Photographing Weather and Storm Chasing Tips
My passion for weather and photography started at a very young age as I have always loved the weather. The earliest I can for sure date it though is around preschool after my Mom told me that one of my preschool teachers told her to "thank me for the nice weather we are having." It was likely the movie Twister that also helped fuel that passion, so I know I would have my parents rent it from the library so I could watch it every day.
In the Spring of 2018, I graduated from Valparaiso University with a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology and minors in Photography and Geographic Information Systems (GIS). My first job out of college was for a GIS company in Wisconsin. About 8 months later I moved out to Norman, Oklahoma for my dream job working for one of the largest private forecasting company’s in the world as a meteorologist. I have since relocated and am now out of the Twin Cities, Minnesota area while working for this same company today while also running Limitless Prodcution Group LLC. I am thankful every day for these opportunities because they both still allow me the ability to get out and be able to experience Mother Nature's true power. Something I hope to be able to capture more for years to come!
My Tips
1) Safety First!
Your biggest priority should always be YOUR safety! If this is going to be your first-time storm chasing, I highly recommend attending a National Weather Service Spotter Talk/Training. They are common during the Spring all across the United States. They are FREE, last roughly 2 hours long, and give any amateur weather enthusiasts or chasers a great foundation! If you need help finding a class nearest to you, please don't hesitate to comment below or send me a message. I would be happy to help point you in the right direction! If you already missed the nearest course to you, but you would still like to attend or have some spotter training, there is an online resource available, but I ONLY suggest this as a last resort. You can find a link to that here.
Some other safety things to keep in mind include never driving over downed powerlines, never driving across or into flooded roadways, and be smart when it comes to lightning. With the technology we have today, there is no reason to risk getting struck by lightning and potentially dying. Use a remote if you have to.
2) Have a Chase Partner
Make sure you never chase alone! Always bring a trusted colleague with you so one of you can focus on driving while the other one focuses on tracking the storm and navigating. As you may learn in a spotter training course, make sure you always have multiple escape routes, both north/south and east/west, to ensure you never get trapped or stuck in a dangerous situation. This is why I urge you to attend a spotter training because they will teach you what to look for in order to keep yourself safe in the field and keep you out of a dangerous situation. Don’t chase in areas with lots of hills, trees, or bodies of water. These obstacles can obstruct your view of the storm or hamper your escape routes, putting you in some potentially dangerous situations.
3) Don’t Chase After Dark
Once the sun sets, you will no longer be able to see what is going on except between flashes of lightning or maybe a power flash [which occurs when a tornado is knocking down powerlines or powerlines are being blown over by very strong winds]. Once it is dark, your chase is over. Just because the chase is over, doesn't mean the photo opportunities are over though! Once the sun sets, I often let the storm track past me, and if I need to continue to track in the same direction the storm is going to go back home or to my hotel, I will slowly follow it from behind. This could also be a great opportunity to try to capture safe lightning photos. Also, please keep an eye out for storm damage and flash flooding. I will say this again because it is very important, never to drive across downed power lines or through a flooded roadway. Again, lightning safety is a must if you are thinking of capturing some stunning lightning photographs. Never sit under a tree or outside your vehicle if lightning is occurring around or above you. The best lightning photos are taken from a distance.
4) Radar is a Must!
When it comes to the physical tracking of storms, I use the phone app RadarScope, which is available across all phone platforms. I have a pro or a paid version that I combine with a weather data subscription called AllisonHouse that allows me to get additional data like storm reports/observations, and watches/warnings. Then for navigation, I simply use satellite on Google maps. I personally prefer to stay on paved roads over gravel roads, since there is an increased risk of getting stuck if those roads get wet during heavy rain.
