Storm chasers have their individual reasons why they began chasing storms. Most have had a life-long interest in severe weather. All share a commonality, a passion for storm chasing. Storm chasing is the pursuit of severe weather regardless of motive. Some people stereotype storm chasers as being “adrenaline junkies” who only chase storms to get a natural high. While that might be true for a small number of storm chasers, nothing could be further from the truth for most storm […]

On Memorial Day in 2007, a violent tornado happened in southeastern Colorado. Our storm chasing tour group witnessed the tornado from birth to its death. But, something else interesting also happened. The local cellular tower was damaged in the resulting hail storm. I attempted to call the NWS office in Pueblo to inform them a tornado was in fact occurring, but couldn’t. Thankfully, I never actually rely on my cell phone as a reliable form of communication. I’m an amateur radio […]

Storm chasing is the pursuit of severe storms, regardless of motive. A chase can be as simple as following a storm near the town a storm chaser resides in. Or, it can be as complex as driving across several states. Like most activities, storm chasing includes associated risks. Mitigation of such risks will increase overall safety through knowledge, preparation, and making good decisions. Is Storm Chasing Dangerous? The honest and simple answer is yes, storm chasing is dangerous. It involves a […]