DENVER -- According to Tim Samaras, storm chasing is considered one of the biggest frontiers left in meteorology. There are still so many unknowns about how volatile the atmosphere can be during severe weather events.

Along with his colleagues, TWISTEX (short for Tactical Weather Instrumented Sampling Experiment) seeks out thunderstorms each spring and summer to determine why some storms produce tornadoes, and others don't.

The 24/7 Weather Team went along for the ride across seven states in search of twisters. From Nebraska to Minnesota to Iowa, these relentless storm chasers know no limits on where or how far they will go. By using their specialized vehicles, called "Mobile Mesonets," the crews aim to surround a supercell thunderstorm and take ground-level measurements including temperature, wind speed, dewpoint, and humidity.

When asked what makes him take on such a dangerous task, stormchaser Tony Laubach responded, "I've had a passion for weather my entire life."

Earlier this season, TWISTEX was on the scene in Mississippi and Alabama during one of the most deadly tornado outbreaks on record. The team successfully collected data despite the severity of the situation. "Every supercell we intercepted had a large tornado," said Samaras.

For this team of scientists, the power to predict tornadoes is far more valuable than the amazing video we've now come to expect from storm chasers. It's a challenge that Laubach and Samaras, along with their colleagues, face with determination.

"I believe I'm the only guy that has been able to collect any of these measurements. Routinely, every year, we manage to get hardware inside of tornadoes," said Samaras.

The data collected in the field gets passed along to other researchers and operational meteorologists to help improve the warning process. Extra lead time during a tornado warning, even by a few minutes, could mean the difference between life and death.