Chase media
Storm chase podcasting
Start a chase podcast. It costs $200 to start, delivers real value to the community, and might grow your brand.
The starter kit
Microphone
Shure MV7 ($250), Rode PodMic ($99), Audio-Technica AT2020 ($99).
Interface
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 ($200), Zoom H6 handheld ($350).
Headphones
Sony MDR-7506 ($100), Audio-Technica ATH-M40x ($100).
Software
Audacity (free), Reaper ($60), Adobe Audition ($20/mo).
Hosting
Buzzsprout ($12/mo), Anchor (free), Libsyn ($15/mo).
Music
Epidemic Sound ($15/mo), free from YouTube library.
Website
WordPress ($5/mo), Squarespace ($16/mo).
Total start
$200-$500.
The format
Solo commentary
You talking. Easiest. Requires discipline.
Interview format
Guests every episode. Growing potential.
Chase recap
Analyze recent chase days.
Educational
Explain concepts to newcomers.
Panel discussion
Multiple hosts.
Storytelling
Narrative pieces about historic events.
Q&A
Community questions.
The episode length
- 15-30 min: podcast for newcomers.
- 30-60 min: standard chase podcast.
- 60-90 min: deep dives.
- 2+ hours: risk of attrition.
- Consistency matters more than length.
- Pick a length and stick with it.
The publishing cadence
- Weekly during season (March-June).
- Bi-weekly off-season.
- Skip weeks if quality would suffer.
- Batch record when possible.
- Regular schedule matters for retention.
- Publish same day each week.
The content pipeline
- Topic list — always 10-20 in queue.
- Research 2-3 hours per episode.
- Outline talking points.
- Record 30-60 min.
- Edit 1-2 hours.
- Publish and promote.
- Analyze downloads.
- Iterate based on feedback.
Getting guests
- Start with fellow chasers.
- Local NWS personnel.
- University meteorology grad students.
- Emergency management professionals.
- Historical event survivors.
- Legendary chasers (aim high).
- Cross-promote with their audience.
- Prepare thoughtful questions.
- Respect their time.
- Send thank-you afterward.
The specific chase podcast angles
Educational
Chase 101 for newcomers.
Case study
Break down specific chase days.
Historical
Anniversary of major events.
Interview
Community leaders.
Live
During major outbreaks.
Behind-the-scenes
Business of chasing.
Technical
Deep meteorology.
Cultural
Media, movies, community.
Promoting your podcast
- Cross-post to Instagram, YouTube, Twitter.
- Include episode links in email signature.
- Guest on other chase podcasts.
- Attend ChaserCon and other events.
- Send to weather media outlets.
- Ask guests to promote their episode.
- Podcast directory optimization.
- SEO on episode titles and descriptions.
- Consistent branding.
Monetization
Under 5k downloads/episode
Not much beyond value to community.
5-10k downloads
Sponsor test — chase gear companies.
10-50k
Real advertising.
Patreon
Subscription content.
Merchandise
Podcast branded gear.
Live events
Recorded at chase conferences.
Book potential
If you build authority.
Not the reason to start
Reach out of love, not money.
The best chase podcasts to study
Weather Geeks
Marshall Shepherd. Interview-driven.
Chase Chatter
Chaser-focused.
The Storm
Anthology approach.
AccuWeather podcast
Consumer weather.
AMS podcast series
Academic-adjacent.
Various YouTube-adjacent
Ryan Hall, Reed Timmer for cross-format model.
Common mistakes
- Starting too complicated.
- Buying $2000 mic before you know if you'll continue.
- Inconsistent posting.
- Not editing enough.
- Not promoting.
- Ignoring feedback.
- Copying other podcasts too closely.
- Selling out too early.
- Giving up before growth compounds.
The realistic timeline
Year 1
Learn technical, find voice, 100-1000 downloads.
Year 2
Refine style, grow audience, 1k-5k downloads.
Year 3
Established, some monetization, 5k-20k downloads.
Year 5
Top-tier for chase podcasts, 20k+ downloads.
The startup checklist
- Buy mic + headphones + interface.
- Set up recording space (closet with clothes works).
- Learn Audacity or Reaper (free tutorials).
- Record 5 test episodes to hone voice.
- Design cover art.
- Write show description.
- Submit to Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google.
- Publish 3-5 episodes at launch.
- Establish schedule.
- Promote.