Above Images copyright: Dean Cosgrove from Windswept Chase Tours


2008 STORM CHASING TOUR INFORMATION

Are you ready for a STORM CHASING ADVENTURE of a lifetime?!

Exciting News!!! The Twister Sisters are now collaborating with Windswept Storm Chasing Tours and offering several tour options for 2008.

TOURS BEING OFFERED:

Windswept Chase Tours is a very personal, successful chase tour company run by Dean Cosgrove, a close friend of ours. Dean has been chasing for many years and offers the highest quality chasing experience for a surprisingly affordable price! Every time we see a beautiful storm or a large tornado, we run into Dean on the side of the road….and he is usually there before we arrive!! In fact, on May 24th, 2004, Dean videotaped ~15 tornadoes produced from an amazing Supercell in South Central Nebraska while we were still driving to catch up to it! Luckily we captured the last 2 tornadoes.

Dean is not only one of the BEST Chasers on the Plains, he is an amazing photographer and a very intelligent, interesting, kind person. We have known Dean for years and are positive that you will have an unforgettable tour with him! His goal is the same as ours, to share our passion for severe weather with others and help you achieve your chasing goals!

Testimonial - "My "Short Notice Chase" with Dean was AWESOME! We saw so many amazing things, super cells, wall clouds, and the most INCREDIBLE lightning show on a tornado warned cell. I really felt like a true "storm chaser" A short notice chase was the best thing for me as I really couldn't go for a week and it was hard to plan out my schedule that far in advance. Also, we already had an idea that the chance for severe storms was high during our chase days. Dean was wonderful to work with. He is super nice and soooo good at what he does. I truly had one of the best times of my life and I can't wait to chase again with Dean next year." - Kari C., Texas

  • On a Windswept Tour you will be in a vehicle with only 3 other guests and the tour guide, which will allow you to enjoy the trip and learn from one of the best storm chasers. You will be a participating member of the "Chase Team", rather than just another body crammed in a 15 passenger van like with other tour companies.
  • You and the other guests will have the opportunity to drive during the chase, experiencing firsthand what it's like to be a real Stormchaser!
  • You will learn about and have access to top of the line storm chasing equipment, such as Mobile Threat Net Radar.
  • You will learn as much as you want to know about how to forecast for Tornadoes and Severe Weather.
  • General rates are only $175 per person per day plus gas, food, hotel, and a per diem. You and the other guests will also provide the vehicle to chase in. Although expense costs can vary, by sharing the cost of the rental vehicle paying for their own gas, food and hotel rooms, Dean's guests have reported that their TOTAL expenses have been significanlty less than the cost of larger tour companies, where you are stuck in a 15 passenger van all day!
    • It is recommended that all the guests on one tour pitch in to rent a Dodge Caravan. This will hold the 4 guests and the tour guide comfortably and allow for great chasing! If you have a suitable vehicle of your own, you can choose to use it instead of a rental.
    • Refer to the Pricing Breakdown section further down for more detailed information about the tour costs.
  • You can book your tour for one of the weeks on the schedule below, or pay a little extra for a Short Notice Tour…when severe storms and tornadoes look very promising!
  • Short Notice Tours are available in March and April and any month after the booked week long tours have ended. Dean cuaght a tornado in Iowa in November one year! If you are interested in a Short Notice Tour, sign up now, because these tours will be offered first to the names on the top of the list!
  • For Safety reasons, smoking or alcohol will not be allowed in the chase vehicle.
  • Dean will be constantly monitoring the weather conditions on his laptop and navigating to the best storm from the front passenger seat. Therefore, the guests will take turns driving he will not be driving
  • Whether you want to chase alone with the tour guide, or you want to bring your friends and family too, sign up for a tour now! You can go on a tour with other guests that have booked for that week OR request a private tour. Remember, chasing with other guests will cut down the costs.
  • Chasing with Dean on a Windswept Chase Tour will be the most AMAZING chase experience you could hope for!


WHERE WILL THE TWISTER SISTERS BE IN 2008?

Due to other commitments, we (the Twister Sisters) will be limited to the number of chases we can do this year. We may be able to come along as guides on one or two trips this year.

Since we know you would like to get out on the Plains to see the awesome power of the storms, we are working with Dean Cosgrove to make sure that you will get that opportunity. We want to make your storm chasing dreams come true and make sure you will have the best storm chasing experience possible!

We will be in touch with Dean and all the guests during the tour through phone and email. We will discuss the weather, address any questions, and meet up with everyone for dinner when possible. We will update the schedule soon with dates when we will definitely be able to meet up with the guests in person.

CHASE TOUR SCHEDULE

*Tour Dates??: Some tour dates are adjustable. We are willing to work with you on creating a custom tour for the days you want to chase. We can cut a tour back to less than 5 days if you prefer, but the more days, the better odds of seeing a tornado!
*FULL week but you want to chase that week ??: If a week is FULL but you would like to chase that week, please let us know. We can try to arrange for a second tour for that week, possibly use a second vehicle or put you on a waiting list.
*Want more than 4 guests??: Most tours will consist of only 4 guests to keep the tours small and personal. However, if you have a larger group that would like to go on a tour OR if you have 2 people who want to go but there is only 1 seat remaining, please let us know and we can work with you.

Tour Dates Open Seats
March 1st - April 16th Short Notice Tours Only - days vary
April 18th - April 23rd (6 days) 4 open seats
April 25th - April 30th (6 days) FULL
May 3rd - May 9th (7 days) FULL
May 11th - May 16th (6 days) 4 open seats
May 18th - May 28th (11 days) FULL
May 31st - June 7th (8 days) FULL
June 9th - June 14th (6 days) 4 open seats
June 16th -June 22nd (7 days) 4 open seats
June 25th - June 30th (6 days) 4 open seats
July 3rd - July 9th (7 days) 4 open seats
July 11th - July 16th (6 days) 4 open seats
July 18th - July 22nd (5 days) FULL - pending one deposit
July 24th - July 30th ( 7 days) 4 open seats
August 2nd - August 8th (7 days) 4 open seats
August 10th - August 16th (7 days) 4 open seats
Anytime after August 18th Short Notice Tours Only - days vary

WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO CHASE?
Supercells and tornadoes are common from late March through late August. Usually, the tornadic storms are found in the Southern Plains in March, April and early May. Later in May and into June, chasers typically end up a little further North in the Central Plains: Kansas and Nebraska where many tornadoes touch down. In late June, July and August there are often Tornadic Supercells in the Upper Midwest: South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa.

You may want to plan your chase trip based on where you live, or where you want to chase. If you're looking for a Texas tornado, plan for late April or early May. If you want to see an amazing Supercell (and tornado) in the Dakotas, plan for mid-late June.

PLEASE REMEMBER!! There are no guarantees!!! We will take you chasing when there is the highest probability of severe weather and tornadoes but we can't control Mother Nature! However, we do expect you will have an amazing trip, see some awesome weather, and learn how to chase tornadoes no matter what Mother Nature blows our way!

We have personally seen INCREDIBLE TORNADOES in April, May, June, July, August, and September! One of the largest wedge tornadoes we have ever seen was in Southern Minnesota on August 24th, 2006 (see link for photos: http://www.twistersisters.com/082406.htm).

HOW DO I SIGN UP?
You can sign up for a tour by sending an email to:
tours@twistersisters.com

Please provide the following: your name, phone number, how many guests, and tour dates you prefer (remember, even if a week is full please let us know if you want to chase that week). When we have confirmed these dates with you, Dean will ask for a deposit to reserve your spot.

PRICING BREAKDOWN: COST PER PERSON based on number of guests on a tour for a 6 day tour

EXPENSE ITEM
1 Guest Tour - 6 days
2 Guest Tour - 6 days
4 Guest Tour - 6 days
Tour Fee
($175 x 6) = $1050
($175 x 6) = $1050
($175 x 6) = $1050

Hotel at $60 per night, 1 guest per room
*guests split room fee for tour guide
($60 + $60 = $120 x 5) = $600
($30 + $60 = $ 90 x 5) = $450
($15 + $60 = $75 x 5) = $375
Dodge Caravan Rental
* 6 days = ~ $300
$300
$150
$75
Fuel (will vary)
(~ $40 x 6) = $240
(~$20 x 6) = $120
(~$10 x 6) = $60
Food Per Diem for Tour Guide
($30 x 6) = $180
($15 x 6) = $90
($15 x 6) = $45
TOTAL COST
$2370
$1860
$1605
**Costs may vary some. This is an honest, close estimate.
**Guests will also be responsible for purchasing their own food.

DEPOSIT AND PAYMENT INFORMATION
A deposit of 25% of the TOUR FEE per person is required to reserve the dates for a tour after you have confirmed the dates with Dean Cosgrove.

Examples:
If you signed up alone, you would need a deposit of $1050 x 0.25 = $262.50
If you want to reserve the tour for 2 people, you would need a deposit of $1050 x 2 x 0.25 = $525.00

Deposit Payment Method

Option 1: Send check payable to Windswept Enterprises to the following address:

Windswept Enterprises
PO Box 145
Curtis, NE 69025

Option 2: Pay using a credit card through Paypal. An additional handling fee of 3% of the deposit amount will be needed if you decide to use Paypal. Dean will send you a paypal invoice if you choose this option.

Cancellation and Refund Policy
Should your plans change and you need to cancel, your deposit is non-refundable. However, you may apply your deposit to a tour at another time during the same chase season. In the extremely unlikely event that Windswept Enterprises must cancel a tour prior to the start of a tour, your deposit will be refunded in full or applied to another tour during the season, at your discretion.

The full Tour Fee balance is due 10 business days before your tour is scheduled to start.

WANT MORE INFORMATION?

Please visit Windswept Tours website for more chase tour details:
Weekly Tour Info: http://www.chasetours.com/chase.htm
Short Notice Tour Info: http://www.chasetours.com/lastminute.htm
What Other Guests Have to Say: http://www.chasetours.com/references.htm


HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?

Please contact the Twister Sisters at: tours@twistersisters.com
Please contact Dean Cosgrove at: dean@chasetours.com

Return to Twister Sisters Home Page: http://www.twistersisters.com