Stormin' in other contries?

[Darrin Rasberry]

Just out of curiosity, what other countries apart from the U.S. and Canada have good tornado setups? I know Australia, Brazil, South Africa, and Bangladesh off the top of my head, and I've heard Russia has a season of its own, as well ... for those in the know, when and where are they, so that I can pack my bags for those areas to make up for the 2009 season once my million-dollar lottery winnings come in?

What kinds of setups do they tend to be? Is the CONUS unique to drylines? What about relatively tornado-less but gorgeous storm/supe setups elsewhere, similar to that vid from France posted elsewhere here the other day? Any memorable personal experience outside North America for any of you, especially those of you guys who come into the U.S. from foreign countries?

 

[Keith Mullen]

Other international alleys

England - particularly around East Anglia, Greece, Italy, Germany, China, France, the Netherlands, and more... but to my understanding, Bangladesh, India, Australia, and Africa are the other big hitters when it comes to magnitude.

Just my two cents.

 

[Willoughby Owen]

The North American Great Plains are in a league of it's own, seriously... you're in a very lucky place to be chasing massive twisting storms and I wouldn't see the need to travel overseas for them unless you want to experience them for the hell of it.

If I were you where the season looks to have dried out for now, i'd be looking to head out to Arizona and get some awesome high-based lightning shots from July with the monsoon.

 

[Michael Thompson]

I have been chasing Australia for over 30 years and even your dud 2009 season outshines anything we get.

We do get supercells, but tornadoes are rare.

 

[Karla Dorman]

Michael,

Beg to differ - the vids I've seen from Oz are astonishing! MASSIVE lightning and clouds. The storms from last November (December??) were crazy - the wind, I've never seen lightning like that! (Think it was around the Gap?!?)

Been told the best place to chase in Oz in the NW Territories, around Darwin - is that true?