Dylan's Storm Journal
Field notes from an amateur storm chaser living in the golden tornado belt — storm prep, supercell breakdowns, and the occasional 2 AM radar rant.
The Golden Hour Go-Bag: What I Keep in My Truck (Even on Clear Days)
Everyone talks about go-bags like you're prepping for the apocalypse. Mine fits under the passenger seat and has saved me from three very uncomfortable evenings already this season.
SupercellsMesocyclone 101: How I Learned to Stop Panicking and Love the Hook Echo
The first time I saw a hook echo on radar I thought my phone was broken. Turns out the atmosphere was just doing supercell things.
Storm BasicsWatch vs. Warning: A Love Letter to the NWS (and My Confused Neighbors)
Every spring, someone on my street grills during a tornado watch and then panics during a severe thunderstorm warning. We need to talk.
Chasing LifeWhy I Won't Chase the Wall Cloud (Yet): A Novice's Rules of the Road
Storm chasing looks legendary on YouTube. On County Road 62 it looks like twelve trucks blocking a farm gate. I made myself some rules.
SupercellsThe Supercell Checklist: 7 Signs That Storm Means Business
Not every mean-looking cloud is a supercell. But when you see these seven things together, I stop taking photos and start taking shelter seriously.
Tornado AlleyTornado Season in Oklahoma: A Calendar From Someone Who Checks Radar at 2 AM
We don't really have a tornado day on the calendar. We have a tornado season that starts when the wind shifts and my weather radio becomes furniture again.
Storm PrepShelter Smarts: Interior Room, Basement, or Bathtub?
Internet debates love the basement vs. bathtub discourse. Here's the boring, effective truth from someone who's done all three.
Storm PrepDixie Alley Hits Different: Storm Prep When Trees Are Everywhere
Out here on the plains you can see a storm from miles away. Down south, the tornado is behind the treeline until it's not.