What equipment do storm chasers use?

Equipment used by storm chasers can range from basic (digital camera, cell phone) to amazing custom-built machines and research devices (TIV2, Doppler On Wheels).

Can you make a living storm chasing?

Some people do become a storm chaser full time, they sell date, photos, and video recordings to media agencies to make their income. They have to invest a lot of what they make into travel, equipment, and legal costs. If there are no storms, they don’t make any money.

What do storm chasers chase?

Storm chasers do exactly what it sounds like: they chase storms. These people chase various types of weather events, from tornadoes to thunderstorms, running after them with their equipment, tracking, recording and saving information they gather along the way.

How do storm chasers stay safe?

These chasers pull off main roads (off the shoulder if the terrain allows, or parking in a lot or apron), and set up their cameras away from the road. Safe chasers strive to learn all they can about storms before they begin chasing. They try to avoid core-punching, as if such acts could win a badge of courage.

What do storm chasers use to track storms?

Radar maps guide the team to the storm’s location. They drive in an armored truck filled with weather instruments. They place sensors called turtles on the ground in the path of the storm. The turtles will gather data from inside the storm.

Do you need a degree to be a storm chaser?

Requirements to Become a Storm Chaser If you want to chase storms as a job, you will likely go into meteorology or weather service. Hobbyists won’t need to worry as much about requirements. Professional storm chasers will likely need a bachelor’s degree in atmospheric science or meteorology.

How much does a storm chaser car cost?

According to the site StormChase.us, in a year, a typical freelance storm chaser can expect to spend $5,000 on equipment, $6,200 on vehicle costs, $1,500 for hotels and food, and $1,000 for a cell phone and data plan, which comes to a total of $13,700.

What degree does a storm chaser need?

Professional storm chasers will likely need a bachelor’s degree in atmospheric science or meteorology. This is a good starting point. Gaining some hands-on experience will also help. It’s also helpful to be very tech-savvy.

How safe is tornado chasing?

You do not try to get into, or even close, to a tornado but rather try to stay at a safe distance. Even experienced storm chasers can still get surprised and killed by a tornado, as was the unfortunate case in the El Reno-tornado in 2013. This is, fortunately, extremely rare.