Although they’re not quite ready for “Twister,” the ISU chapter of the American Meteorological Society (AMS) is attempting to assemble a team of students to chase severe weather across Iowa and neighboring Midwestern states this spring.

Bill Gallus, assistant professor of geological and atmospheric sciences and ISU-AMS faculty adviser, said the impetus for forming the team came from a desire by ISU-AMS members to chase Iowa’s strong spring storms.

“Iowa can get very exciting if there is a warm spring,” he said. “Everybody likes an early spring, but that can also mean severe weather.”

Gallus said this is the first year that ISU-AMS has tried to get a team together. He said storm-chasing teams exist at other universities as an actual course, but the courses are usually offered only in the summer when storms are apt to be most severe.

Adam Frederick, ISU-AMS president, said the support for the team is there, and now the club members are simply trying to figure out when the best opportunity to take a storm-chasing trip would be.

The group has to consider matters such as the distance members are willing to travel and whether to take a one-day trip or a week-long trip, which would enable students to cover more ground and have more time to let storms develop, he said.

Frederick, senior in meteorology, said ISU-AMS is leaning toward a week-long excursion.

“We’re considering putting together a trip for the first week after finals in order for students to participate before they have to go home for the summer,” he said.

Gallus said there are still several obstacles that would need to be dealt with, such as the extent to which Iowa State might be liable for any possible injuries sustained during the trip.

Frederick said it also might be logistically difficult to secure a university vehicle for the storm-chasing endeavor.

“You have to put in a request for a university vehicle three days in advance, and predicting a tornado three days in advance is impossible,” he said.

ISU-AMS is attempting to raise enough money to pay for a rented van, food and lodging for a week-long trip. Frederick said a set of two-way radios used to keep contact between different vehicles has already been donated to the club.

“The only other equipment you need [aside from a vehicle and a radio] are your eyes,” he said.

The only requirement for joining the club is an interest in the weather, Frederick said. Anyone interested in more information about ISU-AMS or the storm-chasing trip can contact Frederick at [email protected].