Chris hopes that through her chase reports and fiction people will learn what storm chasing is really like. “I had a long career in newspapers, and once I got into storm chasing, I used every opportunity I could to write about science, weather and climate change.”  At the same time, Alethea hopes to foster the same love of science she had when she was young. “I hope to challenge my readers to discover all the amazing beauty there is to be found in this world—in both nature and people.”

As Chris’ fascination with storms continued to bloom, she took to the internet for some investigation. “After a longtime obsession with tornadoes, I did a random Internet search for “storm chasing” in 1997 that led me to Cloud 9 Tours. I was thrilled to realize I didn’t have to be a meteorologist or researcher to chase storms. I took the tour in 1997, and it was great in spite of meager weather. It was also kind of funny. It was full of Germans who’d won a “Twister” video sweepstakes and weren’t that interested in chasing. The advantage for me was that I often rode in the lead vehicle and got to ask all the questions I wanted. I was hooked on the experience and the beautiful supercells and landscapes of the Plains. I went back in 1998 and spent two weeks with the tour to get a little more training and spent two weeks chasing on my own. Since then I’ve chased by myself or with friends every year in the Plains and in Florida.”

Alethea’s gateway into the world of storm chasing was very different, comparatively, but Chris did happen to be involved. According to Alethea, “Chris tells this story a little differently, but I promise she made the storm chasing suggestion first… We were working in a local coffee shop one afternoon in 2018, and she was probably just being polite while telling me a story about her storm chasing adventures, but I warned her that I am a writer and would NEVER pass up an opportunity like that! I went home, canceled all my convention appearances for May, and stuck a Post-it on my calendar that said STORM CHASING. Then I hounded Chris until she realized I was serious. Luckily, we made an excellent team!”

When asked why they chase and what keeps bringing them back for more, both Chris and Alethea had common sentiments. “I love that storm chasing is about following the weather and traveling at the whims of nature,” Chris shared. “ There’s a freedom to that and a chance for all kinds of charming discoveries on the road. While I’m not a scientist, I have a lot of scientific curiosity and learn something from every storm. And there’s nothing like that moment when you’ve made the right forecast and get in a position to capture great images. Even better, I’ve made lifelong friends I look forward to seeing on the road. We’re friends outside of chasing, too. The adventure, the fun times, the car troubles, the disasters, the ephemeral moments in front of a storm—they’re all bonding experiences. Chasing has enriched so much of my life. It inspires me as a photographer and gave me fuel for my storm-chasing novels. Chasing has become more crowded and more complex, but I still love the storms. It’s different every time, so it never gets old.” Similarly, Alethea expressed how much she loves seeing the beauty of everything, from enormous, dynamic skies to precious moments of small town Middle America. “I love how great my chemistry is with Chris—from singing in the car and talking publishing shop to filming our hilarious little videos and performing dramatic readings of Yelp reviews—we make our own fun! I love the adventures of the road, good and bad, and the freedom of literally being forced to go wherever the wind takes us. I love the international community of chasers I have met and stayed friends with over the years. I even love that I will always be the least knowledgeable person in our circle of friends with regard to both meteorology and photography. There is always so much for me to learn, and I love soaking that all in.”

While beauty, adventure, and growth have been motivating factors for many out on the roads, it is clear there is a history of not so beautiful interactions or perceptions that come from being a woman who storm chases. “When you’re a woman in the sciences (I majored in Chemistry with a concentration in Marine Science), you often find yourself surrounded by men,” Alethea points out. “Publishing, conversely—especially in the romance and kidlit genres—is dominated by women (despite who ends up going home with the awards, but that’s another discussion). Those are very different dynamics.” Chris adds, “Alethea and I chase together now, but I have been lucky to have a few amazing chase partners over the years who are women. She and I are both writers — I’ve published the Storm Seekers Series, and she’s written a great novel for younger readers called EMBER AND THE STORM WITCH, book one of the Oz or Bust series (releasing soon) — so we approach the hobby with that perspective.” Alethea feels she has been afforded a unique opportunity by teaming up with Chris, since she was already so well-known and beloved by other veteran chasers. “I was able to slide right back into that world of crazy genius men (you do have to be a little crazy to do this thing), but I was thrilled to see just how many crazy genius women (just like me!) were also part of this community. And if my being a storm chaser ever ends up inspiring someone else, well, that’s just a bonus!”

When Chris first started storm chasing, she didn’t want to be judged as a woman, but accepted as a chaser who knows what she is doing (or getting there). “I’m a work in progress, but learning from mistakes is part of the experience. I think outsiders look at storm chasing and get the notion of who we are based on extreme stuff they’ve seen on TV or in social media. Not every woman or every chaser is the same, but a variety of perspectives enriches the chaser community as a whole. There’s room for art and science and fun and a quiet appreciation of nature, too.” She reflects that female chasers can be invisible in a group or not taken seriously, but with more women chasing this is starting to change. Still, Chris recalls a time when she has been mansplained to on the side of the road by guys who have not been chasing as long as she has. “I’m absolutely open to advice – I buttonholed every chaser I met when I started, and most of them were guys. They gave me tips on data and strategy that really helped me. But I appreciate it when there isn’t an assumption that a “girl” is clueless. On the practical side, I’m extra-conscious of safety and security while on the road.” Alethea recalled the first time she was ever mansplained to and thought it was hilarious! “When my friends realized what had just happened, I had to stop them from going after the guy (my storm chase family is pretty amazing). I am perfectly aware of how little knowledge I have. I’ve even been accused of being a “phone chaser,” but you know…fans on social media are a lot less picky about certain things, and it’s my fans who enable me to do this thing that I love so much. What other people think of me has never defined me or my fun. I’m not a storm chaser who writes, I’m a writer who storm chases. Every time something like that happens, I am just reminded that a little kindness goes a long way.”

Through all Chris and Alethea’s experiences, valuable lessons have been acquired along the way. From Chris’ view, “it would have been nice to instantly have all the experience I have now so I could read storms better, but that’s not the way it works, and getting the experience is half the fun. I do wish I’d had the confidence and knowledge to get closer to some of the early storms I chased, but I’m not a zero-metering kind of chaser. I love a beautiful wide shot and storm structure.” Having been Chris’ chase partner, Alethea realizes what a HUGE risk Chris took by letting her come on a chase. “2018 was such a difficult “chasing scraps” season—I think there were bets going on when I would bail on chasing completely and fly home( which was never an option). But in a way, I’m glad I didn’t know. 2018 was a perfect introduction. It made me appreciate the next year when everyone got to meet up in Tornado Alley (2019) even more, and the year every storm was gorgeous (2021), and the year the storms died so we went chasing the aurora borealis and then STILL got to see multiple tornadoes on the ground at the same time (2024).” More humorously, Alethea shared that she wishes she could forecast her way out of a paper bag and knew how to edit photos well enough to appear in a wall calendar, “goals”! Who knows…. Maybe we will see Alethea on an upcoming Girls Who Chase calendar sometime in the future! 😉

Tips and tricks are always welcome and according to Chris, a great place to start is taking a basic storm-spotting class from the National Weather Service. If you happen to live in an area where there are other storm chasers, reach out and network with them. “Nothing beats actually chasing,” Chris comments. “Ideally, start out with someone who has experience. However, it’s rare that a chaser you don’t know will just take you along; chasing can be stressful and challenging, and not everyone wants that responsibility. A storm-chasing tour was a great initiation for me. I highly recommend it if you have that option. Watch chase videos and learn about the storms. There are tons of resources online now!” Alethea agrees that you should learn as much as you can before you go but there will always be more to learn. Alethea notes, “be prepared for marathon sitting, and for missing every dinner when the chase goes well. Hydrate purposefully, but carefully. Choose your friends wisely. Support local small businesses whenever you can.”

As much time as chasers spend in the field, there always end up being stories about their favorite and/or most memorable chases. Chris emphasized that a few different cases stood out, but the most memorable was a solo chase on 9 May 2016 in Katie, Oklahoma¹. “I filmed a tornado from one spot for twenty-five minutes as it developed from a multivortex to a fat, violent EF4 with stunning visibility the entire time, and it passed quite close to me. Unfortunately, it was a deadly tornado, as I learned later.” Alethea maintained, “There are so many! This is why I had to write a book about it. (And why Chris has written three!) One of my favorite stories to tell is from my first year, 2018. After 2–3 days of chasing storms in the mountains of New Mexico, we drove 12 hours into Colorado…to miss a tornado right where we had been in New Mexico. I asked my new friend Dayna, “am I allowed to be mad now?” She said yes, so I went to sit in the car and write about the experience in my journal while the others commiserated. When I rejoined them, Dayna asked gently, “did you cry?” I still laugh just thinking about that day. I was there for the experience! Quitting was never an option for me. But they didn’t know that…” This memory from Alethea is so relatable to many in the chase community because we have all been there at one point or another.

In closing, Chris reminds us to keep an open mind, be true to yourself, and do what makes you happy even if others look askance at your pursuits. “It also helps to be stubborn and keep chasing even when it doesn’t go the way you want. The hardest thing is to learn to fail with grace and move forward; I’m still working on that.” Alethea adds that for anyone interested in writing children’s books, start with the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), of which she is a member. Additionally, for those more into storms chasing, “listen to everything Chris says.” If you ever want to follow their adventures on social media, check out the hashtag #OzOrBust. Aside from the hashtag, you can find Chris and Alethea on social media using the various links listed below.

1. https://www.chriskridler.com/2016/05/stunning-chase/ ↩︎