Storm Chasers

Two women who are spellbound by the power of storms talk to Kim Chakanetsa about why they are drawn to danger, what it feels like to be trapped inside a Category Four hurricane and the thrill of the chase.

Karen Kosiba is a scientist based at the Center for Severe Weather Research in Boulder, Colorado. She chases extreme weather events to study the wind structure inside tornadoes and to measure the winds in hurricanes. She is mostly focussed on the data she collects from the relative safety of a radar truck, but sometimes she gets a chance to look out of the window and marvel at the sheer force of nature.

Sarah Alsayegh is a photographer from Kuwait who started out taking photos of Kuwait City, seeking out the most dramatic sunsets, looming skies and dust storms as backdrops to her images. She also became the first Arab woman to travel to the area known as tornado alley in the US. She says people are often taken aback to see a woman chasing storms, but she loves the way they make her feel - like a tiny human being amidst the vastness of the natural world.

Image (L) Karen Kosiba (credit: Gino De Grandis)
Image and credit: (R) Sarah Alsayegh