A tornado is nature at its most ferocious. These whirlwinds, sometimes reaching 400 kilometers an hour, sweep across the high plains of the United States every spring, many times leaving death and destruction in their paths. Filming these tornadoes is not an easy job, but someone who probably does it better than anybody else is Warren Fadley, a severe weather expert and full-time storm chaser. The thing I like most about chasing is that it encompasses a lot of things I enjoy. The thing I like most about chasing is that it encompasses a lot of things I enjoy.
The travel, The travel, the adventure, the adventure, and as a photographer, and as a photographer, what I really like is getting a great shot, what I really like is getting a great shot, accomplishing a great photo under the worst imaginable conditions. accomplishing a great photo under the worst imaginable conditions. You're forced to be in the right place at the right time. You're forced to be in the right place at the right time.
You've got to plan that out. You've got to plan that out. You've got to make sure you're in the right location to get the big shot. You've got to make sure you're in the right location to get the big shot. But getting that big shot isn't easy.
We're in the sorcering stage of chasing now. Tornadoes are elusive. To improve his chances, Warren tracks storms by checking weather data and forecasts. We're in a sorcering stage of the ACS.
If a storm front looks promising, he chases it, trying to stay one step ahead of developing conditions. But most of the time, chasing is waiting, Yes. Starting to drop some debris, trying to go up.
waiting for a thunderhead to drop a tornado. Most tornadoes last less than 10 minutes. Most tornadoes last less than 10 minutes, And I would say the majority of the ones that come down probably are only on the ground for just a few seconds and they dissipate. and I would say the majority of the ones that come down probably are only on the ground for just a few seconds and they dissipate.
Other ones, Other ones, of course, of course, they can be a mile wide and be on the ground for hours, they can be a mile wide and be on the ground for hours, but that's very rare. but that's very rare. He's talking about a section of the country just east of the Roeville River.
Rocky Mountains in states like Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado and Kansas. These states are part of what's called Tornado Alley. Out here in the plains of the United States, Out here in the plains of the United States, it's flat.
it's flat. You can see for hundreds of miles when a storm goes up. You can see for hundreds of miles when a storm goes up. And that's what makes Tornado Alley so special, And that's That's what makes Tornado Alley so special, is not only that you have the greatest storms on earth here, is not only that you have the greatest storms on Earth here, but you also have the visibility and the roads to be able to go out and actually chase them.
but you also have the visibility and the roads to be able to go out and actually chase them. Tornado Alley may be a good place to photograph these twisters. It can be a source of anxiety for those who live in a storm's path. I've chased tornadoes and seen them out over the open plains, I've chased tornadoes and seen them out over the open plains, and all of a sudden this tornado will move into a populated area, and all of a sudden this tornado will move into a populated area and you realize you're not chasing something that's beautiful, and you realize you're not chasing something that's beautiful now, now you're chasing something that's beautiful. you're chasing something that's very violent and potentially deadly.
that's very violent and potentially deadly. To help save lives, the federal government has set up a network of weather stations across the United States to predict storms and warn the public of looming disasters. Warren and other chasers used to visit facilities like this one to get updates on storms, but now with laptop computers, That's the old one right?
That's the old one, it's going to come in right there. they can access the data quickly from a motel room or their chase vehicle. Does it automatically reload?
Yeah. The images Warren captures through his lens document a storm's beauty and its destruction. construction. It's obvious he loves his work.
When I looked at the helicity values... When I looked at the helicity values, All year I'm ready to go. all year I'm ready to go.
Any kind of severe weather, Any kind of severe weather or any kind of weather, or any kind of weather, it doesn't matter if it's a tornado or a rainbow or a dust storm or a flood, it doesn't matter if it's a tornado or a rainbow or a dust storm or flood, I shoot it. I shoot it. For the past 15 years, Warren has spent much of his life on the road pursuing the perfect picture.
Some of those pictures have won awards and have been included in television specials and documentaries. He has written a best-selling book and and has even been a consultant on the major motion picture, Twister. And along the way, Warren Fadley has given us a close-up look at the awesome power of nature.
This is Ted Lanphair reporting.