It is an extremely serious phenomenon in the United States . David Baxter and his team are storm chasers, storm chasers and tornado hunters. “You must not let fear dictate your decisions. Then you can have big scares, like being struck by lightning, it can be very dangerous. It is a kind of passion reserved for those who play in the first division” , he explains. His vehicle is equipped with an on-board computer, cameras and a live weather application. The hunter seeks above all to photograph the decisive moment, “a beautiful and well photogenic tornado”.

TV stars

In early summer, these groups roam the “tornado corridor,” the name of a band that runs from Texas to Dakota, where they often form. The wind intensifies in the plains of Texas. “The mad force of the elements! It’s incredible what Mother Nature can do” , rejoices David Baxter, accompanied by a team from France Televisions. That day, the tornado changes direction.

In the country, the “storm chasers” have their stars, their social networks and even their television shows. They don’t hesitate to push the limits. The consecration is to ride in a “dominator”, a vehicle transformed into a tank, with armored windows and tested in the blast of an aircraft engine. However, the equipment does not prevent tragedies: several tornado hunters have died in recent years.