Here is what our participants have said about their experiences with us:

Choosing to go on a tour with Silver Lining gave us the opportunity to witness firsthand the intense beauty that Mother Nature and the Great Plains has to offer up close, all the while knowing we were in safe, experienced hands. The knowledge and professionalism of the tour guides is unmatched. Roger Hill along with his guides are eager to answer all of your questions and willing to explain anything storm related in ways that someone new to storm chasing or an experienced enthusiast can understand and find useful. SLT has something to offer everyone, whether you want to just go along for the ride and enjoy the sights or be involved in the process of weather forecasting and learning about the art of the chase. It's a guarantee you will come home with a feeling of satisfaction. It's no coincidence that so many of SLT's customers come back year after year. When we signed up for our first tour we never imagined the long-term friendships we would make with the other guests and guides. We have traveled around the world with other tour groups and the personal connections we have made with SLT are unlike any we had known before. Once you've chased with SLT you become a member of their chasing family. You will meet a diverse group of people from all over the world and we're confident that you will enjoy getting to know one another. Roger Hill has a sixth sense about storm forecasting and he will find the best storms in the country, whether they produce a tornado or not is strictly up to nature. On every tour we have enjoyed awe inspiring photo opportunities, witnessed the formation and lifespan of supercell thunderstorms, large hail, and incredible lightning shows, not to mention the local color of the Great Plains including the people, food, roadside attractions, and the unique towns dotted throughout the Midwest. Silver Lining Tours rewarded us with a storm chasing vacation that was unmatched. What began as a once in a lifetime adventure has become an annual springtime tradition. We hope that you will be able to experience what we have. Once you've done it, you just might become addicted. We did! Bill and Anna Stromberg, Los Angeles, CA, 2008 and 2009

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A Storming Good Time! I did not know what to expect on this holiday. I knew seeing any flying cows would be out of the question but I did secretly hope that we would get really close to the storms. I was not disappointed and at one point we were underneath the clouds as they twisted and rotated; groaning while trying to form into that dominating entity. We actually saw a tornado on our last chase day and boy, what a tornado the great Roger Hill found for us. We watched for half an hour as this magnificent entity slowly manoeuvred its way towards us before dwindling into a rope and then nothing. I now know that tornados do not ‘pop up’ several times a day across the US and that we were extremely lucky to have witnessed our jewel in the crown, but even if we hadn’t I still would not have been disappointed with our holiday. During our six days we chased through lightening filled skies and were pelted with golf ball size hail. We experienced really strong gusts as they were sucked along with dust and debris into the storms. This definitely satisfied my need for an adrenaline fix. Away from the storms we had a night out in Denver, played a little baseball and met friends we will stay in touch with for the rest of our lives. Our drivers were experts at their jobs and so friendly and Roger Hill is definitely a man who is passionate not only about his storms but making sure his viewing passengers get the show of their lives. This really was a wonderful holiday and one that we will definitely be doing again! Donna & Mark Newton, Essex, UK, 2009 Tour 4

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As a first time chaser I researched the many tour companies online for hours. I had heard of Roger Hill and his team several times on the weather channel and internet. I knew they had a great reputation and after some very personable and professional emails from Roger himself i decided they deserved my business and I deserved their expertise. I was extremely thrilled with my experience on tour #3 in May of 2009. Our tour was given a horrible weather pattern that made storm chasing almost dead in its tracks. Roger and his team were extremely honest about this from the start. The part I was most impressed with was that even though we were not given much by mother nature, Roger still steered on every single day to whatever possible storm we could find and that is exactly what we did. We saw amazing storms that had huge hail, lightening, wind, and amazing cloud formations. I was still able to shoot over 250 pictures worth keeping and had a great time as well. Though we saw no actual tornados a couple were close all the way up to rotating clouds RIGHT ABOVE US. That was amazing! I must say that the best thing was how the SLT team never gave up. During our time in the van which is where you will spend most of your time, they were always quick to point out sites and let us in on any info surrounding our tour. I felt as if they wanted to always make sure we were in it with them and not just following along. It was really cool how they kept it interesting and not boring. It was also great that our hotels were nice and clean after a long day of chasing. I cannot wait to book again and I would never even consider another company. Thanks SLT! John DeLong 2009

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Choosing to go on a tour with Silver Lining gave us the opportunity to witness firsthand the intense beauty that Mother Nature and the Great Plains has to offer up close, all the while knowing we were in safe, experienced hands. The knowledge and professionalism of the tour guides is unmatched. Roger Hill along with his guides are eager to answer all of your questions and willing to explain anything storm related in ways that someone new to storm chasing or an experienced enthusiast can understand and find useful. SLT has something to offer everyone, whether you want to just go along for the ride and enjoy the sights or be involved in the process of weather forecasting and learning about the art of the chase. It's a guarantee you will come home with a feeling of satisfaction. It's no coincidence that so many of SLT's customers come back year after year. When we signed up for our first tour we never imagined the long-term friendships we would make with the other guests and guides. We have traveled around the world with other tour groups and the personal connections we have made with SLT are unlike any we had known before. Once you've chased with SLT you become a member of their chasing family. You will meet a diverse group of people from all over the world and we're confident that you will enjoy getting to know one another. Roger Hill has a sixth sense about storm forecasting and he will find the best storms in the country, whether they produce a tornado or not is strictly up to nature. On every tour we have enjoyed awe inspiring photo opportunities, witnessed the formation and lifespan of supercell thunderstorms, large hail, and incredible lightning shows, not to mention the local color of the Great Plains including the people, food, roadside attractions, and the unique towns dotted throughout the Midwest. Silver Lining Tours rewarded us with a storm chasing vacation that was unmatched. What began as a once in a lifetime adventure has become an annual springtime tradition. We hope that you will be able to experience what we have. Once you've done it, you just might become addicted. We did! Bill and Anna Stromberg Los Angeles, CA 2006 was, I'm told, a bad year for chasing. 2006 was also my first year chasing and if the magnificent storms I marvelled at were a 'bad year' I can't wait to tour again in a good year.

I spent a lot of time researching my options before choosing Silver Lining Tours' for my custom, and found my choice vindicated so much that I booked for 2007 on the spot. David Gold and Bill Gargan proved to be both expert severe weather forecasters and true weather enthusiasts, able to get us time and time again to the right storms in the right place at the right time. They're also all-round nice guys and great friends, which makes for a superb team-leading ethos. The Master Class Tour was a perfect opportunity to learn forecasting from the experts and to discover I'm not the only person who gets excited about monster thunderstorms.

The tours are about as far from the old-school image of rough-and-ready storm chasing as could be imagined. Don't, though, think that getting to see monstrous storms involves no more than being impressed by high technology (though the mobile data displays in the van are superb) and enjoying the comfort of snoozing the miles away on comfy van seats (though the seats are very comfortable). This is an adventure out in the wilds of the USA, and don't you forget it!

Be prepared for long days of driving; if you love road trips you'll love these tours, and they're the perfect way to see the beautiful Great Plains and High Plains country. Be prepared, too, to be part of a close-knit chase team for the duration of the tour, becoming a valuable team member whether it be the important cleaning of the van windscreen at a quick mid-chase fuel stop so the driver can see clearly or the very exciting watching out the back windows of the van for tornados to form whilst the team repositions. And when the technology can't keep up with the forces of nature (taking sensitive electronics up against nature's worst is quite a challenge) have confidence that the tour leaders have decades of experience under their belt that let them seamlessly continue forecasting, explaining, and chasing based on reading the storms visually to get you in the perfect position.

Finally, Silver Lining Tours is a company which runs chase tours but it also brings together and supports a year-round online and offline community of weather enthusiasts from the novices like myself to storm chasers with years or decades of experience. You'll join likeminded men and women from all walks of life, from teachers to nurses, racing drivers to 911 operators, academics to pro photographers, all united by a fascination with severe weather.

Severe weather will happen irrespective of chasing and chaser expertise, but chasing with expert guides can let YOU see, hear, and feel those severe storms. If you want to be there in the right place when it happens, I recommend taking a serious look at Silver Lining Tours and booking your tour before spaces run out.

Tim B, London, UK
Operational Geophysicist, Vulcanologist, and Oceanographer
Master Class Tour 2006 and already re-booked for 2007

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Convergence. Helicity. CAPE. Shear. Dewpoint. Soundings.

These terms are an integral part of storm chasing, yet they were foreign words to a fledgling storm chaser like myself. But by the end of Silver Lining Tours' Northland Lecture Tour '06, these terms became a familiar part of my vocabulary.

Thanks to Roger Hill and Silver Lining Tours, I walked away from the Northland Tour with a vast amount of useable knowledge. Every morning before departing for an exciting day of chasing, we would have a lecture session which was choc full of information. The lecture was taught by Roger Hill in such a way that it was absorbed into my mind like water to a sponge. He teaches with such passion and excitement, and it translates into lessons that any layperson can grasp with ease. But the learning didn't end with the lecture. During the course of the day, we were constantly getting weather updates and, subsequently, more knowledge on the development of supercells.

Silver Lining Tours, with Roger Hill in the pilot's seat, put forth great efforts in trying to find strong storms in a season that was full of anything but. Roger lead each chase with the same vigor and persistence as if it were the last chase of the season. I've already booked my Northland Lecture Tour for 2007 and I look forward to learning even more than I did in 2006. And who knows?! Maybe I'll even see a tornado next year!

Melanie K.
Northland Tour 2006 Participant

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Jacquie K., Electronics Shop Owner

Yuma, AZ

Tour 4, 2003 and Tour 3, 2004

 

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Awesome.

 

That word encompasses my experiences with Bill Gargan and David Gold on their Silver Lining Tours' Master Class 2005.The icing on the cake was definitely seeing no less than 16 spectaculor tornadoes!!! But the icing didn't take away from the rest of the cake! The Master Class is structured to be educational and believe me, it most assuredly is. I learned so much from Dave's impeccable teaching and vast oceans of knowledge that I have been actually making my own forecasts! Despite the fact we had very little extra time due to the active weather pattern, Dave and Bill came through for us. They MADE the time to teach and I want to say thanks guys!!! We learned so much and got to see a record number of fabulous tornadoes too! I highly recommend Silver Lining Tours if you are interested in storm chasing, learning, excitement, the time of your life and making new friends you will

never forget. Sign up NOW!!!

 

Melanie H.,

Lewisville, TX

Master Class Tour 2005

 

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I just want to say a big thank you to Dave and the gang for the brilliant experience of Tour 3 - words just cannot express how great a holiday this was, and it certainly surpassed all of my wildest expectations. From the first day I expressed an interest, everything about SLT was professional, with Dave patiently and promptly responding to every minor query and problem that I had. Once there - wow - I don't believe there are many sights on this earth that can beat the fantastically-sculptured supercells that Dave led us to, nor the beauty of thunderstorm after thunderstorm rolling in off the mountainsides of Colorado. Roll on next year - I can't wait !!!

Deb H.,

Great Britain,

Tour 3, 2005.

 

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Before the trip, I never knew how popular SLT was with The Weather Channel.  After returning and seeing them pop up on various episodes of Storm Stories, as well as the live phone interview with Roger Hill during the June 24 tornado breakout, I realized how important their storm chasing roles are.  I consider it a privilege to have been able to spend a week with them, and plan on doing it again next year.  I won't pursue trips with any other tour companies, because SLT proved they are the best.

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Although I expected to learn quite a bit, I had no idea how useful the knowledge gained on your intensive tour would become in both school and in the summer internship I had. Since I hadn't had a forecasting class before the internship I didn't expect to contribute much to the forecasting portion of the company. However, with the forecasting techniques I learned on the tour I was actually giving suggestions to the forecasters on the first day--suggestions that lead to the accurate forecast ;) By the end of the internship I was making forecasts on my own and really enjoyed it. I also have a couple Meteorology classes this quarter where I have used the knowledge I gained on the tour more than once. So I've got to say thanks for such a valuable experience David and Bill!

Shane M., Student, California

I cannot sing the praises of Silver Lining Tours enough to the people here in North Carolina. They are amazed at the pictures of those beautiful supercells. In my presentation to the Board of Trustees, they were in awe, and felt like their money was well spent. And the time you took to explain to me different weather phenomena as well as forecasting techniques has proved to be a great tool in teaching the course.

Doug B., Teacher, Charlotte, NC

What an expedition!  David Gold's Master Class Tour satisfied a craving in me that no Ohio storm experience could.  David has the great gift of making people 'see,' not just with their eyes and minds, but also with their hearts.  I left this trip with a love and respect for weather that I didn't know was possible.  The educational value of this trip is worth every penny, but listening to the wind growl and watching the clouds churn is priceless.

Lisa L.., Teacher, Ohio

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As a hard-core birder I know what it means to jump in the car at a moment's notice and drive lots of miles and long hours to chase that rarity, so I felt as though I fit right into place with SLT!  That's why I so appreciated David and Bill's knowledge, expertise, and enthusiasm: I learned so much about these storms and what makes them tick, and how to enjoy them (from a reasonably safe distance), rather than be afraid of them! It was just another aspect of God's creation that I fell in love with, and while we didn't see any tornados this trip (several "near nados", though, as we called them), what we DID see was spectacular and exciting!  I'll be back, guys!  Thanks so much for making it such a fun and exciting time together!
 

Mary B., Avid birder, California

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For anyone who enjoys anything but a vacation, hear me out. No, this isn't complaining, this is testimonial from one happy participant. I have to say that when I signed on to this tour, I thought it would be great, it was better than great, IT WAS THE BEST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE. David Gold knows what he is doing, believe me. Teamed with Roger Hill and Alister Chapman, they gave myself and my father the best times, tornadoes and fun. If I had one word to describe this tour, i would be in trouble, because this was beyond words. Anyway, I had a great time and WILL be back!!

Mike G. Winnipeg, Manitoba

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Hello, my storm-lovers. It is hard to put into words how THRILLING Silver Lining Tours was for me on the 2000 #3Tour even though I did not see a tornado. However, even though I did not officially see a tornado, I witnessed the BEST AWESOME POWERFUL storms of my life!! Since I am from Southern California, it means that I forget what lightning

looks like and what thunder sounds like, and the word "supercell" is foreign here. So, when I saw a "mothership" Supercell on June 3 over the beautiful Plains, I felt like I died and went to heaven. This beast of a storm provided lightning every second for four hours straight while we chased it in two states.

I want to thank Dave Gold and guides for their hard work on the tour. Friends, I can give you my word that Dave is a fearless hard   working storm chaser that won’t sleep if he has to, just to be able to gather the most correct data, so that he can get you in the best position to show you the most AWESOME POWERFUL storms the Plains have to offer! I can’t wait to go again!

D.A., Huntington Beach, CA

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As a long-time participant in the Silver Lining "Experience" I can honestly say that you can't ask for a better troupe to chase with!  In the years that I have chased with them, I have seen things that I couldn't possibly have imagined seeing; large (VERY large) hail, gustnadoes galore, close-striking lightning, winds in excess of 70 miles per hour, exploding transformers, several tornadoes (yes, they DO exist...no matter how much driving is entailed to get one), rotating mesocyclones, intense updraft towers, and have come the closest I have ever dreamed of getting to a developing tornado without actually being sucked up by one.  I have also snapped some of the most dramatic and beautiful "nature" photographs that I have ever taken.  Perhaps the best thing, though, is that the information that Dave and his crew use to get info on the weather is made totally accessible to the participants. Be it from numerical models to up-to-the-minute radar images; it's all readily available for viewing.  The knowledge that I have gotten from them has allowed me to do some storm chasing on my own, and for a New York-based woman who began chasing without really realizing how intense, exhilarating and complicated it can be, I'd say that's a testament to the tours' ability to fully involve, engage and inform the participant. It's an action-packed adventure that definitely rates a 5 on the Fun-jita scale.

Rachel H., Albany, NY

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Wow, wow, wow, what a super adrenaline rollercoaster storm chasing holiday it was.  I joined David and the rest of his team on Tour 3, 1st June 2000. Want to see supercells, mesocyclones,  golfball hail etc,  you will in no doubt do so.  With David's expertise and knowledge in forecasting where and when these majestic storms will most likely develop is incredibly accurate, 10 out of 10 for perfection and brilliance.  The hotels were top quality and I got to meet a great group of friends. I am returning again this year for the next exciting rollercoaster ride adventure, can't wait!

Sean E., Great Britain

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I chased with Silver Lining Tours in 1999 and quickly realized they will travel wherever necessary to see picturesque and beastly storms.  Returning in 2000 as a "tour veteran," they again did not disappoint.  Eight states and 5,000 miles later, we had seen tornadoes on three different nights.  No other chase tour offers so many seasoned, experience chasers.  And what's more - they do all the work!  You just sit back, ride and enjoy the show...and what a spectacular show it was!

Jeff B., Lincoln, Nebraska

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I can’t imagine any other vacation adventure that would leave me with the kind of memories and knowledge as did my tour with Silver Lining in June of 99. David and Bill were consistently accurate, professional, and responsive to the needs and interests of all group members, as well as a lot of fun! They made us feel much more like active participants in the chases than tourists along for the ride. In addition to the two simultaneous tornadoes we enjoyed and photographed, our group saw a great variety of storms: major hail, lightning and gust front producers, and of course the numerous classic supercell formations that produced them. Sight-seeing on our few but inevitable down days brought us to Devil’s Tower and Mount Rushmore. The opportunity to view striking scenery, enjoy knowledgeable and entertaining company, and learn about severe storms while pursuing them was priceless, and effortlessly delivered.

Christina M., New York, NY

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I attended tour number 4, on 13th June 1999. Our guides were David Gold, Bill Gargan and Bruce Sherbon was doing the photography/video. Being from England, my expectations were high but I was not disappointed. I felt totally safe at all times, the guys really know their stuff. I feel that I have learnt so much more from going on the tour. Not only did they find us some fabulous storm structures, cool lightning and a classic stovepipe tornado, but they were also very good to get on with, friendly, and relaxed. In addition their knowledge and experience was of a very high standard, they knew exactly what they were looking for and how to find the best storms. I would definitely recommend Silver Lining Tours to anyone, and I will be definitely returning next year. There are no words to describe how I felt when I saw my first tornado, a big thanks guys for making my lifetime dream a reality.

Sarah G., Great Britain  

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I would like to thank David and Sean for a very exciting, adrenaline loaded learning experience on tour 2 of 1998. Your ability to forecast, predict and place us on location before a storm arrived was uncanny. Also, your willingness to share your knowledge and experiences, along with your concern for the safety of the tour members was exemplary. The horseback ride in Palo Duro Canyon and your sense of humor were added bonuses.

Bob H., Guilford, CT  

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I started chasing with Silver Lining tours in 2000, booking a tour as a 'one-off' holiday. Two years and 4 tours later I'm still coming back after getting hooked on the thrilling experiences. Not only the viewing of supercells, tornadoes, lightning and large hail, but also learning so much from the guides about meteorology and what is involved in the forecasting before/while chasing. I've learnt much more from them in the past couple of years than I'd ever expect to absorb from a classroom environment. Tour 6, June 2002 was my 4th and most definitely my best tour so far. With the combined effort and knowledge of guides Roger Hill and Scott Landolt, I felt completely awed as I witnessed 9 beautiful tornadoes in South Dakota on the first day. (At the target area predicted by Roger that morning!) All the time feeling that I was safe in and out of the van, with the knowledge I could trust Roger's judgment of the approaching tornadoes and Scott's driving skills to keep us at distance, while still providing us with the best view point. This also gave me the opportunity to shoot some amazing video and photographs! Certainly an experience I wish to relive again, so I have no doubt that you will be seeing me back on the high plains next year!

 Claire B., United Kingdom

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Well, I just cant say enough about SLT and the experiences that I have had.  I have been on 2 tours so far with a 3rd planned for this spring!!!  I absolutely love everything that this tour offers.  The planning, the forecasting by Dave and his team, the chase, and then finally the catch---a real tornado forming before your eyes.  No guarantees, but when you do get one, what a rush!!!!!!!!  I cant say enough about Silver Lining Tours!!!

Kathy A., Miami, FL

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Quality and professionalism are two terms that come to mind when I reflect on my two tours with Silver Lining Tours, the first on Tour 3, 2000 and the second on Tour 3 of 2002. As an educator, I have taught many students, many of them gifted. Dave is a "gifted" meteorologist. His educational preparation is superb! He is very detailed and persistent in his forecasts with rewarding results. His enthusiasm for storm chasing is contagious. Dave's morning briefings would make the Storm Prediction Center and the National Weather Service envious. I am always amazed that wherever there is severe weather on the Great Plains, we are always at the best location for supercells and tornadic action, many times prior to their initial development. This professionalism and dedication are also carried over to Dave's terrific tour staff. They have all been super each time I have traveled with them, always willing and able to answer questions and driving us safely into our target area. They all work as a team to take you down the Yellow Brick Road for an adventure of a lifetime. They ARE the best!!

 

Duane, Evansville, IN

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The Master Class 2004 was my first storm chasing experience, and I am extremely glad that I chose to do this with Silver Lining Tours. I chose the Master Class and Silver Lining because I wanted to understand the awesome storms that roam across the heartland of America, as well as experience them firsthand. The 2004 Master Class gave me both the most extreme weather I've ever experienced, and the knowledge to interpret, (and even predict), the intense storms that we saw.

David Gold was extremely helpful in answering all my questions before the Tour (and dealing with the vagaries of the British postal system), and also sent out high quality training material that would form the syllabus of the tour well ahead of time, so there was a chance to come forearmed with some of the information necessary to forecast tornadic storms.

On the tour, both David and Bill Gargan (fastest manual analyst in the West and driver extraordinaire), were always available to answer any questions we had and went out of their way to ensure we all had a good understanding of the process that led them to choose one area over another to chase in. Coupled with this we had David's excellent morning lessons which took us from the physical principles underlying severe weather, through hand analysis of data, interpreting sounding diagrams, computer models and when to ignore them ;-), what to look for in satellite images, the principles of vorticity, and hodographs. All this in the morning then the rest of the day out in the field to see if theory matched fact.

The Master Class chases as hard as any other tour, the difference is that you, the participant, gets up earlier and are actively involved in choosing the target area for the day. If you choose this tour, be prepared for long days, lots of information and an intellectually as well as emotionally rewarding experience.

For me, the culmination of the tour was the 20th of June where David and Bill handed over the choice of target area to the Master Class participants, and we collectively chose an area which led to us seeing the first tornado of the tour (as well as a very thrilling time in La Junta - but that's another story), clearly David's excellent tuition paid off.

Gavin C.

Software Consultant

2004 Master Class Tour (June 14 - 23)

 

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Some people dream of taking a cruise. Others dream of touring through Europe. Even more dream of a tropical paradise to laze about for ten days and maybe do some snorkling.

Yawn.

When I think of a vacation, there is no other choice for me BUT Silver Lining Tours. I have chased twice with Roger Hill and I can tell you, there is no other vacation like it. You get to see the central United States in a way that few people ever get to do. Experience the wonder of endless skies, marvel at amazing geologic formations, pass through tiny little towns with names like Bill and Home On The Range. Have dinner at the famous "J&J's Snack Shack" in Jordan, Montana while waiting for storms to develop. Stay at comfortable hotels at night.

Learn the atmosphere from Roger Hill. See enormous thunderstorms sprout from unseen boundaries...then learn how to see them! Learn the dynamics of supercell formation in the morning, then witness the cumulus explosion late that afternoon. See the storm develop, experience the pounding of hail on the roof of the van, see the storm build and develop on the Baron weather system right there on the computer screen at the front of the van. Witness the updraft base as it slowly rotates, dragging the rear-flank downdraft around it to cut in and form an occlusion. See a rotating mesocyclone develop, and see the beautiful shelf cloud develop as the storm becomes outflow-dominant. Watch the detonations of lightning in the night sky, flashing and arcing while the insects chirr in the field next to you. Bring your video camera and bring back memories that no one will complain about watching! Though I did not get to see a tornado on my first two times out, I experienced things that opened my eyes, ears and heart. Hige sculpted supercells.

Gustnadoes. Intense lightning at sunset in Montana, storm clouds backlit to reveal browns, reds and oranges amid the frequent bolts.

Massive hail in Minnesota. An amazing lightning display in South Dakota, and another in Nebraska. Chasing a fast-moving MCS through North Dakota. Twin monster supercells in Texas. A high-based rotating storm in Colorado riddled deep with mammatus. A wet microburst in South Dakota. The lifecycle of a supercell in Colorado. It is the ultimate vacation for the nature enthusiast. It's not relaxing...it challenges you on a deep emotional level. It refreshes the soul. Take the plunge and never think of the word "vacation" the same way again!

Mark R., Waskill, NY
Chemistry Teacher and Voice Talent
Chase participant 2003, 2004 and soon 2006!