Brian Barnes - Manager, Tour Director

Brian is one of the most sought out storm chasers in the world and has been the subject of numerous documentary films, most recently Our World: Storm Chasers, produced and broadcast by the BBC throughout Europe. He has also worked on numerous television and film projects such as Gethin Jones’ Danger Hunters (Virgin Media), Tornado Chasers (National Geographic Television) and much more.

Brian began storm chasing as a teenager and even missed his high school prom due to a tornado threat near Tulsa, OK. He has intercepted more than 350 tornadoes in the past 15 years and more than 220 of those occurred while conducting a tour.

Brian split his childhood between homes in Kansas and Oklahoma. In fact, his hometown of Pryor, Oklahoma was completely destroyed in 1942 by an F4 tornado that nearly killed his grandfather’s young family and is still to this day listed as Oklahoma’s 5th deadliest tornado disaster.

After another major tornado destroyed Pitcher, Oklahoma near Brian’s hometown he founded the Tornado Angel Foundation, a non-profit organization that raised more than $75,000.00 of estimated goods in its first week of operation to assist tornado victims with their immediate needs, such as furnishings, in which 100 percent was donated to the victims of the Pitcher, OK disaster through channel partners like the Salvation Army.

Brian is currently working towards a masters degree in Meterology and is an Air Force trained weather forecaster. He is an avid photographer, ham radio operator and spends much of his off-season educating kids in area schools on subjects such as severe weather safety.

Jimmy "Thunderbolt" Deguara - Australian Tour Director

Jimmy is without doubt Australia's and one of the world's most experienced and respected storm chasers. His passion for severe weather is infectious and Jimmy has appeared on numerous prime time television programs including 60 Minutes, A Current Affair, Today Tonight and Today.

A university graduate with a double major in mathematics and physics, his interest in weather goes back for as long as he remembers. It was the influence of floods and run-off associated with heavy rain which first intrigued him, and the challenge in forecasting led to his interest in thunderstorms, particularly heavy rain and hail. During 1989, a talk by Chuck Doswell, a highly respected US meteorologist and storm chaser, on tornadoes inspired Jimmy to pursue his own dream of chasing tornadoes.

Jimmy is one of the few, if not the only storm chaser to have tornado intercepts in both the USA and Australia. On October 27, 2007 Jimmy intercepted a long-lived and violent tornado by Australian standards near Dunoon, NSW. Despite the hundreds of USA tornado intercepts on his record, Jimmy is most proud of his "down under twister", and we agree that he has bragging rights for it as well.

Jimmy is one of the few storm chasers on the planet to enjoy the spring storm season of Australia and then the spring storm season of the United States every year. Jimmy operated Thunderbolt Tours for several years and provided his tour guest with storm chasing experiences in Tornado Alley and throughout Australia. Jimmy and Brian joined forces in 2008 and Jimmy oversees our Australian tour guest reservations, as well as leads our operations when chasing down under. He also plays varying roles in our Tornado Alley storm tours when chasing in the USA and will either lead, or co-lead some tours.

Tim Wiegman - Meteorologist

Hello fellow storm enthusiast! I received a B.S. in Meteorology from Oklahoma University and I'm currently working on a masters from the same. My research area is radar meteorology with an emphasis in Wind Turbine Clutter Suppression on the WSR-88D (NEXRAD) Network - Meteorological and Climatological Aspects. I worked as a Student Research Assistant for 2 years with the National Weather Service's Radar Operations Center (ROC) Applications Branch in Norman, OK where I tested radar algorithms and created software used in weather radars. I also work with the SMART Radar storm intercept team and have completed several deployments during NSSL's TELEX-II Project during 2004.

I'm originally from Kansas City, but have lived in Norman, Oklahoma for several years while attending school. Due to my schedule between school and my own small business, I don't get to chase tornadoes as much as I would like to. However, it's always a great time to get out on the open plains and seek out a developing supercell with Brian and the crew, and of course getting to help tour guest increase their understanding of severe weather is also great fun. When I am not actively on a tour, I'll be helping Brian and the team pinpoint the best locations throughout Tornado Alley for the best chances of extreme weather. I hope I'll get to see you in Tornado Alley during the 2009 tornado season!

Tim's family owns a limousine service in Kansas City and he is also a professional limo driver. He is one of the few that can notice the un-noticeable and has a fine eye for details (this guy can actually notice the difference between a "6" and an upside-down "9" on gasoline station signs right off the bat!). He has an amazing talent at putting together extremely accurate storm forecast and die-hard fan of Oklahoma University Football. Tim is a valuable member of the StormTours.com team and we're sure you'll enjoy getting to know him.

Adam Lucio - Tour Guide

Like many storm chasers, my interest in severe weather started at a very young age. Growing up and residing in Chicago, I experienced little in the way of severe weather. That did not stop my interest, coming home from school as a child I would turn on the Weather Channel and watch it for hours. Storm chasing and science shows were (and still are) my favorite TV programs.

My interest in severe weather and especially storm chasing really took off in 2002 when I attended my first Skywarn seminar. I've been certified ever since and attend the seminars yearly. I have self-educated myself for many years and I'm eager to know everything there is to know about severe weather. Each year, I make the journey over to America's heartland in pursuit of the worst mother nature has to offer. I love to help others get a better understanding of severe weather, and I'm very excited to be apart of the StormTours.com chase team! I'm looking forward to meeting and chasing some great storms with you!

Adam is one of our newest storm team members. He has proved himself as storm chaser many times over, shedding his own expense of tens of thousands of dollars driving to Tornado Alley and back from Chicago and spending several days a year chasing storms on his own. He is one of the few that just has the "gift" and we greatly welcome him to the team!

Paul Manganelli - Driver for us, Professional Geologist by Day.

I'm a geology professor at Collin County Community College in Frisco, Texas. I earned my Master's Degree in Geology and Geophysics from Boston College. After moving to Texas in 2001, I experienced tornado warnings for the first time in my life and became fascinated with the development of tornadic systems ever since.

When I started teaching, part of my job required me to teach a section of my courses on meteorology. I felt I needed to get up-to-date pretty quickly and contacted Brian for some extra help and eventually ended up driving on a few of the tours and have done so every year since.

Driving for StormTours.com has increased my understanding of severe storm formation and tornadogensis, which allows me to more effectively teach the Meteorology section of my courses. I appreciate the scientific nature of Brian's approach to storm chasing, as well as the experience of driving down the roads less traveled along the way. I also greatly enjoy the laughing and camaraderie that occurs on long drives through the country. I think you'll enjoy it as well and I'm looking forward to chasing down a supercell with you!

Paul is a valuable addition to our team. He is an excellent driver and has a gifted approach to teaching our tour guest about his ever increasing knowledge of severe storms. On days when there is no storm activity and when Paul is on the tour, we'll usually try to visit a geological important site and put Paul's vast knowledge on everything from volcanoes to caves to the test.

Sarah Kogler - Meteorologist

I have always had a strong passion for severe weather and I started chasing storms in 2003 when I started working on a degree in Meteorology from The Ohio State University. While I was a student at OSU, I spent a semester as an intern with the National Weather Service in Columbus, Ohio. My family and I reside in Atlanta, Georgia and when I am not actively participating on a tour, I'll be helping Brian plan and forecast each day's weather activities from a remote forecasting office.

Sarah is one of the brightest meteorologist one could hope to have on their storm chasing team. Even as a student, she played an integral role in accurately forecasting a violent tornado outbreak on May 29, 2004, which was the first time that she and Brian chased together. Along with the help of Brian's close friend, the late Dr. Rick Toracinta, the team witnessed numerous tornadoes during the outbreak, starting around 6:00 PM and lasting to well after dark.

Tim Kosier - Tour Guide

Hello everyone. I've been chasing storms with Brian since 2003 and always look forward to our next storm chasing adventure. My wife and I live on the beautiful Florida coast where we experience everything from tornadic supercells to waterspouts to hurricanes. But, my main passion is the jaw-dropping supercells of the Great Plains. Believe me, once you see them, you'll be hooked as well! I'm an avid photographer and I'm always willing to help our tour guest improve their photography skills while chasing storms with StormTours.com. In my spare time, I enjoy bowling and I can usually be found drowning some bait in the Gulf of Mexico.

Tim is a jack of all trades and likely the most steady driver during extreme weather conditions on the planet. Tim has participated in tornado intercepts in over a dozen states while driving large extended passenger vans loaded with people and equipment, and that is no easy feat. He even made it through Hurricane Jeanne's 115 knot winds while pulling a twenty-four foot camper behind his truck, a feat that only he would even attempt!

Becky Walden - Meteorologist

Hi guys and gals! I started chasing while I was a meteorology student at the College of DuPage. My first storm chase was actually a university sponsored event where I earned college credit. I currently live in Florida where we experience tornadoes in just about any month and of course hurricanes during the last summer and fall seasons. I love going to Tornado Alley each spring and meeting our wonderful tour guest and helping to get our team to the most intense and violent severe weather possible. I also help in organizing and forecasting our QuickFlight Hurricane Chasing Safaris. I'll see you on tour!

Becky provides forecasting support from our offices with live forecast decisions called "nowcasting," she will also participate on some tours as a Storm Chasing Tour Guide. Becky will also participate in most of our QuickFlight Hurricane Interceptions.