50 Best Amateur Meteorology Blogs
Most of us use the weather as a foolproof standby topic whenever a conversation stalls. For some people, though, weather is more than mere filler. These meteorology buffs photograph clouds, scrutinize precipitation maps, and chase tornadoes in the pursuit of their hobby. Many have started up their own blogs to share their enthusiasm for weather science and research.
We’ve combed the blogosphere and picked 50 of today’s best amateur meteorology blogs. Full of earnest curiosity and covering a wide variety of weather-related subjects, these blogs are sure to pique your interest in the science behind rain, sun, snow, and everything in between.
Top Five
- Green Sky Chaser: Rebekah LaBar mixes storm chasing adventures with milder subjects in this vibrant, readable blog.
- Why We Love It: LaBar has been interested in science of all kinds since childhood, and we love that her enthusiasm for her chosen field - meteorology -- shines through in this blog. She expertly combines weather research and predictions with stories of storm chasing and colorful photography.
- Favorite Post: Chase #4 Review: Bagged My First 2011 ‘Nado!
- Prairiestorm Media: Andrew Pritchard describes his adventures as a storm-chasing student with undisguised enthusiasm.
- Why We Love It: Pritchard is only midway through earning his bachelor's in meteorology, but he's already got a firm handle on the science. We find his writing friendly and personal, replete with little details about his travels chasing storms around the Midwest, and his photos provide excellent eye candy.
- Favorite Post: Overlooked Photos Finale
- Ramblings of a Graduate Student: From cyclones to temperature records, climate to pressure systems, this blog has a post for dozens of weather-related topics. Blogger Patrick Marsh breaks down the science into explanations easily understood by the layperson.
- Why We Love It: Far from being "ramblings," Marsh's posts provide well-constructed insights into the science of meteorology. The "Questions of the Week" are a great feature.
- Favorite Post: Smoke Plumes and Temperature Inversions
- Words: This blog is rife with detailed stories of tornado chasing in the American Midwest. Paul Hadfield includes tips on photography along with his fantastic shots.
- Why We Love It: Despite the cryptic title, this site is a real gem of a meteorology blog. Hadfield's stories of chasing and photographing storms are a blend of intensity and humor.
- Favorite Post: New Year's Eve Outbreak
- Storm Visuals: Storm chaser, photographer, and videographer Jeff Gammons shares his images and clips of mild and extreme weather alike.
- Why We Love It: Decorated with videos and breathtaking photographs complementing compelling stories, we're convinced Gammons blog is a must-visit for anyone interested in meteorology.
- Favorite Post: Night Lightning Display After Busy Storm Day
The Rest of the Best
- Big Sky Convection: Dann Cianca seems to be always out on the road. He documents his travels on his blog, mixing outdoor photography with his unabashed passion for meteorology.
- Blog of Scott Weberpal: This up-and-coming blog centers around images of all kinds of weather. We could spend all day perusing these outstanding photographs!
- Chad Cowan's Severe Weather Blog: Chad Cowan does a terrific job in his blog describing storms and severe weather without overdoing the technical language of meteorology.
- CIMSS Satellite Blog: This blog showcases meteorological satellite images from around the United States, explaining the science behind each picture or animation.
- Climate Change: Professor Rood writes on the science of climate change and how (and why) it affects the weather around us.
- Clouds 365 Project Blog: Imagine dedicating a full year to cloud photography. Kelly DeLay has done just that with his Clouds 365 Project, and the results are awe-inspiring.
- Cyclone Road: This storm chaser clearly has a talent for storytelling. He brings the reader straight into the action, supplementing the written word with wonderful photographs.
- Dan's Wild Wild Science Journal: You won't find "junk science" here... meteorologist Dan Satterfield is committed to making peer-reviewed earth science accessible and interesting.
- Dick McGowan's Storm Chasing + Photography Blog: Videos, adventure travel, and award-worthy photographs decorate this tornado chaser's blog.
- Dr. Jeff Masters' WunderBlog: The founder of the organization The Weather Underground blogs here about recent extreme weather events. He supplements his writing with plenty of relevant photos and maps.
- East Texas Skies: Meteorologist Grant Dade interprets satellite and radar data here, transforming them from esoteric images to easy-to-understand maps.
- HamWX: Weather. Photography. Mishmash: The title says it all: Miller mixes weather and photography with a bit of random blogging. The result is a successful combination of radar maps, weather predictions, and beautiful pictures.
- High Plains Drifter: Mike Umscheid chronicles his exploits chasing twisters, supplementing maps and stories with powerful photography.
- In the Vortex: From "Weather 101" to accounts of chasing extreme storms, this meteorology blog has it all.
- Into The RFD: A relatively new blog, "Into the RFD" blends info on extreme weather with vivid photos of calmer phenomena.
- Iowa Chaser: Mike Cox writes and photographs his encounters with extreme weather events in the Midwest.
- Jeff's Weather Blog: After a year-long hiatus, Jeff's blog is back in action, and we're glad he has returned! From tropical storms and hurricanes to analyses of summer temperatures in New York, Jeff covers a variety of weather-related subjects.
- Loaded Gun Chasing Blog: Despite the somewhat threatening title, we like this blog for its casual but dedicated approach to storm chasing.
- LRandyB's Tropical Weather Discussion: This blogger's background in aviation is undeniably an asset to this hurricane-focused weather blog.
- Meteorological Musings: Mike Smith literally wrote the book on tornado and storm warnings. In his blog, he keeps his eye on radar maps, watching out for impending severe weather
- Midwest Chasers: Lightning and storm photography dominates this blog. The result is an elegant presentation of the beauty of severe weather.
- More Grumbine Science: Although this blog is about a variety of scientific topics, not just meteorology, we like it for its well-written explanations and family-friendly tone.
- Moving Pictures: Allen Detrich's blog is packed with eye-catching images of all kinds of weather, as well as general-interest photographs.
- Northwest Weather: Think weather in the Pacific Northwest is just rain, rain, rain all the time? Think again. Blogger Aaron Hill expertly navigates the science of meteorology in the NW and beyond.
- Passion Twist: Plenty of facts about the thrill of the chase -- along with the little details that characterize a storm chaser's life -- brings the extreme weather stories on this blog to life.
- Pod Weather: This audio blog features podcasts on all sorts of kinds of weather (and, for some reason, psychics and paranormal activity...).
- Rotating Gyre: These bite-size posts provide a snapshot into the life of an extreme weather chaser.
- Sdstormchase's Blog: With honesty and a touch of wit, Marc Hicks describes his storm chasing experiences. He doesn't shy away from admitting his mistakes, and the blog is all the better for that.
- Shear Instability: Stunning photography is the hallmark of this daredevil tornado chaser's blog.
- Skytracker 7 Meteorologist Jay Webb's Blog: Get a behind-the-scenes look at a meteorology newsroom with Jay Webb's blog.
- Southern Weather Brigade: Follow the intrepid Southern Weather Brigade as they chase storms across the southern corner of the United States.
- Storm Chaser Journal: Diehard storm hunter Warren Faidley chronicles his action-packed travels on his blog here.
- Storm Chaser: News, Blog, and Recent Events: Self-proclaimed "Explorer/Adventurer and Storm Chaser" George Kourounis documents severe weather and climate change around the globe.
- Storm Highway: Gripping photography of extraordinary weather is the star of this blog by storm chaser Dan Robinson.
- Storm Skies: Get your fix of storm panoramas at this colorful photoblog.
- The Front Page: This well-researched, intelligent blog surveys meteorological phenomena from around the globe.
- The Weather Blog: An aptly named blog showcasing everything from satellite maps to weather predictions and weather reports from around the United States.
- The Weather Guy: Michael Detwiler, the Weather Guy, posts daily about meteorological happenings, largely in the Tennessee area.
- Tonight's Sky: Photography and video of beautiful, intense weather phenomena adorn with storm chaser's blog.
- TornadoPix: Use the maps posted here by Greg Blumberg and Andrew Ryan to chase your own storms, or kick back in your armchair and let these bloggers do the work for you.
- Weather Chat: Grad student Tasha shares her love of all things meteorological in this fun blog.
- Weather Musings: In "Weather Musings," Jeff Makowski reports on interesting weather patterns and explains why such patterns and events occur... when he isn't off chasing storms, that is.
- Weather On My Mind: University professor Paul Sirvatka takes time out of his teaching schedule to chase storms and explain the science behind them.
- Weather Photos Blog: Most meteorology blogs are based in the states, but we hopped across the pond to visit this site to learn more about current weather in Europe.
- WKU Meteorology: With a focus on weather in the mid-southern United States, Goodrich and his student contributors interpret satellite maps to predict local weather. Discussions of large-scale weather phenomena also find their way into the blog.
