Storm Chasing Canada??

[joel ewing]

Well, after speaking to my chase partner / cousin Doren Berge a bit ago, we've decided to stick with our May 27th Chase flights into Omaha. He's got until June 10th, and I can stay out a week or more later. While speaking to him, I flashed on the idea of bailing out on the U.S. and possibly chasing Canada. I'm asking for ideas here regarding what type of legal things would we need to cross into Canada and spend some time up there?? Does this make sense to anybody? Thanks for your thoughts. Joel

 

[cdcollura]

Good afternoon,

Well, after speaking to my chase partner / cousin Doren Berge a bit ago, we've decided to stick with our May 27th Chase flights into Omaha. He's got until June 10th, and I can stay out a week or more later. While speaking to him, I flashed on the idea of bailing out on the U.S. and possibly chasing Canada. I'm asking for ideas here regarding what type of legal things would we need to cross into Canada and spend some time up there?? Does this make sense to anybody? Thanks for your thoughts. Joel

Just have your passport and such ...

I worry, however, how much suspicion you'll get from the border checkpoint (equipment), especially driving a car from so far away (Omaha) and crossing over.

These border guys are real jerks sometimes, and all it takes is one lousy mooded one, and you'll never be allowed to go back to Canada again.

I once drove to Niagara Falls from Ohio (road trip, not chasing) and I was detained 7 hours because of my laptop I was using for GPS - Let alone storm chasing.

Be ready for a lot of questions, like "Have you ever been arrested?", "Do you have any weapons?" ... One "tounge-trip" or nervousness and that's it...

 

[Mark Blue]

Funny you should mention this Joel as I was thinking about this about a week ago, since it's something like July or August weather on the plains. Check out this link for information on getting into and out of Canada: http://gocanada.about.com/od/canadatravelplanner/qt/drive_border.htm

This page has information and links to other good info as well. It sounds like until June 1st you need a driver's license and a birth certificate, but then after that you would need a passport or equivalent document, and unless you already have one time is running out. Even getting one quickly takes about a week from what research I did a week ago. Happy reading.

 

[Ryan McGinnis]

While it's possible that you will be selected for extra screening in Canada, so long as you don't have anything questionable in the car or on your laptop (yes, they have a right to search your laptop), you probably won't have any troubles. IIRC from the thread you posted a long time back (Chris), I believe you were originally detained not because you brought a laptop, but because they wanted to verify that some of the contents on your laptop were not breaking the law. After they verified that the contents were not breaking the law, they released you. But the moral of the story is that it's probably best not to bring anything that is even questionable, at least if you don't want to sit in a holding cell overnight while they run forensics on your computer.

From the few times I've done it via car, I'd say the border crossing back into the United States is quite a bit more difficult than going into Canada. I forgot my passport going into Canada once; the guard let me in the country after filling out some paperwork, but told me I'd want my passport FedExed to me before I tried returning to America, since the American border guards would likely be much more difficult about it. And this was before 9/11.

 

[Michael O'Keeffe]

Man I can't believe we may have a freakin chaser convergence in Canada! I have been working on getting my passport because my dad and I are planning a week long trip up there in July! We are probably going to fly into Fargo or someplace and just rent a car. We will likely chase in the Dakotas, Montana, and Minnesota in addition to Canada, but it would be a very rewarding trip if you can get a nice supercell or even a tornado over that beautiful part of the world!

 

[joel ewing]

I live 90 minutes north of the Mex border, and I cross into northern Baja, Mexico (6hrs. west of me) on business (legit) about 4 times annually, so I'm familiar with the guards. Trust me....Mexican Federales are hard core. But Canada, I've never had experience. Thanks for the feedback I'm starting to get.
On another note, has Canada been getting severe or tornadic episodes lately? What's on the horizon for them. When I say them...I'm speaking about north of North Dakota, etc. ...not north of say, NYC or Detroit.
Anybody know of any good chaser / chaser websites for that area?

 

[cdcollura]

Good day all,

IIRC from the thread you posted a long time back (Chris), I believe you were originally detained not because you brought a laptop, but because they wanted to verify that some of the contents on your laptop were not breaking the law.

That is EXACTLY right ... As random searches can and do happen, ANTHING that even arouses suspicion can cause a time-costly delay - Imagine having to make a target crossing into Canada, getting detained, and missing a Manitoba like setup? Ouch.

Just have the bare essentials in anthing searchable, even electronics. I know a chaser who was questioned / detained because he was crossing in to Mexico from TX (Brownsville) to chase a hurricane because the border guard confused the Young Anemometor with a "missile" shape because the impeller was off of it.

These little things mean alot to a border guard, who may not even be familiar with a storm chaser's gear!

 

[Brandon Brown]

Our severe season up here on the prairies doesn't typically start until June and runs to I'd say, August. It's too cold up here still. We just had 8cm of snow here a few days ago!

 

[Dennis Sherrod]

For the most part, I would not expect any undue problems crossing borders to and from Canada. There will always be one dramatic case somewhere with a bad experience. But for everyone of those, there are probably literally thousands who do not seem to encounter such turmoil when traveling.
Try to be prepared to have some extra time should they wish to question or ask you anything. No big deal.
Maybe I am fortunate, but I have traveled into and out of 13 different countries, a few third world, and few Middle Eastern, and I have never had any problems what-so-ever. I have probably crossed borders well over 100-125 times and do not see what the problems are that some people have.
Be prepared to answer some questions if asked and offer to show them the laptop or any other equipment if they ask. Have a basic written itinerary available should they want to know where and how long. It does not have to be exact and you do not have to follow it. It just gives them a little more idea of what your agenda is.

 

[Scott Weberpal]

Get your NEXUS card!! It's a trusted traveler card that can be used the same as a passport when traveling between Canada and the US. You can apply online, and once approved you need to stop at certain selected border stations to get verified in person. Once you have a NEXUS card, you're allowed to use an express lane to get into and out of Canada.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/trusted_traveler/nexus_prog/nexus.xml

What Are The Benefits Of NEXUS?
Individuals approved to participate in NEXUS receive an identification card that allows them to:

• Receive expedited passage at NEXUS-dedicated lanes, airport kiosks, and by calling a marine telephone reporting center to report their arrival into the United States and Canada; and
• Cross the border with a minimum of customs and immigration questioning

 

[Andrew Mackenzie]

Bring lots of money Joel. Things like food and lodging are about 30% more expensive in Canada than in the U.S. at current exchange rates. (And that's before 12% GST is tacked on.) Fuel is about 75% higher.

Nobody should confuse Manitoba in July with Oklahoma in April. The same dynamics are unlikely to be present.

 

[Justin Turcotte]

It is plenty flat and tree deprived. This image was taken 40 miles south of the border when the Red River was a solid eight miles wide. This area just received another 3-5 inches of rain over the weekend. Cool temps and wet soil means crops will be late. Peak chasing usually coincides with peak ET in these parts. Any chasing before mid June is a bonus year. I'm thinking the better setups may hold off until late June or July given the cool start. Hopefully I'm wrong. Obviously the dynamics are not going to be the same in July over MB than April over OK but instability in part makes up for lighter synoptic shear. The storms tend to be more isolated in nature by mid summer allowing for great visual chasing and a lighter flow aloft means you do not need to be Dale Earnhardt to keep up with the action. The days are quite long here as well. A hint of twilight will exist until nearly 11:30pm at the solstice.

Be advised many smaller border crossings close during the evening while the larger ones remain open 24/7. Chuck Doswell was arrested in north-central ND about a decade ago for jumping a closed border crossing in order to escape a storm. Passports are a must June 1 unless you have one of the new pass cards. Environment Canada appreciates storm reports and a toll-free number is available on their website. You can also freely access GEM (Canadian) model data on the site however the graphics are small and parameters limited. The GEM, at times, is a damn good model. SPC mesoanalysis graphics will extend into southern Canada when a severe threat exists near the border. Apparently XM has a package that delivers Canadian radar data for the die hards otherwise some crude radar data is also available on the EC website. Be advised Canadian publicly released radar data is nowhere near what you get from the NWS but it is better than nothing at all. EC also issues watches and warnings and tyhe data is available on the site as well. I do not know how wx radio works there. Perhaps someone north of 49 can chime in on this.

 

[Aaron Kennedy]

"Nobody should confuse Manitoba in July with Oklahoma in April. The same dynamics are unlikely to be present."

Tell that to those that witnessed the Elie tornado? Supercells and tornadoes are the same regardless where you are. Perhaps the frequencies are different, but you can get potent setups and results in either location.

I will say that getting into Canada from the ND in my experience has been piece of cake. Basically 20Q to try and make you say something that contradicts. Getting back into the US, however, now that can be a pain.

 

[Scott Weberpal]

Be advised many smaller border crossings close during the evening while the larger ones remain open 24/7. Chuck Doswell was arrested in north-central ND about a decade ago for jumping a closed border crossing in order to escape a storm.

No one was arrested. The folks escaping the storm were found the next day and given a stern talking to...nothing more. Regardless, it's not a good idea to try it. An excerpt from Doswell's website:

The biggest event today was being stopped by a sheriff's deputy in Bottineau, ND during a convenience store "pit stop", while we were trying to intercept another apparent supercell in the late morning that was moving eastward some distance north of the Canadian border. Unbeknownst to us, there was an A.P.B. out on us after our illegal border entry the night before! We were "invited" to go to the port of entry station north of Dunseith, ND to explain to the border patrol there what we had done. [see "ups and downs", below] Once there, the station chief made it abundantly clear to us that we had committed a federal crime, and we tried to explain that we were forced to go south by a dangerous, severe, and potentially tornadic storm. He asked a lot of questions about what we were doing, where we were from, and wanted to know if we were going to make a habit of "it" .. without ever clarifying just what "it" meant. After getting everyone's driver's license copied and obtaining copies of the vehicle registration, he then released us to resume our chasing, after we were suitably chastised and apologetic. He also made it obvious that he didn't want us crossing the border anytime soon, anywhere near his jurisdiction. In the meantime, the supercell we'd been chasing moved away and was well north of the border ...

 

[John Hudson]

I don't think you'll have any probs crossing the border into Canada, even with your laptop and chase gear. While it may depend on where you cross, I've found (no anti-American slurs intended) that Canadian border personnel are a bit easier to deal with than their counterparts.

Every year, I cross the border at least three or four times while chasing. I've even crossed over into America and only stayed three hours. We told them what our visit was for (that big storm over there!), and he wished us good luck and sent us on our way.

While I don't think anybody is going to confuse Manitoba in June with Oklahoma in April, or whatever, we do have quality storms here, as the record shows (COD chases here, also). Another plus is that you won't run into the circus show convergences that you get in the central or southern Plains.

Whenever possible, try to cross at Pembina, ND/Emerson, MB. It is an efficient crossing, and if you go from Mon.-Thurs., it is often pretty quiet.

To answer Justin's question, weather radio works the same way here as it does south of the line. Information and forecasts are furnished by EC via WeatherRadio Canada, Winnipeg frequency is 162.55 MHz, station identifier XLM538.

Enjoy your stay.


John
VE4 JTH