The New Texas Tornado Tourism Craze

Beware of flying cows! The new "Twister" film hasn't even been released yet but some fans are flocking to Texas in an effort to make their storm chasing dreams comes true!

By now, most Texans are pretty fed up of the severe weather they have been experiencing lately. And while many seek shelter away from a tornado, others are doing quite the opposite and actually shelling out loads of cash just to get an up close look!

It's called tornado tourism and according to USA Today, dozens of companies offer up the opportunity for storm chasers to travel to what's known as Tornado Alley which includes parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska.

Tornado tourists typically join tours led by experienced storm chasers or meteorologists who have the expertise to safely navigate and predict severe weather conditions. These tours often provide educational insights into meteorology, storm formation, and safety measures, making the experience informative as well as thrilling.

This type of adventure tourism has grown significantly over the past decade; and this particular type of thrill is proving to be very lucrative. Eric Burns, the owner-operator of Tornadic Expedition Storm Chasing Tours based out of Whitebsoro, TX, tells Audacy.com that tourists have told him seeing a tornado up-close and personal has had a "calming effect" on them. And just how much is this calming effect actually costing? Tickets range from $2,600 to $5,000!

I totally understand the calming effect- remember that scene from "Twister"?

I don't think the storm chasing groups can get you inside the core, imagine the liability insurance? But, you can get pretty close to one.

Business is booming; and with this severe weather North Texas has been experiencing lately I'm sure that Burns and other storm chasing tours are busy; in fact, Burns' Tornadic Expedition tours are already filling up for the 2025 season!