was indescribable & I have made lifelong friends. We were that impressed by the tour that we have all booked again for 2019. We stayed in great accommodation and ate at great places. The entire experience is one I will never forget. It was so good that I cancelled my flight & stayed for tour 6 also.

Tour guide review

The tour was comfortable. I was met prior to the tour commencing and picked up by Erik himself. Erik & his guides were very professional, knew what they were talking about and made it a tonne of fun. We were never put into situations that were dangerous and when we had to relocate at any stage, they were efficient and prompt in doing so. During severe weather, there was never any issues and Erik's driving was amazing. After the tour ended we had a celebration dinner and the process of arriving and leaving was very smooth.

Vehicle review

Erik was outstanding. On days that were marginal, he made every effort to chase what was the best storm of the day. We got beautiful structures & that alone was impressive. He made an effort every day we were on tour. He would study the weather and study again in the morning. He was always analysing every part of it and trusting his judgement and experience and it paid off.
Comment on this review

Name: Bill
Tour: Tour 3 - The Extreme
Year: 2017
Blogged about the tour: Read more

General review

I would like to thank Erik Burns of Tornadic Expeditions and Adam Cuker for helping me to achieve a lifetime dream of seeing a tornado. Residing in Maryland we don't have the supercell storms like they do in the Midwest. We saw a beautiful stove pipe tornado that stayed on the ground for 20 minutes. We watched it develop and saw the same storm rope out 20 minutes later. During the seven day Tour 3 (The Extreme Tour) we saw many beautiful supercell storms as well as several smaller tornadoes. Erik and Adam seem to be right on with every storm. They really did their homework and knew right where to find a good storms, they kept the tour exciting and fun as well as extremely educational. During the down days (for lack of storms) they kept us busy with other exciting attractions across the area. Thanks again Eric and Tornadic Expeditions for a wonderful tour.

Tour guide review

Eric was a lot of fun, he had a good sense of humor. He was extremely knowledgeable about extreme weather and tornadoes. Eric and Adam Cuker really knew how to read their maps and data to help find the tornadoes.

Vehicle review

Tornadic Expeditions’ tour vehicle fit 4 guest very comfortably. 4 guest was a good number versus six or eight guest. It was very easy getting in and out and we didn't spend a bunch time waiting on people. On another note having a small group it was easy to get to know each other.
Comment on this review

Name: Dominique
Tour: Tour 8 - Northern Expedition
Year: 2017

General review

To describe this tour in one word: awesome! Erik Burns is a pro, with an excellent set of skills to examine, evaluate and act on models, weather patterns and topographical boundries. Although the week did not look very promising, he managed to get the maximum out of it and definitely exceeded my expectations: 4 chasing days with triple-tornado warned super cells and eventually one tornado. Of course we want to see the twisters but more importantly you want to understand the dynamics that are going on which he gladly explains! Nice hotels, great company and fully equipped car with wifi and screen in the back so you can track what is going on!
Comment on this review

Name: Kim Watson
Tour: Tour 7 - Violent Skies
Year: 2017

General review

Incredible experience that I will never forget. Erik and Adam put us on the storm's that delivered the most amazing structures and lightning and even though we didn't see a tornado this time, they certainly showed us storms that didn't disappoint!. They definately have the knowledge and the instinct to get us on the right storms. Had a great time with the small group which by the end felt like family and I have made friends for life.The tour was very professional and was made welcome from before the tour even started due to the great communication by Erik.I didn't mind the long hours in the car at all, Erik and Adam made us laugh and have fun. Looking forward to coming back for another tour!

Tour guide review

They did a lot of researching every night to make sure they got us into the right position and when there were no storms predicted, they made sure we were happy and did other activities that we all enjoyed. They had a great sense of humour and you could see how passionate they are about chasing and it made the experience that much better

Vehicle review

The van was comfortable to travel in, plenty of leg room. Well set up to be able to enter and exit quickly and safely. Enjoyed watching the screen in the back to follow what they were discussing about the storm's. Great being able to control the temperature in the back by ourselves.
Comment on this review

Name: Pam
Tour: Tour 7 - Violent Skies
Year: 2017

General review

Go with these guys! They know their stuff - everything you ever wanted to know about tornadoes, supercells, thunderstorms, lighting, anything meteorological at all. It was not just educational but very entertaining - the discussions, the storm chasing, the sighseeing when there weren't storms to chase. It really pays off if your guides are good at analyzing the weather - and Erik and Adam are the best. They would spend early morning hours and after hours pouring over data when the rest of us were sleeping. In one instance, the other storm chasers decided to go south which turned out to be a bust. We stayed north and viewed a storm on which 3 tornado warnings were issued! On another chase we had a lighting show for 3.5 hours - it was amazing.

Tour guide review

As previously noted, Erik and Adam really know weather and meteorology and their instincts are excellent. As you can imagine, it's difficult to figure out which storm to chase when there are 6 or 7 developing in the state but their decisions were invariably correct. We saw the best stuff out there even if it wasn't a tornado. And in the off hours, we toured some very interesting volcano sites,rock canyons, and parts of the Rockies. Your in the care for a long time so its important to be with people that have a good sense of humor and are fun to talk to - Erik and Adam fill that bill,

Vehicle review

Vehicle was great - roomy and we had our own computer screen to watch all the radar and other data sites that the tour guides were analyzing. This was an important part - there were only 4 of us on the tour plus the two guides so we could pretty much do whatever we wanted and go wherever we wanted because there was no need to coordinate with 20 people! You should keep this in mind as you consider what tour to select.
Comment on this review

Name: Lia
Tour: Tour 7 - Violent Skies
Year: 2017

General review

Each of us were met at the airport upon our arrival and taken to our hotel by the Tornadic Expeditions before we started our tour the following morning. Both Erik Burns, the tour owner, and Adam Cuker, his co-director, were extremely professional and knowledgeable about storm formations and the best conditions for a tornado to occur. Because we were a small group, only 4 guests and 2 directors, we could easily change our plans to accommodate the weather, be flexible in eating arrangements, and book rooms at the last minute for the small group. I would definitely travel with Tornadic Expeditions again.

Tour guide review

Our two tour director, Erik Burns, and his co-director, Adam Cuker, were knowledgeable about the storms and constantly analyzed the data to determine the best location for us to be for the near and long term to see a severe thunderstorm and hopefully a tornado. Unfortunately, we did not see any tornadoes, but we we saw many supercell thunderstorms including a 3.5 hour continuous lightning show. There were 2 days of no storm activity in The Plains, so Erik Burns took us to many interesting spots to sightsee instead, including a national park and a national monument. As a result, every day was full of adventures.

Vehicle review

We traveled in a small van which was kept clean and had a mirrored screen pointed towards the passengers so we could see everything the tour directors were looking at on their laptop trying to analyze the data in real time for the best position to chase storms. This allowed us to ask them many questions on what they were seeing and what it meant. The van also had wifi so each of us could connect a device to access the internet and enough power outlets to recharge our internet devices and cameras, too. There were 4 passengers travelling with Erik and Adam, the two tornado chasing experts taking us storm chasing. We each had a window seat and room to keep our personal day stuff with us.
Comment on this review

Name: Roman Lutz
Tour: Tour 3 - The Extreme
Year: 2017

General review

Rolling with Erik and Adam from Tornadic Expeditions was nothing short of an amazing experience! It was great to be on tour with people who appreciate everything about weather just as much as we, the guests, do. We got to see it all - Amazingly structured super cells, mezmerizing lightning, huge hail and - most importantly - several tornadoes, on the first and the last day, amongt them one beautiful, fully condensed tornado that was on the ground for 10 minutes with a great rope-out! Even on the off days when there was nothing going on in the sky, Erik and Adam did all they could to keep the guests entertained and make it worth their while. On the chase days, you could really tell that they live for this and that they want to see Tornadoes just as much as all of the guests do. Great commitment! THANK YOU FOR AN AMAZING TRIP!

Tour guide review

Erik and Adam were very professional. They ensured that all guests were safe, comfortable and entertained. Extremely nice guys who will answer all of your questions any time with a great deal of expertise - these people know what they are talking about and are VERY skillful when it comes to finding the right spot to watch severe weather. Also, very chill and cool guys to hang out with after a long chase day!

Vehicle review

Tornadic Expeditions use a small 6-seat van, that is 2 Tour Operators and 4 guests. Very comfortable, cosy vehicle. Equipped with an extra screen for the guests/passengers in the back seats, which enables them to follow what's going on in the weather models and/or to watch movies/other forms of entertainment on down days. As a guest from abroad, it was very convenient to have WiFi access on the van and to be able to go online with it. Also, they provide a large USB hub in the back area of the van, so all guests can charge their phones, cameras, laptops and whatnot at all times. I would advise anyone rolling with Tornadic Expeditions to not bring too much luggage, as the space in the trunk is somewhat limited, but definitely enough to accommodate luggage for a one-week or 10-day tour.
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Name: M. Bears
Tour: Tour 2 - May Madness
Year: 2017

General review

Professional, passionate and personable are three words that sum up Erik Burn ‘s Tornadic Expeditions tours. I signed up for Tour 2, 2017 which unfortunately was a week without tornadoes. Erik did his best in the first few days of the tour to find a weather system that could produce the storm but sadly, Mother Nature was not in the mood to show her might then or for the rest of the week. Erik successfully plied his meteorological skills in determining a strategic route in which to intercept a tornado but the best we were able to do is chase a storm through eastern Texas which eventually came up short. Although the week was a “bust” when it came to tornadic weather, Erik did his best to entertain us, spending two days in beautiful Galveston Beach where we saw some terrific sites, (i.e. alligators and a very unique waterbird rookery), the National Weather Center in Norman OK and the Twister Museum. Erik has a very pleasant personality and sense of humor and bends over backwards to make sure his guests are having the best time possible. Guests should be aware that there’s a lot of time riding in the van which can be quite boring if you’re not chasing a storm. Nonetheless, the van was comfortable and Erik played videos during the long drives. Many times we checked into our hotels very late. This may have been different if the week had been stormier. I highly recommend Tornadic Expeditions and will try again, with them, to see a tornado!
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Name: Olivier from France
Tour: Tour 3 - The Extreme
Year: 2017

General review

Thanks to Erik Burns. The organization is perfect. It is super cool and excellent storm chaser. I really appreciated the atmosphere and the state of mind. It is very professional. He choose everyday the place to be to see and follow storms and tornadoes. He took Time to explain everything we saw. I recommend it with eyes closed to make your stay a wonderful memory... Good speed Olivier from France ??
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Name: Guido Flock
Tour: Tour is not registered
Year: 2016

General review

Fantastic tour! This was my first storm chasing adventure and as I arrived it seemed like I hit a bad week. But Erik alsways kept looking forward and stayed optimistic. We drove from Denver all the way up to Montana because our chances looked good up there. Erik picked the right storm and we sure scored an EF3 tornado. While we were watching the storm itself Eric explained to me all about the structure and and the weather conditions we were observing. Safety, this can be said for sure, was always his first priority. He always did a very professional forcast, which payed off. During down-days he kept me busy by visiting local attracttions like wildlifeparks.

Tour guide review

Erik is a very professional and friendly storm chaser ! Even in a bad outlook he stayed optimistic and caught the best storm. He has a lot of humor and made me laught a lot. He is a great guy and he knows how to inspire people. He sure did the best out of the weather out there.

Vehicle review

Very comfortable van! Yeti cooler and A/C made it even better. No problem spending 13 houres in it !
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Name: Dave A
Tour: Tour is not registered
Year: 2016
Blogged about the tour: Read more

General review

This tour and the service lived up to my expectations and more. The weather cooperated fully and the tour guide Erik was on top of it every step of the way, even before weather services such as the SPC. Even when tornadoes did not form the storms we were on were always in at least a "watch" and always had the potential. Although I had not been on any other tours with any other guides before, I felt Eric & Tornadic Expeditions were professional and responsible while adding Erik's enthusiasm and personal touch. There was good communication throughout the process of setting up, during and after. My other tour member also made the chase interesting and fun since he happened to be from Sweden and had a fair amount of experience in chasing. The evening accommodations were clean and comfortable as well. Always had a good breakfast included and most had pools (which we could have used some nights but did not). All in all, I would certainly use Erik and Tornadic Expeditions again if I go.

Tour guide review

Erik was our tour guide and he brings a very enthusiastic attitude about the pursuit and the finish (even if did not finish in a tornado). I think the only criticism I had is that I am a nervous passenger in any car. Erik is constantly analyzing the conditions to give the best chances for a catch. However, he does occassionly become what I considered as "caught up" in the analysis during the drives. I did try to assist by keeping an eye on the road when the tornadoes were not in view. This gave me a little comfort since he could hear me mention things about the road conditions... but as I said to start, I am a bit of a nervous passanger.

Vehicle review

The vehicle was quite comfortable for me. It was a mini van with 4 captain's chairs and a bench. We were not at full capacity but it would have still been comfortable with an additional 2 people (I think). Our experienced other member had a bit of an issue with somewhat obscurred view from the rear but I was fine with it since much of the best views were while we stopped to observe and indeed we had plenty to view on this trip.
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Name: Ciaran G (Ireland)
Tour: Epic April - Tour 1 - 10 Days
Year: 2007

General review

My first chase tour; my expectations were we would see some mad weather but would be dependent on mother nature. In reality, it exceeded my expectations. While we didn't get to see a full on tornedo on my week/tour, got to see/experience everything else, coming from Ireland, the thunderstorms we got to chase most days were epic, the lightning intensity, the large hail we had to shelter in a steel shed was epic (the noise alone!). Felt safe at all times but was surprised AND DELIGHTED how close we could get to these systems, had situations where we were under a storm cloud where we could hear the hail in the cloud + getting behind a storm where the wind inflow was (must have been 100kph+ ... as it was like storms on west cost of Ireland) + seeing the circulations/spinning clouds where a tornedo would emerge (or tried to). Dusk/nightime lightning storms usually ended the chase days which was magic. The tour was much more than weather/chase; being from Ireland, it was a fantastic road trip to boot; travelled 2500 miles in 1 week across Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas through varied landscapes and towns/cities; highlight being San Antonio where we had a few hours to spare. Would never in a million years get to see/stay in these places in a week. And then there was the food/dining; what an experience... steak house (72lb steak special in Amarillo) to tex-mex to some mad (in a good way) diners; Erik knew where all the good places were to go in the towns/areas we landed in. Ours was the first Tour1 so was with a couple from Chicago, and got on great and were there for the reason and expectations (just added to the experience). There will be another trip for me; probably 2024, will be with Erik/team for certain, may just go for later tour which is in the northern plains; just to see another part of the states. If you are comin form Ireland, let me know!

Tour guide review

Erik was very enthusiastic.. which was infections; and added to the tour experience. Clearly demonstrated he had years of experience and knowledge; which was tested on our tour week given it was early season and we had to choose carefully what 1/2 chances/opportunities there were (which invariably, we went to the right location). Erik also explained the conditions/weather setup's with the online radars we had in the van (screens). Special mention too for Brian Press who was our driver for that tour; he was also very knowledgeable ... and some great stories to boot!

Vehicle review

Van was excellent; less van actually, more people carrier (6 seater; own separate seats) ; screen in back so could see radar/weather screens; USB power + wifi too.
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Name: Bristow Images
Tour: Epic April - Tour 1 - 10 Days
Year: 2007

General review

I joined Tornadic Expeditions on Tour 6, 2022 after booking with different tour groups the last 2 years. I am so glad I found this company, Erik and his team did everything that his website mentioned would be done, and I am looking forward to the trip that I have booked next year with them!

Tour guide review

Erik and his drivers were great! They were all personable, friendly, upbeat, and accommodating. Most importantly, They were all excellent at what they do, their forecasting abilities were 2nd to none, and I felt very safe being on tour with them.

Vehicle review

The chase vehicles were actually the reason that made me try this company. They book 4 guests per vehicle which was enough room to be comfortable and there was enough room for my tripod and camera case. Each van has a sliding door on both sides, so getting in and out was pretty quick. The power strip in the back was nice to keep my phone charged.
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