• Hurricane Irma (September 10, 2017) – First Hurricane chase of Hurricane Irma as it came ashore as a Category 3 hurricane in Naples Florida (478 Miles)
  • August 5, 2017 – On a supercell that produced a brief tornado just before going linear in SE Kansas (394 Miles)
  • June 29, 2017 – Supercell in Southeast Kansas dies just as we get to it (544 Miles)
  • June 15, 2017 – Severe Storms on our way home from Denver and rescuing Tom & Deb after they flip the Blue Moose (708 Miles)
  • June 13, 2017 – Picturesque Storms near York, NE (490 Miles)
  • June 12, 2017 – Saw tornadoes in both Wyoming and Nebraska and ended up in softball sized hail (514 Miles) 2 tornadoes witnessed2Largest hail observed4.75″Highest wind observed60 mph1 Spotter Network report1
  • May 27, 2017 – On a supercell from birth to dark in Southern Oklahoma (328 Miles)
  • May 19, 2017 – Outflow/Cold front storms in North Texas (560 Miles) 1 Spotter Network report1
  • May 18, 2017 – 4 great Oklahoma tornadoes from Seiling to Waynoka, OK (492 Miles) 4 tornadoes witnessed44 Spotter Network reports4
  • May 16, 2017 – Intense supercell in the Texas panhandle. Wheeler, Texas Tornad (558 Miles) 2 tornadoes witnessed2Largest hail observed2.00″Highest wind observed80 mph4 Spotter Network reports4
  • May 10, 2017 – Storm from Matador to El Dorado (489 Miles) 2 Spotter Network reports2
  • May 9, 2017 – Chasing a cut-off low pattern in the Texas Panhandle produces a tornado near Sudan at dusk (805 Miles) 1 tornado witnessed1Largest hail observed2.00″Highest wind observed50 mph5 Spotter Network reports5
  • April 25, 2017 – Supercell almost produces multiple times after dark (303 Miles)
  • April 21, 2017 – Chased a storm from near Gainesville into the north DFW Metro area with decent structure and hail (457 Miles) Largest hail observed1.25″Highest wind observed60 mph
  • April 16, 2017 – Great lightning show, first trip to the Big Texan (558 Miles)
  • April 15, 2017 – Beautiful supercell near Protection, Kansas (552 Miles) Largest hail observed2.00″2 Spotter Network reports2
  • April 9, 2017 – Blue Sky Bust (221 Miles)
  • April 4, 2017 – Severe Storms in Oklahoma (277 Miles)
  • April 2, 2017 – High Risk Bust in Eastern Texas (1345 Miles)
  • March 28, 2017 – Missed tornadoes near Stamford, TX (593 Miles) Largest hail observed2.75″2 Spotter Network reports2
  • March 26, 2017 – Multiple supercells and multiple tornadoes near Ada, OK (357 Miles) 1 tornado witnessed12 Spotter Network reports2
  • January 22, 2017 – Tornado warned supercell aboard Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas (0 Miles)
  • January 15, 2017 – Ran into baseball sized hail on a supercell near Rocksprings, TX (1218 Miles) Largest hail observed2.75″
  • January 2, 2017 – Linear storms in South Central Mississippi (1498 Miles)

Tornadoes for 2017

  1. Ada – March 26, 2017 – (34.74, -96.64) (EF-0)
  2. Sudan – May 9, 2017 – (34.05, -102.54) (EF-U)
  3. Shamrock/Wheeler – May 16, 2017 – (35.31, -100.37) (EF-1)
  4. Wheeler – May 16, 2017 – (35.50, -100.04) (EF-2)
  5. Seiling Brief Tornado – May 18, 2017 – (36.17, -98.97) (EF-U)
  6. Seiling – May 18, 2017 – (36.23, -98.97) (EF-0)
  7. Chester – May 18, 2017 – (36.45, -98.92) (EF-U)
  8. Waynoka – May 18, 2017 – (36.57, -98.91) (EF-1)
  9. Fort Laramie – June 12, 2017 – (42.19, -104.52) (EF-U)
  10. Harrisburg – June 12, 2017 – (41.49, -103.64) (EF-1)

Chase Statistics for 2017

  • Chase Days: 24
  • Miles Driven: 13,739
  • Number of States Chased: 10
  • Chase Days by State:
    • Oklahoma: 11
    • Texas: 9
    • Kansas: 4
    • Florida: 2
    • Nebraska: 2
    • Colorado: 1
    • Louisiana: 1
    • Mississippi: 1
    • New Mexico: 1
    • Wyoming: 1
  • Spotter Network Reports: 23
  • Average Miles per Chase Day: 572.5
  • Longest Chase: 1,498 miles (January 2, 2017)
  • Windshields Replaced: 1

Convective

  • Chase Days: 23
  • Tornado Days: 5
  • Tornadoes: 10
  • Photogenic Tornadoes: 2
  • Largest Hail Observed: 4.75 in.
  • Highest Wind Observed: 80 MPH
  • Tornado Day Percentage: 21.74% ⓘTornado Days divided by Convective Chase Days — the share of convective chase days that produced at least one witnessed tornado.
  • Tornadoes per Mile: 0.0007 ⓘTotal tornadoes witnessed divided by total miles driven — a rough measure of chasing efficiency. Higher means more tornadoes for the driving effort.
  • Average Miles per Tornado: 1,373.9 ⓘTotal miles driven divided by total tornadoes witnessed — the same ratio as Tornadoes per Mile, just flipped into "miles per tornado" instead of "tornadoes per mile."
  • First Tornado of the Season: March 26
  • Last Tornado of the Season: June 12
  • Busts: 7 ⓘA "Bust" day: storms were expected and something did fire, but the setup underperformed the forecast — a weaker, shorter-lived, or less organized event than anticipated.
  • Blue Sky Busts: 0 ⓘA "Blue Sky Bust" day: nothing fired at all — clear skies despite a forecast that called for storms.
  • Kiss of Death Days: 2 (2–0) ⓘA "Kiss of Death" day: the SPC tornado outlook included a 15% hatched (significant) tornado probability within a Slight, Enhanced, or Moderate risk (Categorical Risk 1–3) — a favorable-looking setup that historically often underperforms relative to the risk level. Shown as days chased (with tornadoes–without).
  • SPC Risk Record: ⓘThe SPC Day 1 outlook risk where the chase actually was (states chased, within 200 miles of the GPS track when there is one) — not the highest risk anywhere in the country that day. Based on 23 of 23 convective chase days with a known risk (chases outside the US are left out).
  • Tornadoes by SPC Tornado Risk: ⓘThe SPC tornado probability right at each tornado's location, from the Day 1 outlook in effect when it happened. When no time was logged, it's estimated from the GPS track, or else assumed to be late afternoon (2 of 10 tornadoes). 0% means the spot was outside even the 2% area.
  • Tornadoes by State:
    • Oklahoma: 5
    • Texas: 3
    • Nebraska: 1
    • Wyoming: 1
  • EF Rating Breakdown: EF-2: 1, EF-1: 3, EF-0: 2, EF-U: 4
  • Storm Modes: Supercell – Classic: 1
  • Best Chase Day: May 18

Hurricanes

  • Hurricane Chases: 1
  • Landfalls Witnessed: 1
  • Storms:
  • Highest Category Witnessed: Category 3
  • Highest Landfall Wind: 110 MPH
  • First Landfall of the Season: September 10