I wanted to continue using my seat bolts for mounting so I wouldn't have to drill holes through the floor. But RAM doesn't make a no-drill base for the Crosstrek. So I set out to modify my existing base.

Cades Cove inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park at sunrise on a cold morning (15°F)

Here's a composite image of Independence Day fireworks over Blue Heron Lake at Raccoon River Park in West Des Moines, Iowa

A sun pillar is an atmospheric optical phenomenon that forms when sunlight reflects off numerous suspended ice crystals associated with thin, high-level clouds.

The American Red Cross and the National Weather Service announced through a joint statement that they have revised their recommendation.

The Grinnell storm I chased yesterday apparently hailed on four runners who were caught outside. Ouch. Now imagine how things would go if it was hailing baseballs and you were "seeking shelter" in a ditch from a tornado. Yikes. The Grinnell storm also caused quite a swath of wind damage as it passed through. Here's the preliminary report from the NWS about the event. Peaks winds of 95-105mph caused the walls to blow out of a couple of garages and blew vehicles off of I-80.

Eight tornadoes were reported Sunday in North Carolina causing significant damage and injuries in some areas. This video shows a tornado tearing through High Point, NC where it damaged dozens of homes and businesses. Cars had stopped on the interstate under an overpass to avoid hail and/or the tornado and were blocking traffic leaving the cars behind them in the path of the tornado. This illustrates exactly why stopping under an overpass is a terrible idea.

Everyone made it out OK after taking cover in a walk-in cooler. They got the door shut 5 seconds before the tornado struck.

Note: Intense video may not be suitable for younger children

"Severe weather season is just around the corner and the people of one Kansas town nearly wiped off the map last year are still putting their town back together. Now, storm chasers are using pictures and video from last year's storm season to spur the rebuilding process in Greensburg.

It's a DVD with some of the biggest storms of 2007 on it, including the Greensburg tornado. Now the storm chasers who put it together are taking the money from the DVD sales and putting it towards Greensburg to help the town rebuild."

The Storms of 2007 DVD is shipping now! I produced the May 22 Hill City, KS barrel meso and tornado chapter. All proceeds from this DVD go to disaster relief. Check out the trailer:

Or download a higher quality version of the trailer and purchase here: http://www.thestormsof2007.org/purchases.htm