USA - Alone with the supercell - Storm chaser's Blog

Weather & Radar's meteorologist and photographer Dennis Oswald is our most experienced storm chaser. This is his personal account of his most breathtaking storm encounter.

“For more than 25 years, I have been on the lookout for the perfect thunderstorm with my camera. In May 2016, I experienced one of my personal highlights in the heart of Tornado Alley in the US state of Kansas.

A huge supercell formed right in front of me and rotated for more than four hours without moving. I was able to observe and document its entire life cycle, including two tornadoes. As the day progressed, the light was constantly changing.

Although gale-force winds made photography difficult, the whole scene seemed almost peaceful to me.

I like to compare my fascination for storms with the fascination for nature in general. As a storm chaser and weather photographer, I enjoy a thunderstorm just as much as a hiker enjoys a mountain panorama.

To me, thunderstorms are just as much a part of nature as everything else."

Every year since 2008, Dennis Oswald has travelled to Tornado Alley in the USA on storm chasing and photography trips. He also regularly travels to stormy hotspots in Europe, and has done so since 1998.

You can see his phenomenal photos on his Instagram account, and he is a regular contributor to Weather & Radar's news and social media channels.

Did you know that you can share your weather images with Weather & Radar with the uploader? Storm chaser or not, we love to see your beautiful or wild shots.