Jenny’s fascination with weather began in childhood. Though she grew up in Houston, TX, Jenny spent considerable time on her family’s ranch 60 miles southwest of the city. “My grandmother played a pivotal role in sparking my early interest in severe weather – she explained various seasonal weather patterns that shaped our crops and cattle operations.” This resulted in Jenny devouring any and every book from local libraries on clouds, tornadoes, hurricanes, and other weather phenomena. “In first grade, I proudly announced that I wanted to be a meteorologist. Unfortunately, my enthusiasm far outpaced my talent for mathematics, despite countless hours of effort and tutoring—but the passion for weather never left me,” she shared. Enthusiasm being curbed by math and science struggles is more common than many are willing to admit in the weather community. Fortunately, there are various avenues to pursue meteorological passions outside of academics. Jenny remained curious and engaged by cutting out the newspaper’s daily weather charts and turning the clippings into a flip book. She used this creation to track cold fronts, warm fronts, highs, and lows across the nation.

Jenny continued to foster her passion for weather by attending a Skywarn Storm Spotter class hosted by the Fort Worth National Weather Service in early 2012. It was there she met David Reimer, owner of Texas Storm Chasers. “I had already been following their work on Facebook for about a year, so when David asked if I’d be interested in helping with social media updates, I immediately said yes,” Jenny recalled. That opportunity opened the door for Jenny, and before long she was asking, ‘Hey, can I chase with you sometime?’ Soon after, Jenny purchased her first DSLR camera and studied every online tutorial she could find on manual photography before hitting the road with David that spring. Just weeks later, on April 14, 2012, Jenny’s storm photography journey truly began when she captured the iconic Cherokee, Oklahoma tornado (left). “From that moment, I was hooked—there was no turning back. Storm chasing and photography became what I was meant to do. For the past decade and a half I’ve pursued it passionately, balancing the thrill of the chase with the responsibilities of a full-time job and family life.”

Whether individuals have adopted storm chasing as a full-time career, side hustle, or passion project, they often agree it does not come without challenges. Storm chasing is unpredictable, dangerous, and often results in long hours away from home. However, Jenny’s ‘why’ aided her ability to find balance. “I chase because I love storms, photography, and the thrill of being on the road in the middle of nowhere. There’s also nothing quite like standing with a camera before a towering supercell…something capable of unleashing energy during its lifecycle on par with a nuclear bomb. The experience defies description…it’s a feeling you can only truly understand when you’re there, face-to-face with a beast mode supercell.”

At times, female storm chasers face additional challenges within the community and in the field. Years ago at an Allsup’s in the Texas Panhandle, Jenny chatted with locals while waiting for dryline storms to fire. A question asked by one of the locals she remembers to this day. “’Your husband lets you do that???’ I still laugh when I think about it…he clearly had no idea, and I couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for his wife, if he still had one.” This moment is a reminder of the challenges female storm chasers can face. “They rarely come from the chase itself, but from the perceptions of others,” Jenny shared. The female presence within the community is often highlighted, but it is valuable to note the reactions and stereotypes from non-chasers met along the way are discussed much less.

Inspiration and resilience flourished during Jenny’s most memorable chase on November 16, 2015—the infamous Pampa, Texas nighttime tornado outbreak. This chase marked off two incredible milestones from her bucket list: photographing a breathtaking supercell over Palo Duro Canyon and capturing a nighttime tornado framed by storm structure and stars above. “Thanks to my strategic forecasting and the expert navigation of my chase partner, professional Dallas photographer Justin Terveen, we nailed it. The images both of us captured that night remain not only career highlights but also our top-grossing photographs to this day.”

Seasonal and recreational chasers know all too well that our day jobs are essential for funding the car maintenance, gas, and equipment to experience these bucket list moments. However, Jenny reminded us about a very important point, “Your job is not your life. Don’t sacrifice your passions for your job.” This painful truth hit her during the May 22–26, 2016 tornado outbreak, which included the infamous cyclic supercell that spawned numerous tornadoes west of Dodge City on the 24th. “I had a chase partner lined up, gear ready, and the trip within reach…it could have been a career-defining tornado day. But when I asked for time off, I was shut down with the usual corporate jargon. The so-called “business critical” reason never materialized, and a year later I was laid off anyway.” This experience taught her a lesson she never forgot, “never sacrifice your dreams for an employer who doesn’t value you. Call in sick. Take the PTO. As Eminem says…you only have one shot at this.”

When asked about her top tips for female chasers, Jenny shared 3 top tier nuggets of wisdom:

1. Start by attending your local NWS Skywarn Storm Spotter training sessions. These classes provide essential knowledge for beginners and give you the chance to connect with others who share your passion. From there, focus on learning severe weather forecasting through any resources available…both free and paid. 
2. Don’t feel pressured to invest in flashy gear, expensive cameras, or tricked-out vehicles—light bars and bling won’t attract tornadoes. A simple cell phone or laptop with a signal booster is more than enough to get started safely and effectively. Remember, the best camera is the one you have in your hand! In my view, top-of-the-line equipment only matters if you’re a professional who can write it off as a business expense, or if you plan to sell images online. Start with what you already own, focus on learning your craft, and develop your photography and video skills first. Once you’ve built a solid foundation, then consider investing in higher-end gear.
3. With regard to personal safety, my advice is the same I’d give any woman…trust your gut instincts when it comes to people and situations. I don’t believe the world is quite as dangerous as the media often portrays, but it’s always wise to follow basic safety protocols as you will find yourself on a lot of back roads in the middle of nowhere during your storm chasing adventures.

Jenny’s stories, highlights, and advice clearly exemplify her passion and excitement for storm chasing! If anything she shared piqued your interest, you can connect with Jenny on various social platforms linked below.

www.facebook.com/JennyBrownPhotography
www.instagram.com/jennybrownphotography/
www.facebook.com/TxStormChasers/