What Storm Chasers Actually Do

The 1996 film "Twister"TwisterStorm chasers do not love the film. Some call it an “outrageous fantasy” because the movie fails to show the real hard work of tracking a storm's path.outrageous fantasycomplaining the movie doesn't show the legitimate hard work that goes into tracking a storm's path.

Don Lloyd explained:

Forecasting the chase needs many hours of studying the atmosphere, surface conditions, and satellite images.

Many storm chasers enjoy seeing a tornado. However, for others, the appeal is deeper. Richard Lewis saw the tragedy of a town lacking a tornado warning at age 16. Today, that fuels his passion.that fuels his passion, he said:

At the time, warnings were scarce, and sirens did not sound. I wanted to join and help the National Weather Service issue timely warnings.

Chasing storms at night risks disaster. The chasing community shares a few common "rules."as shared by Wil Foster:

Tim Samaras was one of the most famous storm chasers.Tim Samaras. A chaser for 20 years, he died tragically in 2013. His 24-year-old son, Paul, and colleague Carl Young died when strong tornado winds crumpled their car.

The three men did not just follow the thunderstorm for fun. Samaras partnered with researchers seeking vital tornado details—pressure and temperature from probes in the tornado's core. These tracking devices needed to be at the twister's base because Samaras said they provided data about the lowest 10 meters of a tornado, where people and vehicles are.

Samaras's work gave scientists valuable insights to build better storm warning systems.

When thinking about storm chasing dangers, you might picture getting hit by debris or a flying cow.

In reality, being on the road in rainy, stormy weather poses the biggest danger to storm chasers. This danger became a national focus in 2022, whenthree University of Oklahoma students diedhours after chasing a tornado in Kansas.

On their drive home, it rained, and their car hydroplaned. The car hit a barrier and was later struck by a semi-truck.

Greg Tripoli, a professor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told his students theyfaced a higher risk of car crashes than tornadoes.A chaser might be tired from a long drive. Another driver might get distracted by the storm and ignore nearby traffic.

“Storm chaser” is not the most profitable career. Many storm chasers earn no pay.Martin Lisius, chairman and founder of the Texas Severe Storms Association, explained:

Chasers earn no salary. Most chasers receive no pay. They hold other jobs and chase storms in their free time.

People often ask this question. NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory added a section to its job page.NOAA’s National Severe Storms Laboratory added a “Storm Chasers” section to its job page.The section states:

There is no “Storm Chaser” job description at NSSL. People only chase storms for NSSL when a special project collects field data. These projects happen sometimes. During a project, some scientists help gather data during storm intercept operations. Employees sometimes donate their own time, unpaid.

Chasers earn money selling video and photo rights, says chaser Don Lloyd.

Storm chasers drive many miles. Don Lloyd, a storm chaser, said he can drive for up to16 hours in a car.Chasers drive from 600 to 800 miles daily.

Jennifer Brindley Ubl, a storm-chasing photographer, adds up to tens of thousands of miles on the road.she travels 20,000 miles in a storm season (late April to October).This covers late April through October.

Since most tornadoes form in the Midwest and Plains of the United States, chasers live there. This gives them better access when they get short notice of a storm.

Storm chasing lacks the excitement of whatTwistermakes it out to be, said chaser Don Lloyd.Don Lloyd, the chaser, said that.:

That movie was unrealistic. It was fun, but storm chasing is different. Chasers do not act recklessly; seeing even one tornado on a chase is unusual, let alone four or five.

Other chasers estimate theysee a tornado every five to ten chases.This makes sense; tornadoes can form fast without warning.

Storm chasers spend time mapping potential paths, reading weather reports, and checking road networks. Chaser Melanie Metz explained youmust have options when a twister approaches:when a twister is heading your way:

There might be only a couple of road choices. Especially then, make sure you avoid the road that puts you directly in the storm's path.

Most storm chasers know their limit for a dangerous funnel. But chaser Don Lloyd explainedChaser Don Lloyd explainedStaying a safe distance from a severe storm is hard. You need to see the storm structure clearly, but not so close that heavy rain or huge hail hits you.

Staying a discreet distance from a severe storm is a challenge.

Being right behind a storm means chasers often arrive first after a disaster, like a tornado hits a town. ChaserJennifer Brindley Ubl said:

Storm chasers are often the first people there, before emergency management, because they chase the tornado itself.

This makes chasers impromptu first responders, helping in the immediate aftermath however they can.

Storm chasing is mainly a hobby, so you need no prerequisites to chase storms. The Online Storm Chasing FAQ website states many chasers have some meteorology and forecasting knowledge, but they can.They come from all walks of life..

Richard Lewis, a welder by trade, taught himself how to find the best spots for chasing.He taught himself how to find the best spots for chasing.He explained:

I did not attend school for meteorology. I taught myself to read what weather models show so I could pick a target.

Chasers must safely chase storms.Melanie Metz recommends a class.Take a class to learn the basics of understanding storms and spotting safety signs.

If you cannot take your class at the university or need a starting point, a SKYWARN class is a good option.SKYWARNA SKYWARN class, a free class from the National Weather Service, offers a good start to understanding the storm.

Riding shotgun with a veteran is one of the best ways to learn storm chasing details. You can also book a storm-chasing tour.Chaser Melanie Metz says::

Some chasers have been around a long time. They are reputable and have good forecasters and strong leaders on their teams.

Some tours last a week to give you the best chance to see a tornado or at least some flashy lightning.Extreme Tornado ToursThe tour boasts that 80% of its guests saw a tornado on the tour.

A weeklong tour costs between $3,000 and $5,000.

Storm chasing has long been a male-dominated hobby. Some well-known female chasers seek to inspire other women to join the hunt.They team up with well-known female chasers.female chasers are looking to inspire other women to join them on the hunt.

Girls Who Chase, an organization educating women about storm chasing, has nearly 18,000 Instagram followers. The group offers virtual trainings for women wanting to enter chasing and shares storm photos taken by women.