The best chasing territory

[Mike Peregrine]

Actually, my vote was for South Dakota ... and I'm FROM Kansas and chase here every other day. I like South Dakota's terrain more than anything. The long rolling plains that get super green in the spring time make for really neat contrasts with storms. Hopefully SD will have some more good weather this summer and give me an excuse to make a trip up there again.

Kansas definitely rocks. My order of favorite chase terrain is probably something like:

 

[Brian Stertz]

I can say its a fact that my best successful chases have been in Kansas and Nebraska, with Oklahoma, Missouri, and Iowa 3rd -5th. I am a firm believer that Kansas may have the edge over chaseable tornadic supercells than Oklahoma. I lived in Oklahoma from 1998-2005 and can't even count how many ugly HP blobs (tornadic) I have witnessed, but have not seen the embedded tornado. No way in hell was I about to challenge the softball sized hail or core bang tornado situation for that short glimpse of the rain/hail wrapped
tornado!! There have been exceptions obviously...May 3rd comes to mind right off the bat; but as often as I have chased, the most tornadoes (clean and unobscured) have been in Kansas with Nebraska not too far
behind. I know historically Oklahoma is #1 for strong/violent tornadoes, but Kansas is probably #1 for the chaseable ones (in my opinion). Shane you're right though, Oklahoma is still the mecca for chasers to flock
to time and time again. I still like Oklahoma for quality chase land, as long as its northwest of a Ponca City to Lawton line that is!! Still, my vote was obviously for the state of Kansas.

 

[Shane Adams]

FYI - I didn't vote because IMO all those places have their great and not-so-great spots. Seems to be an average of best tornado potential, viewing, and road networks. I guess that makes Kansas the #1 state currently, but subject to change in each successive year. Speaking of, Kansas still hasn't produced for me this year...but tomorrow I will be adding it to my list in '06 B)

I agree, Kansas might be #1 for chaseable storms/tornadoes, I don't know. But I'll always consider KS/OK/TX to be the mecca chase territory. I'd put Nebraska up there too, but it's so desolate that it's not quite as "accessible" as the others. I really don't think you can go wrong in any of these places if you grow up there and know the lay of the land/spotter networks. I think in the end, it's about familiarity.

BTW - Mike Peregrine, I laughed out loud on your "..49,50" comment.

 

[Dick McGowan]

Southwest KS hands down. Flat, 1 tree per every 100 square miles , no civilization, excellent road network.