Supercells chase in Southern Ontario — Travis Farncombe

Published on May 22, 2024

Brock, ON 02:33 PM #ONstorm clear rotation North of Cannington

Appears to be an occlusion Brock, ON 02:49 PM #ONstorm can’t detect rotation at moment

Wall cloud near Argyle Kawartha Lakes, ON 03:01 PM #ONstorm

03:10 PM east of Balsam #onstorm structure incredible!

Kawartha Lakes, ON 05:00 PM #ONstorm What a gorgeous scene as this storm passes north of me near Argyle.

Travis Farncombe

I am the founder Highways & Hailstones. I live with my family in Toronto, Ontario - about 2000 miles from Oklahoma City and the heart of Tornado Alley. Every spring and summer, I travel down there, to the American Midwest, to witness the most awe-inspiring weather on the planet.

The first time I chased was ten years ago; I signed up as a guest with a storm chase tour company, and joined that group for a week on the plains. I saw my first tornado on that trip. It was a silhouette on a dark Kansas night, betrayed by strobes of lightning flickering in the distance. While the rest of the tour guides and group scanned the storm to the south, a lingering flash drew my glance to the north, and there, unmistakable, was a backlit cone. It was serendipity. I yelled cone tornado!, and a storm chaser was born.

After chasing for a few years as a guest with Silver Lining Tours, I gradually began to spread my wings and chase on my own, having learned enough from Roger Hill and other veterans to chase safely and responsibly. I became a guide with SLT in 2015. Now, I am a certified spotter and chase locally in Southern Ontario, as well as down in Tornado Alley. I am always meeting new people, always learning, and always humbled by the power of nature.

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