Christoffer Björkwall lives in Malmö with his girlfriend and works as a web developer. So far, his life doesn't sound like anything out of the ordinary, but wait until you hear about his hobbies. When Christoffer is free, he doesn't go to the Canary Islands - he goes to the USA to chase tornadoes!
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ShareNext year will be his eighth season chasing dramatic storms. Today we are very proud to present our first interview with a storm chaser. You can also read more on Christopher's own page. StormChasingUSA.
Table of contents
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I'm from Stockholm but have been living in Malmö for two years with my partner Charlotte. I've been travelling the world as a digital nomad and working as a web developer for a long time but have now started to settle more and more in Sweden.
I love travelling and having adventures and trying out experiences. This autumn, for example, I've been skydiving, helicoptering and, perhaps most fun of all, trying aerobatics (flying loops etc. with planes).
When did you realise that you wanted to hunt storms? How did your interest begin?
I was an exchange student in Kansas in 2003/2004 and there I heard my American friends tell one story more spectacular than the other about what they had seen and experienced during storms and tornado outbreaks. I became very curious and a few years later I saw a Youtube clip of a tornado and then I got hooked and watched more and more. Shortly thereafter, I booked my first storm chasing trip!
Where do you hunt storms? What are the best places?
Only in the USA can you chase storms for real, with a good chance of seeing tornadoes and spectacular storms. In the US, you drive around what is known as 'tornado alley', an area stretching from Texas to South Dakota and from Colorado to Missouri. Most commonly, we are in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.
How do you plan a 'storm chasing' trip? How do you know when it's time to go?
There are about fifteen different companies that organise storm chasing trips. Most are small companies that only take 4-6 passengers per week, so places tend to sell out quickly. For this reason, you often have to book quite far in advance, especially if you want to go during the best time of the year: May. So it's impossible to know what the weather will be like that far in advance, you have to rely on probabilities and May is usually the best (along with April and June).
What is the most violent storm you have experienced?
This is undoubtedly a storm I experienced outside the legendary cowboy town of Dodge City, Kansas, in 2016. A single storm produced up to 15 tornadoes, which is extremely rare. On several occasions there were two tornadoes on the ground at the same time! What's more, the conditions were perfect and the storm caused minimal damage. Watch my film from the day to get an idea of what it was like:
Is storm chasing dangerous and how do you protect yourself from danger?
It may not be harmless, but it's not dangerous either. You stay at a safe distance from any tornadoes at all times, and experienced guides make sure you don't get into dangerous situations by constantly moving around and to places where you can safely watch the storms. The main danger is the amount of driving and sometimes in bad conditions with strong winds and heavy rain.
Have you been in a dangerous situation?
Two years ago I came very close to being hit by a tornado. We stopped on the side of the road and watched a small tornado hit the field next to us, it was low contrast and hard to see and all of a sudden it turned and headed towards us. We had to quickly accelerate and just a few seconds later you can see the tornado sweep in exactly over the spot where we were standing earlier!
The view from the car behind us where you see me quickly getting out of the car:
What kind of people chase storms?
They are mostly men aged 25-60 who have a great interest in the spectacular things that nature can offer. The vast majority have some interest in weather and often also photography, but there are not as many adventurers and adrenaline junkies as you might think, although you must have some of that in your personality. Storm chasing very often means the opportunity to just stand and admire nature in all its power.
Is there any kind of storm you dream of experiencing that you haven't experienced yet?
I would love to see a smaller tornado from a closer distance (a few hundred metres). It would be interesting to see what it looks like on the ground from up close and be able to look at every detail.
Do you have a big trip planned?
Yes, I will most likely go at the beginning of June next year. It will be the 8th season for me!
What are your best tips for others who want to 'storm tourism'? How do you get started?
You should definitely go with a company that organises storm chasing trips. On my website StormChasingUSA.com I have collected all companies and compare them with price, reviews etc. If you are interested, just contact me and I will help you!
The photos in the text are copyright protected but used with the express permission of StormChasingUSA.com.
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Ruth in Virginia says:
It's not a hobby for me, that's for sure, but of course it has to be
be exciting to experience. And Kansas is the perfect state;
it was there that Dorothy and her dog, Toto, were raised...
picked off a tornado in "The Wizard of Oz". 🙂
I'm glad I don't live in "Tornado Alley". That neighbourhood gets
lots of, so to speak, bad weather.
You are brilliant at finding people with interesting travel interests.
Your daily posts are always enjoyable and the Saturday sextant is like
pearl sugar on the cinnamon buns. - Have a nice weekend.
07 October 2017 - 6:25
Helena says:
I'm glad you told me about the Wizard of Oz, I had no idea about that at all! And no, living in a storm-affected area is probably not so fun ... Glad you like our interviews! We no longer have interviews every Saturday (which we had throughout 2016!) but now it will be when we happen to stumble upon an interesting interviewee 🙂 .
07 October 2017 - 11:28
Ruth in Virginia says:
Dorothy:
"Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore"
07 October 2017 - 14:22
Mr Christopher says:
Kansas is my favourite area to chase storms in. Partly because it is a bit like home (I studied there in 2003/2004) but also because it is very flat and easy to see the storms there.
Tornado Alley does get a lot of storms but it is also important to realise that Tornado Alley is as big as continental Europe I would guess. That a given location will be hit by a tornado is really very unlikely but being hit by hail or high winds is much more likely.
08 October 2017 - 9:35
Lena - good for the soul says:
Can't help but be fascinated by this hobby even though it wouldn't be for me. I HATE wind, so I wouldn't be able to handle that. Cool pictures and films though. I don't think I've ever seen clouds like in the last pictures!
Have a nice Saturday!
Hug Lena
07 October 2017 - 8:55
Helena says:
I was also so incredibly fascinated by this, although I don't know if it would be something for me at all... 😉.
07 October 2017 - 11:29
Mr Christopher says:
Lena: The fact is that when chasing storms, it is very rare that you are standing right where the wind is blowing, although of course it happens. Just the position where it is usually best and easiest to see tornadoes, for example, it is often sunny and with the wind at your back.
Mammatus clouds, yes, they are beautiful!
08 October 2017 - 9:37
Emily says:
So damn cool, nature is so powerful! As a meteorologist, this is something I have been dreaming about for many, many years.
07 October 2017 - 8:59
Helena says:
Oh, how nice that you are a meteorologist! I can see why weather phenomena are so fascinating!
07 October 2017 - 11:29
Mr Christopher says:
Emilie: Feel free to contact me if you want to go for real! You can travel without knowing anything about the technicalities of chasing the storms, even if you understand the weather mechanisms, like you do.
08 October 2017 - 9:38
Ama de casa says:
Yeah... When we're in the US and hear about a storm coming, we steer the car the other way... Looks cool, but seeing it in pictures is enough for me.
Suffice it to say that we got caught in the middle of Hurricane Odile in Mexico and were completely cut off from the outside world for three days until we managed to get out of there by bus to a less affected place.
07 October 2017 - 10:20
Helena says:
That's how you usually think of storms, that you are running AWAY from them ... 😉 I would probably (most of the time anyway) do that too....
07 October 2017 - 11:30
Mr Christopher says:
If you don't know what's going on, that's the right strategy! We have radar and very experienced people who know what is going on and can make the right decisions all the time. These storms can be very dangerous if you don't know what you're doing.
08 October 2017 - 9:40
Goatfish says:
My dad stood on the stairs admiring the lightning and taking pictures. While my mum went down to the basement with me.
I am extremely fascinated by nature's different weather, but would not venture into anything.
"Enjoyed" the cool pictures and films, skilfully made.
Thank you for introducing this adventurous boy 😀.
07 October 2017 - 10:40
Helena says:
Nature is fascinating ... and awe-inspiring!
07 October 2017 - 11:31
Emma, sun like sun? says:
Well ... I can proudly and surprisingly tell you that I knew there were mammatus clouds in the picture! Having been together with a weather fanatic for almost 30 years has apparently made something stick. Haha! And yes, I have driven a car after a thunderstorm so that my husband can get as close as possible for good photographs, so I have also been a Storm Chaser but of less Swedish dimensions. 😀
07 October 2017 - 11:44
Helena says:
Wow, a bit impressed that you actually knew that. I had no idea! Always a little interesting when you are close to someone who is passionate about something, then you get to learn all sorts of things 😉.
08 October 2017 - 8:54
Mr Christopher says:
What fun that you have indirectly been involved in chasing storms 🙂 I basically never chase storms in Sweden (simply because we don't get that type of storm here) but I love when there is thunder and lightning.
However, just two weeks ago here in Malmö we had a couple of real storms. We left Malmö to go to Skanör and I realised then that we were under an unusually large storm. Down at Höllviken I stayed and watched it from a distance while my girlfriend did errands. When I got home I looked on Twitter and saw that the storm had actually produced a thrombus outside Lund (and another storm a slightly larger thrombus outside Ängelholm)...and I missed it all!
08 October 2017 - 9:43
BP says:
I have heard about train spotting, but tornado spotting was new. What absolutely wonderful pictures ... to look at on the screen. Would probably not want to be there irl;-) The pictures remind me of the film Twister.
07 October 2017 - 13:53
Helena says:
Calmly and safely looking at the pictures on the screen 😉.
08 October 2017 - 8:55
Britt-Marie Lundgren says:
Weather phenomena can be fascinating, but I am most interested in the variety of interests people have and how fun it is to get a glimpse of a subject you hardly knew existed. It's a good thing we have different interests or the world would be pretty boring!
07 October 2017 - 14:09
Helena says:
I agree that it is fascinating! There are really different interests and it is always fun to talk to someone who is passionate about something, and get a little insight into that world 😉.
08 October 2017 - 8:56
Mr Steve says:
Great to see all the fascinating people you present here on the blog.
This guy seems to be a real thrill seeker. A bit too exciting for my personality though. For me, watching storm chasing reports on TV is the ultimate in excitement.
07 October 2017 - 14:29
Helena says:
Some adventures can be comfortable to enjoy from a distance 🙂 .
08 October 2017 - 8:57
Mr Christopher says:
It's actually not as much about thrill-seeking as you might think, although that is obviously an important part. It's a lot of fascination with the forces of nature and the visual spectacle of tornadoes and other aspects of the storm that drives me. It's an amazing feeling to see what can happen during a storm.
08 October 2017 - 9:45
Maria's Memoirs says:
That's exactly why I want to do this too, I've always been fascinated by and admired the power and beauty of nature 🙂.
09 October 2017 - 11:15
Veiken says:
I like to stand on the hillside and look out over the sea during storms, thunder and lightning. An angry sizzling sea is powerful! That's about my limit, but if a tornado were to appear quite far away, I'd probably want to follow it if it was heading in the right direction!
07 October 2017 - 17:11
Helena says:
I think I feel much like you do. Of course it is fascinating to look out over a stormy sea! Certainly fascinating to see a tornado too ... but then it must be far away ;)And then it feels like I would like to escape from there ... 😉 .
08 October 2017 - 8:59
Mr Christopher says:
If you are lucky enough to see a tornado in Sweden, it is probably quite safe to follow it from a distance. The ones we get here are usually very weak and if you are in a car you are probably safe.
08 October 2017 - 9:47
Ann-Louise says:
I am incredibly fascinated by this type of weather phenomena and find it interesting to read about them, but if I were in the neighbourhood I would run for my life 🙂 Very interesting interview anyway.
07 October 2017 - 21:59
Helena says:
Fascinating to watch for sure, but yes, I would probably also consider moving in a different direction.. 😉.
08 October 2017 - 9:03
Annar Aas says:
Just have to tell you that in addition to your nice interview, I have been to the wedding party of all time everything is like a fairy tale so far. The disco has just started!
07 October 2017 - 23:27
Helena says:
Oh it sounds wonderful! Great to hear that it was so good!!! Wishing you a continued nice weekend!
08 October 2017 - 9:04
Elisabeth says:
So exciting, but not for me!
08 October 2017 - 7:43
Maria's Memoirs says:
oh, thank you for this post!!! I've been dreaming about this since I was little and saw my first documentary about stormchasers! 😀 Will save this link for future references, one day I will do this too!
09 October 2017 - 11:13