Chase lifestyle
Storm chase off-season
After the season ends in June, chasers have 10 months of nothing. Or do they? Here's what serious chasers do to stay sharp.
The reality
US Great Plains tornado season peaks March-June. After that, activity moves to other regions or drops off. That leaves 8-10 months without significant chases.
Some chasers hibernate. Some chase elsewhere. Some spend the off-season getting better at chasing. Here are options.
July - August: Northern Plains and Northeast
- Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin can produce late-season events.
- High Plains supercells in July around Colorado, Wyoming.
- Landspouts on Front Range peak.
- Northeast US: rare but photogenic events.
- Chase population dispersed — target zones less crowded.
September - November: Late season
- Fall tornado season Dixie Alley.
- Hurricane-spawned tornadoes on East Coast landfalls.
- Occasional supercells in Southeast.
- Fall lightning photography opportunities.
- MCS remnants.
- Frost photography for landscape chasers.
December - February: Winter storm chase
Winter tornadoes
Dixie Alley Nov-Jan sees genuine outbreaks.
Ice storms
Dangerous but photogenic.
Blizzards
Ground blizzards, whiteouts.
Nor'easters
Coastal storms.
Lake effect snow bands
Buffalo, Erie.
Aurora chasing
Northern Plains has clear dark skies.
Chasing Southern Hemisphere
Argentina Nov-Mar.
Australia
Sep-Mar chase season.
The case-study winter
The best chasers spend winters analyzing past events.
- Pick 5-10 major chase days from your year.
- Download archived model runs.
- Download archived radar loops.
- Reconstruct your target choice.
- Compare to what actually happened.
- Identify decision points.
- Note lessons learned.
- Write up findings.
- Share with chase community.
Gear projects
Vehicle modifications
Time-lapse rig, dashcam upgrades, radio installs.
Photography workflow
Lightroom preset library, backup archives.
Chase kit organization
Rebuild bags, replace expired items.
Radio antenna install
Mag mount vs NMO through-roof.
Computer upgrades
Faster laptop for radar apps.
Solar setup
Solar / battery for extended stationary chase.
Drone upgrades
Firmware, new batteries, propellers.
Continuing education
Skywarn refresher
Free NWS training.
Advanced Skywarn
Certification bump.
Ham radio license
Technician or General.
Skew-T interpretation course
MET School YouTube.
EMDR training
For mental resilience.
Stop the Bleed
Free 90-min medical training.
CPR certification
$35 online.
SPC Convective Meteorology course
Online academic.
Photography classes
Local college continuing ed.
Videography training
YouTube channels.
The physical
- Chasing is sedentary — long car drives.
- Off-season is when to build cardio.
- Standing time on chase days accumulates.
- Some chasers develop back issues from long drives.
- Off-season strength training pays off.
The financial off-season
- Season costs are $2,000-$5,000 for DIY chaser.
- Off-season is when to save for next.
- Tax planning: business use of vehicle if commercial.
- Equipment purchases in off-season (best prices).
- Chase insurance can be canceled and re-instated.
- Track expenses for potential deductions.
Community
ChaserCon
Annual chaser conference. Denver typically.
Weather Chase Groupmet
Various chapters nationwide.
Local ham radio club
Skywarn overlap.
Online forums
stormtrack.org, various Facebook groups.
AMS annual meeting
For academic-adjacent chasers.
Local NWS coffee hours
Some WFOs host.
Chase writing
- Blog your season.
- Write case studies.
- Update chase log with lessons.
- Photo essays.
- YouTube analysis.
- Instagram thematic posts.
- Book pitch if you have material.
Rest
Some chasers burn out from year-round intensity. Off-season is when to actually rest.
- Not everything has to be productive.
- Take non-weather vacations.
- Cultivate non-chaser friendships.
- Read fiction unrelated to storms.
- Watch movies without meteorology.
- Sleep normal hours.
- This makes the next season sustainable.