Tornado Trackers

Cue the sad trumpet. In this episode of the Tornado Trackers Podcast, the team shares a few examples of when  storm chases did not go according to plan.  From struggling  to even get out the door, to unexpectedly ending up under water, to an ill-timed stomach bug - these are the stories of chases gone bad.

Editor's Note: In this episode we mentioned that there were no High Risk days this year. In fact, there were two:...

On this episode of the Tornado Trackers Podcast, Gabe shares the story behind one of his wildest solo chases ever.  After a day of emotional ups and downs, Gabe finds himself within 50 yards of a multivortex tornado as it begins to move into the town of Selden, KS during the 2021 chase season. The team discusses the importance of having outside perspective during stressful moments, and of persistence when motivation is low. 

In this episode of the Tornado Trackers Podcast, legendary storm chaser Tim Marshall sits down with the team to share about his expansive career in storm chasing and damage assessment that included crossing paths with Dr. Ted Fujita, the creator of the original Fujita Scale. Tim provides amazing stories of chasing tornadoes, including almost being overrun by the Sulphur, OK wedge tornado in 2016.  He also discusses details of the n...

In this episode, the team discusses one of their wildest hurricane intercepts ever: the historic Category 5 Hurricane Michael. The storm, which made landfall in Panama City, FL with 160mph winds, intensified at a frightening speed, catching forecasters and residents off guard.  Jeff and Gabe share what it was like to witness one of the strongest hurricanes to ever hit the United States as it ripped buildings apart directly in front...

Meteorologist, storm chaser and photographer Jessica Moore shares about her journey into storm chasing, photography and the world of NFT's.  Jessica also discusses the debilitating health issues that have plagued her since 2020.  After receiving a heartbreaking diagnosis earlier this year, she was faced with a choice: give up or go all in.  Hear her incredibly inspirational story and how her perspective on storm chasing has dr...

In the premiere episode of the Tornado Trackers Podcast Season 2, the team discusses one of the highlights of the 2021 tornado season. During one of the few chases Jeff was able to join Gabe on, the two drove to north Texas with low expectations on a day that was only slightly conducive for tornadoes. After an encounter with a majestic wild animal, they jokingly determined the day would be a success. But as the afternoon evolved, t...

In the Season Finale of the Tornado Trackers premiere podcast season, the team looks back on the highlights and lowlights of the 2021 Tornado Season and discuss what diving in to the podcast world has meant to them.

• Happy, TX Tornado (Max Olson's intercept): https://youtu.be/BjR7uw7XYW8
• Abernathy, TX tornadoes (Gabe's first chase): https://youtu.be/5v5rkYigOvk
• Lockett, TX tornadoes (Jeff's firs...

On this episode of the Tornado Trackers Podcast, Aerospace Engineer Nick Underwood joins us to talk about the role of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Hurricane Hunters. Equipped with instrumentation, these aircraft and crew members fly into hurricanes to gather data used in life-saving forecasts issued by the National Hurricane Center. Nick discusses his particular role aboard the P-3 Orions, his journey ...

The Tornado Trackers team dives into their first hurricane podcast episode as they break down the story behind being trapped outside in the eyewall of Hurricane Delta. The Category 2 storm made landfall in Southern Louisiana during the hyperactive, record-breaking 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season. Through excessive use of the word "unnerving", Jeff and Gabe describe how a flat tire forced them to hide behind buildings in do...

A strong believer in experiencing the atmosphere from the inside of a mobile weather radar, Dr. Karen Kosiba has participated as a radar operator, project scientist, and project leader in a multitude of scientific field projects utilizing the DOW (Doppler on Wheels) for studying tornadoes, hurricanes and wildfires.

In this episode, Dr. Kosiba shares war stories from the field where she and her team battled the elements to...

Our guest this week is meteorologist and storm chaser Kathryn Prociv. Kathryn is the weather producer for NBC news where she works closely with Al Roker and supports the flagship shows of the TODAY Show and Nightly News with Lester Holt. Prior to working at NBC News, Kathryn spent five years as a meteorologist and weather producer at The Weather Channel. There, she produced across all programming platforms including the morning and...

Emmy award winning meteorologist Jim Spencer discusses one of the most memorable day's of his 30-year career in television: May 27, 1997. Known as the Central Texas Tornado Outbreak, the day gave birth to one of Texas' most infamous tornadoes - the Jarrell, TX F5. Jim talks about how what seemed to be a typical severe weather day in Central Texas turned into a "freak of nature" weather event as he relayed warnin...

In Part II of a special two-part series, the Tornado Trackers share Jeff's perspective of the surprise regional tornado outbreak that ravaged Canton, TX on April 29, 2017. After he and Gabe become separated, Jeff finds himself running for his life from a mile-wide EF4 tornado. Just when he thinks he is out of harm's way, a second large tornado touches down leaving him racing to safety again.

In this episode, Jeff...

In Part I of a special two-part series, the Tornado Trackers share one of their most frightening storm chasing experiences during the surprise regional tornado outbreak that ravaged Canton, TX on April 29, 2017. When Gabe's car slides off the road near a mile-wide tornado, he's stuck in a flooded ditch having last seen the now rain-wrapped tornado coming straight for him. The only thing he can do is make a goodbye video t...

Emmy award winning ABC Chief Meteorologist Ginger Zee shares about her journey into the world of storm chasing and broadcast meteorology. After witnessing  the devastation of Hurricane Katrina during her first major storm report, Ginger Zee realized storm stories where about humanity at their core. Hear how reporting on natural disasters has caused her to dig deep into who she is as a person and the purpose behind what she does for...

The Tornado Trackers recount filming a tornado in Fort Stockton, TX on May 17, 2019 during what became the perfect storm chase. On a day where most storm chasers targeted the McCook, Nebraska tornado, Jeff and Gabe were forced to stay close to home and target SW Texas. A slow-moving supercell provided a little bit of everything, from giant hail to incredible storm structure, to a nearly stationary tornado. Everything lined up to cr...

Legendary storm chaser and documentary filmmaker Pecos Hank (Hank Schyma) discusses how the art of storm chasing and video production has enabled him to come alongside scientists to support research and advancements in our understanding of the sky.  

https://youtu.be/y73ZVT56Sz4 Madill, OK close-range tornado video 

https://youtu.be/X3Im2XDoqRo Twister Sisters’ Dalton to Ashby, MN Tornado 

https://youtu.be/15Rdfz1UPJk Red Sprites and ...

Emmy award winning storm chaser and photographer Mike Olbinski joins the Tornado Trackers to talk about the pain of storm chasing. Mike shares personal accounts of failure and success, and the challenges of balancing family life with an evolving storm chasing career.

Mike Olbinski Twitter | Instagram | YouTube  

https://youtu.be/nCWSb9sQWjE The Pain of Storm Chasing 

https://youtu.be/ikezauFFe0w Vorticity (time lapse film) 

https://you...