‘Lifelong passion’ - South Shields woman continues to live her dream of chasing extreme weather in the US
Tornados, baseball-sized hailstones and a 70mph dust storm - A South Shields woman’s experience of chasing extreme weather across the US.
A South Shields woman is continuing to live her lifelong dream of chasing extreme storms through ‘Tornado Alley’ in the United States of America.
Abbi Adair has been in the US since June 1 on what is her fourth storm chasing trip - something that she does every two years.
So far the 52-year-old has travelled through Colorado, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, Montana and as a first for Abbi, she has even travelled into the Canadian province of Saskatchewan.
Abbi has previously revealed that she decided to chase storms following the loss of her nephew to cancer in 2015, with the tragedy prompting her to ensure that she is happy with her life.
Different to the North East of England
Speaking to the Shields Gazette during her latest trip, Abbi has spoken about the differences between the weather we see here in South Tyneside and that of the Midwestern United States.
She said: “Coming from South Shields, where severe weather usually means strong winds and driving rain, seeing a tornado for the first time was almost surreal.
“The scale of American storms is hard to comprehend until you're standing beneath one.
“Going from the North East coastline to the vast open plains and watching a supercell tower into the atmosphere is an incredible contrast, and that's part of what makes storm chasing so special.
“One week you’re at home looking out at grey skies over the North East, and the next you’re standing on the Great Plains watching some of the most powerful weather on Earth unfold in front of you.”
Over the course of her current trip, Abbi has seen three tornados, hailstones the size of baseballs and got caught up in a 70mph haboob (fast-moving dust storm).
‘It's not something I ever take for granted’
Abbi travels across the US with ‘Tempest Tours’ - a group that offer expeditions to tourists who are wanting to see extreme weather.
The organisation has allowed Abbi to live out her lifelong dream over and over again, with her stating that she still continues to have the same passion for storming chasing that she did when she started back in 2018.
She added: “Storm chasing was something I dreamed about long before I ever had the opportunity to do it, so being able to continue returning to the United States and experience these storms first-hand means a huge amount to me.
“Every trip reminds me why I became fascinated by weather in the first place. It's not something I ever take for granted.
“What makes it special is that each chase is different.
“No two storms are the same, and there's always something new to learn and experience.
“To be able to turn a lifelong passion into something I can actively pursue is incredibly rewarding, and I still feel the same excitement before a chase now as I did when I first started dreaming about it.
“Having gone from a young girl watching the skies in the UK to chasing storms across the American Plains is something I'm incredibly grateful for, and I hope it shows that if you're passionate enough about something, it's worth pursuing.”