Thunderclouds are something to be savored, and the chance to intercept an actual tornado would make their trip complete. When Matt and Betsy met, they knew it was a match made in heaven - or at least in the clouds. The pair, who are both senior meteorologists at The Weather Channel, began chasing hurricanes in the early 1980s, intercepting Hurricane Diana and a succession of others along the East Coast. By the beginning of the next decade, their attention turned to tornadoes, a much greater challenge, according to Crowther. It's just sitting in one spot and waiting for it to hit you.
Tornadoes require a bit more finesse, as the pair quickly learned.
It took nearly two years to spot their first tornado, and they've found that even with years of experience, the chase can be long and often fruitless. One time we thought the forecast was going to be in northwest Kansas. Unless somebody really loves the whole thing and loves being out in the Plains and just enjoys the whole experience, good and bad, they're going to give up, they're not going to like it. But even the long hours, the endless driving and one motel room after another can't stop this chasing duo. Call it a passion.