Dr. Reed Timmer is an extreme meteorologist and storm chaser specializing in intercepting the planet’s most powerful storms to collect valuable scientific data. With a Ph.D. in meteorology from the University of Oklahoma, he has intercepted over 1,000 tornadoes and 50 hurricanes, becoming one of the few people in history to chase both an EF5 tornado and a Category 5 hurricane. His passion for storm chasing has led him to pioneer cutting-edge data collection methods, including the development of the Dominator storm-chasing vehicles, designed to withstand extreme weather conditions and record critical storm data.
Timmer has also innovated sensor deployment techniques using ground-based probes, drones, balloons, and model rockets to study tornadoes and hurricanes. Since 2020, he has driven directly into 10 tornadoes in the Dominator 3, earning the title of the storm chaser who has been inside more tornadoes than anyone in history. His most memorable chases include intercepting a powerful tornado in southern Nebraska with Dominator 1 and advancing meteorological research through his daring fieldwork.