Tour Guide, Van Electronics Technician

My name is James Breitenbach and I was born and raised in Lawrence, Kansas.  Severe weather has always been a part of my life.  One of my earliest memories of severe weather was when a tornado struck my home town on June 19, 1981. As young child I remembered how black the sky was and how the clouds moved rapidly like boiling water. This event had a profound impact on my life and my interest in weather.  Over the years I became a sky warn spotter, volunteer firefighter, ham radio operator, and a two way radio dealer. In 2004 I joined SLT as a guide and have returned every year since. Great Bend, Kansas is where I call home with my wife and two children. I have a family farm that keeps me very busy, especially during the growing seasons. During my down time I like to work on many projects, including setting up and outfitting the SLT tour vans, working on the famous TIV2 vehicle and other personal chaser vehicles. You can find me out chasing often with my sons Evan and Angelo who also share my passion for severe weather and have joined me on several SLT tours. I have experienced some notable Tornadoes on tour including the 2009 Goshen, Wyoming tornado that was made famous by the Weather Channel and the tv show “Storm Chasers”.  Also the 2010 Campo, Colorado tornado which was one of the most photogenic. The best part of my chasing experience is the people that you meet along the way and the lifelong friendships! Hope to see you out on the chase soon!