In the Wake of Twisters' Release, It's Time For A Reset
It's time for the community to embrace a more positive vision of what this all looks like.
As someone who has pursued major weather events for two decades, I have seen many different eras in this space. The era coming up in the wake of Twisters will be completely new as well. Change is not bad, and I think it’s a good time for folks pursuing storms to talk more openly about responsible storm documentation.
Twisters relies on drama between chase teams to help set a fundamental conflict to drive the story forward, but that isn’t how it has to be in real-life.
In my recently released video (above), I delve into the mental health challenges and pressures of the storm chasing the community’s competitive nature. I’m stepping away from the relentless pursuit of storm chasing driven by fear of missing out (FOMO) and the constant pressure to deliver spectacular results.
This conversation is important, and we’ll be having it pretty regularly as we move into an era where we’ll undoubtedly be seeing a massive influx of passionate people in the field. It has never been more critical to discuss defining a healthy relationship with storm chasing, prioritizing well-being, and enjoying the process rather than feeling compelled to chase every storm.
I think it’s not surprising that we’re kind of the anti-chase everything crew. Everyone on the team holds full-time jobs and does this as a passion side-project. Almost everyone who documents storms will come at it from a similar place. There’s nothing wrong with that approach.
Taking breaks, setting realistic goals, and chasing for personal enjoyment and curiosity is crucial to this being something that is an add-on to your life, and to the communities we visit. I hope to encourage others to embrace a more balanced and fulfilling approach to storm chasing, free from the stress and burnout that often accompany the mentality that comes with the need never to miss a single setup. It’s not sustainable long term for almost everyone.
Remember: It’s okay to step back, breathe, and appreciate the incredible moments you witness without constantly feeling the pressure to compete.