Reed Timmer: The Education and Career of an Extreme Meteorologist
Reed Timmer, born on March 17, 1980, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is an American meteorologist and storm chaser renowned for his daring pursuit of severe weather events. Timmer's career is a blend of scientific research, media appearances, and entrepreneurial ventures, all driven by a lifelong passion for understanding and documenting extreme weather phenomena.
Early Life and Introduction to Meteorology
Growing up in Western Michigan, Timmer developed an early interest in science, including weather, influenced in part by his mother, who was a middle school science teacher. His fascination with extreme weather intensified after experiencing a hailstorm at age 13. This experience, where he even "destroyed the family video camera in his front yard while being pelted by quarter-size hail in a severe thunderstorm", can be considered his first storm chase. Timmer became an Eagle Scout in 1995, demonstrating his early commitment to discipline, preparation, and service.
Higher Education at the University of Oklahoma
Driven by his passion, Timmer enrolled at the University of Oklahoma (OU) in 1998 to study meteorology and chase storms in Tornado Alley. He earned a B.S. in Meteorology from the University of Oklahoma in 2002. A year later, in 1999, he joined the University of Oklahoma’s storm chasing team. His doctoral research focused on agroclimate variability and its impact on crop yields in the Central and Eastern United States and Southern Canada. In 2015, Timmer completed his Ph.D. in Meteorology from the University of Oklahoma, solidifying his expertise in the field.
Storm Chasing Career
Timmer's storm chasing career began in earnest in 1998 when he filmed his first tornado in Oklahoma. Since then, he has participated in numerous tornado chases, including the 1999 Bridge Creek-Moore tornado, the 2011 Philadelphia, Mississippi and Tuscaloosa-Birmingham tornadoes (part of the 2011 Super Outbreak), and the 2013 El Reno tornado, an EF3 tornado in which he was injured. On May 28, three days before the El Reno tornado, Timmer chased an erratic-moving, EF3 tornado near Bennington, Kansas, which he recalled it as "probably the most powerful, most intimidating tornado that I've ever chased".
Timmer is known for intercepting tornadoes using custom-built, armored tank-like vehicles called the Dominators. The latest model, Dominator 3, is a 9,500-pound, 385-horsepower vehicle equipped with a reinforced body, thick Lexan windows, and gullwing doors to withstand hail. These vehicles allow him to get closer to severe weather events, collecting valuable data from within the heart of storms using state-of-the-art instruments, such as mobile tornado probes. By gathering this data, he has helped improve tornado forecasting and warning systems.
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Timmer has intercepted more than 1,000 tornadoes and 50-plus hurricanes. He is among the few people in history to chase an EF5 tornado and a Category 5 hurricane. His "hands-on" experience with a vast assortment of hazardous weather and natural disasters, as well as his extensive education in the science of meteorology, have made him one of the world’s most respected experts on severe weather forecasting, safety, and survival.
Media Appearances and Public Education
Timmer gained wider recognition for starring in the Discovery Channel reality television series Storm Chasers from 2008 to 2011. The show followed Timmer and his team as they pursued severe weather events across the United States. In 2008, Timmer became the first person in history to capture High Definition video inside a tornado. The eight episode series had a record 19 million viewers during the 2008 season, and was one of the highest rated shows on Discovery Channel. The show's popularity raised awareness about the dangers of severe weather and the importance of preparedness. He also appeared in the documentary film Tornado Glory and the television series Tornado Chasers. He has also appeared on all major news networks, including Good Morning America with Diane Sawyer, CNN with Wolf Blitzer, CBS, NBC, and The Weather Channel.
Timmer is a strong advocate for extreme weather and disaster education, and conducts storm spotter seminars for the National Weather Service, emergency managers, and the general public. Timmer’s commitment to education extends beyond the media. He frequently gives presentations at schools, universities, and community events, sharing his knowledge and experiences with audiences of all ages.
Entrepreneurial Ventures
Timmer is CEO of Weather Fusion, LLC, offering forensic meteorology and consulting services, and extreme weather media. He founded TVN Weather, a company that provides live severe weather video content to media outlets, allowing viewers to witness the power and beauty of extreme weather events from the safety of their homes. His tornado, hurricane, and blizzard footage has been licensed to over 100 production companies and television networks since 1997, and has been seen by 100s of millions of people worldwide on television, internet, and mobile video devices.
Notable Storm Chases and Experiences
Throughout his career, Timmer has witnessed and documented numerous significant weather events. These include:
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- Hurricane Katrina (2005): Timmer experienced Hurricane Katrina, a catastrophic event in U.S. history.
- Hurricane Ike (2008): Reed has also appeared on Discovery Channel’s When Nature Strikes in fall of 2008, which featured his intercept of Hurricane Ike on Galveston Island as a deadly 15 foot storm surge threatened their position on the sea wall.
- Hurricane Harvey (2017).
- 2013 El Reno Tornado: Timmer was injured while chasing this tornado for KFOR-TV, which ultimately killed four storm chasers, including Tim Samaras.
- Bennington, Kansas Tornado (May 2013): Three days before the El Reno tornado, Timmer chased an erratic-moving, EF3 tornado near Bennington, Kansas, which he recalled it as "probably the most powerful, most intimidating tornado that I've ever chased".
While chasing a tornado outbreak associated with the October 2013 North American storm complex in Nebraska, Timmer was hospitalized after suffering a seizure as part of the KFOR-TV weather team.
Recognition and Advocacy
Reed Timmer’s dedication to studying and documenting severe weather events has made him one of the most respected and well-known figures in the field of meteorology. Beyond his storm-chasing activities, Timmer is a passionate advocate for severe-weather preparedness.
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