Preparing for "Nina chasing zones"....

[Dave Gore]

As stated above, northwestern Ohio has the best terrain for chasing, especially between Findlay and Toledo where you will find many road networks and the least amount of trees. Most of central Ohio is great as well, but you won't find as many road grids and there are more pockets of trees to deal with. Another gem is most of Pickaway county west of Circleville. There are many farms down there with a very nice road network.

 

[Bill Tabor]

It's good I re-looked at this thread. Initially I thought it was called "Ninja Chasing Zones" but saw the correct reference to it in another thread.

 

[Derek Weston]

Most of Illinois is as flat as western Oklahoma north of I-64 and about 50 miles south of I-64. Missouri is very good north of I-70. Indiana is flat Plains-like prairie generally north of I-70, likewise Ohio along and north of US 35. As the map above shows, northeastern Arkansas and extreme southeastern Missouri are also excellent. Central 'Bluegrass' Kentucky is even half-decent. Google "Interior plains" and you'll find maps that show where the good areas east of the Great Plains states are.

Due to the increasing traffic problems in the Plains, I plan to stick to these areas this season. A quick look at climatology and Youtube confirms there are gems to be found here, albeit more challenging and rare.

If you're interested in seeing some real-life examples of chasing in these areas, I recently posted about this very subject on my blog.

Missouri is mediocre at best north of 70 in my experience. Quite hilly. I was not impressed. (though perhaps you experienced areas in N Missouri I haven't, or vice versa)

As an aside... Oklahoma, for all its hype as hollowed chase territory, isn't too grand terrain wise. Central is so-so (no better than corn belt), eastern is junk... only in the far west and in the panhandle do you get truly awesome chase terrain. Kansas, as a whole, is much better. South Dakota and Nebraska too for that matter. (and perhaps even Iowa)

Agree with others that the corn belt is generally pretty good. Perfectly chasable terrain... (though still doesn't compare to the uniformly flat and nearly treeless landscapes you experience in the western plains)

 

[Kevin Walters]

Iowa is death to the seasoned chaser, only cap busts and misery. Avoid it like the plague, leave the occasional land spout to the locals.

 

[Rob H]

I probably shouldn't try to convince people to chase areas like my home state more, but I'm curious why so many people are afraid of less-than-ideal terrain. Are you going to watch the garden variety thunderstorms in awesome chase terrain, or are you going into the less favorable areas for the tornadic storm? If anyone asks about MN chase terrain, I say anything north of 94 is hilly, forested, and has poor data and road networks. But if you don't chase things like that, you miss amazing wall clouds like this:

that go on to drop tornadoes, and have massive hail like this (not my video):

Watch video >

This day had some of the most frustrating chase terrain, yet we still found a way to get right in front of this beautiful storm. The more people off the roads on the good storms, the better for those of us willing to chase them. I'm not going to pass on the storm of the day just because the terrain isn't perfect. I'm going to where the best storm is.

 

[Jennifer Palmer]

I live in North Georgia/SE Tennessee and I'm only comfortable chasing here because I know the roads like the back of my hand. I would not recommend chasing here, mostly because it is impossible to see a whole lot and, to echo what Wes said, the roads are wacky.

Middle TN and North Alabama is different! Much flatter!

Also, I went on a business trip to Evansville, Indiana and that place is as flat as a pancake! I'm planning on chasing there if the opportunity arises!

 

[Melissa Jablonski]

I have chased numerous times in western, northwestern and central parts of Ohio. It is all great terrain and road networks, especially in northwest Ohio are excellent.

I have also spent time chasing in northern to northeastern Indiana too. Its fine as long as you avoid the river valley and associated forest that runs near Ft. Wayne, though I can't think of what that river's name is at the moment.

Chip

The Maumee Riveris one of them there are three. In the West south of US 30 The area along U S 41 is very flat.

 

[Mike Johnston]

Well, since SC is on this list, I'll chime in and say I wouldn't recommend it at all. Yes, we have a coastal plain (generally east of I-95) but the trees totally negate any advantage of the plain. Mainly tall, dense pine tree forest. It's all about visibility. I would take an area of treeless hills (eg. Flint Hills of Kansas) over a forested plain any day. At least you can crest a hill if need be. Climbing a tree isn't really practical.

 

[Dan Robinson]

One thing to consider about the chaseability of an area is that it doesn't need to have endless unbroken prairie to be feasible. Caprock-like plains are ideal, yes - but many places with trees and hills will still have enough intermittent open views (particularly where there are agricultural fields) to make it doable. The deep south and Carolinas are an example - you might need to drive a mile or so in between breaks, but once you reach a field, you still have some visibility available. Coming from West Virginia, I find almost anything outside of the Appalachians to be workable, but that's just my perspective. Some areas in the Great Plains (such as just east of OKC along the Turner Turnpike, for example) have trees and/or hills that are no better than places like central Kentucky, Alabama or central Tennessee (I've chased in all of them).

Google Street view is good for getting a look at these areas.

 

[Jeremy Den Hartog]

Southeast Minnesota has some challenging terrain in places - anything east of Rochester, MN is pretty hilly. Also, parts of the northwest suburbs of the Twin Cites has many trees and lakes. Otherwise most of the southern half of Minnesota has great chase terrain. The Minnesota River Valley has some hills and trees in the area, so if possible stay out of that area if you can (part of Highway 14 goes through the valley area itself though as does part of Highway 169 near Mankato, MN and St Peter, MN). Cell phone reception for me in southwest Minnesota tends to be somewhat limited in places. I don't lose signal but I lose 3G in places so people who stream will want to make sure they have something boosting signals in that area.

Did I mention that its illegal for out-of-state people to chase in Minnesota? Yep, it is - if you don't say 'yah fursure' and 'oofdah' on a regular basis you will be locked up. Consider yourself warned.

...and just be clear I'm kidding about the last part

 

[Justin McGinley]

From were I live here in south centeral nebraska its flat and very little hills. But if you go east about an hour from around beatrice on east the terrine gets very hilly.

 

[Stephen Jones]

Well, since SC is on this list, I'll chime in and say I wouldn't recommend it at all. Yes, we have a coastal plain (generally east of I-95) but the trees totally negate any advantage of the plain. Mainly tall, dense pine tree forest. It's all about visibility. I would take an area of treeless hills (eg. Flint Hills of Kansas) over a forested plain any day. At least you can crest a hill if need be. Climbing a tree isn't really practical.

Agreed. I actually lived and chased in Southern SC and GA because I lived in Beaufort,SC my whole life before moving out to Oklahoma. It was hell, but... since I was young and stupid after I got my license, I would map out areas of great viewing and chase in between the trees and fought the horrible road network. It is truely a skill to chase in the Coastal plain and you do learn the strategy of it. I would never recommend it though.. But it was fun!

 

[Jason Foster]

Coming from West Virginia, I find almost anything outside of the Appalachians to be workable, but that's just my perspective.

What...you don't like hilltop chasing. Come on Dan...West Virginia is great

 

[Andy Jackson]

I'd say there will always be hazards even in tree less/hill less areas like the Dakotas: you might come across flooded roads, farmed roads, narrow one way roads with bodies of water on both sides. It makes all the more for the variability of the chase. Let's not forget the mud issue. I had a good chase on farm roads last year, but thinking back it seems if the ground were a little more saturated I might not have had much.

 

[Melissa Jablonski]

Southeast Minnesota has some challenging terrain in places - anything east of Rochester, MN is pretty hilly. Also, parts of the northwest suburbs of the Twin Cites has many trees and lakes. Otherwise most of the southern half of Minnesota has great chase terrain. The Minnesota River Valley has some hills and trees in the area, so if possible stay out of that area if you can (part of Highway 14 goes through the valley area itself though as does part of Highway 169 near Mankato, MN and St Peter, MN). Cell phone reception for me in southwest Minnesota tends to be somewhat limited in places. I don't lose signal but I lose 3G in places so people who stream will want to make sure they have something boosting signals in that area.

Did I mention that its illegal for out-of-state people to chase in Minnesota? Yep, it is - if you don't say 'yah fursure' and 'oofdah' on a regular basis you will be locked up. Consider yourself warned.

...and just be clear I'm kidding about the last part

Does being 1/3 Norwegian get you a pass? I Hope I Hope.