Reed timmer

Reed Timmer is an American meteorologist and one of the world’s most prolific storm chasers. Born March 17, 1980, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he developed a passion for severe weather as a child after experiencing intense storms, including a hailstorm that destroyed a family camera when he was about 13. He studied meteorology at the University of Oklahoma, earning both a bachelor’s degree and a Ph.D. in 2015. His doctoral research focused on agroclimate variability and its effects on crop yields. While in school he began actively chasing storms, filming his first tornado in 1998. Timmer rose to national fame as a star of Discovery Channel’s Storm Chasers (2008–2011), where he and his team used heavily armored vehicles known as the Dominators to intercept tornadoes at close range. He has documented well over 1,000 tornadoes and dozens of hurricanes, including historic events such as the 1999 Bridge Creek–Moore EF5, the 2011 Super Outbreak, the 2013 El Reno tornado, Hurricane Katrina, and Category 5 Hurricane Ian. He is among the few people to have filmed both an EF5 tornado and a Category 5 hurricane. Beyond television, Timmer has worked with AccuWeather and Oklahoma City’s KFOR-TV, published the book Into the Storm (2010), and continues field research with instruments, probes, drones, and rockets launched from his vehicles. He frequently lectures on severe-weather science and safety, maintains a large social-media presence sharing real-time chase footage and educational content, and remains active on the road with Team Dominator. Through decades of extreme fieldwork, Timmer has combined scientific curiosity with public outreach, helping advance understanding of severe storms while emphasizing the importance of preparedness and respect for the power of nature.