Resources
Radar & Forecast Tools
A practical, beginner-friendly guide to the tools storm chasers use to monitor storms in real time—plus what each product is best for and what to watch out for.
Core tools
Your “daily driver” toolkit
These three categories cover most real-world chasing decisions: where storms are, what they’re doing now, and what they’re likely to do next.
How to read radar safely
Make better decisions with fewer surprises
Radar is powerful—but it’s not a windshield. Use it to anticipate hazards, not to justify risky positioning.
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Know what radar can’t see
Beam height increases with distance, and low-level features can be missed far from the site. Treat “no return” as “unknown,” especially at long range.
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Use velocity with context
Rotation signatures can be noisy. Compare multiple tilts, check storm motion, and look for persistence before assuming a tornado threat.