Storm Chaser - Salary, How To Become, Job Description & Best ...

What is a Storm Chaser?

Duties

Here are the duties you can expect to perform in the storm chaser profession:

• Collect or analyse valuable research and information about extreme weather patterns for better advanced warnings to prevent casualties.
• Collaborate with a team and use specialised meteorological testing equipment to take readings and data.
• Monitor weather reports for expected severe conditions in particular areas in a region.
• Take close-up photographs and videos of severe weather with the intent of sharing and selling them with various media agencies.
• Write articles on storm activity, with details such as the severity and direction of a storm from the ground.

Day In The Life

When you take on this fast paced career, you will spend a lot of time traveling the country in search of storms and reporting significant weather activity to appropriate authorities. To survive extreme tornadoes and storms, you need to plan carefully and do your research for the right coverage. Depending on whether it is your hobby or part-time work, you will also take on valuable research to gain specialised knowledge about storm behaviour and detection.

You will coordinate with a team to operate meteorological equipment and accurately track down storms or the worst nature can throw. Part of the work will require keeping up with the latest trends in the industry and investing in forecasting tools (i.e. radar scans, satellite imagery), equipment and travel as needed. Having a second job to supplement their work

Work Schedule And Typical Hours

There are no fixed working hours due to the unpredictability of weather patterns. When you find a report on impending storms, you are expected to reach the scene and take careful notes to share with the local weather station. It is important to note that there are real risks to working as a storm chaser and getting close to storms must only be done with professional expertise, not amateurish enthusiasm. Usually, you will take a team instead of going alone to severe weather areas.

Growth Of The Job

As violent weather occurrences become more frequent, storm chaser roles have great potential. In this job sector, the expected growth rate is relatively standard since 2004. However, employment opportunities in the market have increased to 22.21% across the country, with a growth rate of 3.7% per year. By 2018, demand for those working in the atmospheric or space scientist industry will bring in 2160 new jobs. To advance in this field, you can find field work as a climatologist, meteorologist, scientific researcher and climate journalist.

Typical Employers

You could find work with employers that are interested in keeping the public secure, like Severe Storms Laboratory, National Weather Center, Storm Prediction Center, The Weather Channel, AccuWeather, etc. There are also reputable touring companies that offer others to witness storms and tornados alongside storm chasing professionals, such as Storm Chasing Adventure Tours, Cloud 9 Tours, Silver Lining Tours and Tempest Tours.  While it might take you time to find paid opportunities and you may need to be self-employed, the work is highly rewarding on the adventure quotient.