State of the Chase Season 2025

[Andy Wehrle]

Ironically the dark red area is, if you had to pick just one to produce photogenic storms, probably the best you can to in terms of chase terrain.

 

[Mitch Drabenstott]

Updated US chase map for 2025.

View attachment 27692

Gotta add the south TX Rio Grande area: “Desperate chasers try to will Mexican supercells across the river but their efforts are futile.”

 

[Jason N]

Updated US chase map for 2025.

View attachment 27692

This might be one of the best maps yet. Poignant, humorous, it gets a Rotten Tornadoes Score of 86.

 

[John Farley]

After yesterday's chase, I would say you could fill in some of that white in eastern New Mexico with the "Good luck finding a road within 20 miles of your storm" color. ;-) Getting a bit back on topic, looks like we have several days of decent opportunities upcoming in the southern high plains, before the action eventually shifts north.

 

[JamesCaruso]

I understand that some chasers don't like HP structure, but to me, the mode is mostly irrelevant. YMMV.

I agree that HP structure can be jaw-dropping. Problem is it’s not as visible unless you back out a few miles. Those trying to get right in the notch won’t have a great view like they might have from under the meso of an LP or Classic. On the latter two, you can see the structure *and* be in the bears cage / close to a tornado, but on an HP you have to choose one or the other, and most choose the tornado.

 

[JamesCaruso]

Quantity vs. Quality (Ven Diagram anyone?)
- we are happy with high quantity even if the quality of each chase is lower.
- We could be happy even if the Quantity is low, so long as the Quality of the show is high
- if both Quality and Quantity is low, no one is happy.
- if Quantity and Quality are high, everyone is happy, unless you couldn't chase that year.

Personal performance is a huge variable that can make Quantity more important. You need more at-bats for redemption from the strikeouts.

 

[Andy Wehrle]

Remains to be seen exactly how it'll go, of course, but you have to feel pretty good if you're out there chasing the Southern Plains today through Sunday. As I said earlier, there are ways this season could have gone better but it could certainly have gone worse. Although it hasn't always been easy or quality, at least there's been something to chase out there for the balance of May into early June.

Nice sequence of days over pretty much the same region of the Southern High Plains that wasn't clearly evident on the models a week ago as to where and when the highest-ceiling day(s) would be. Somewhat annoying if you're based east of the Mississippi and try to execute short-notice spot trips to the Alley whenever multi-day setups present themselves (like me or @Dan Robinson), but if you're committed to a chase vacation or on a tour right now it's a pretty good situation.

 

[Mikayla Norris]

Looks like finally another opportunity is gonna present itself in CO today and tomorrow. I'm in the middle of a long stretch of time off with my kids, and they've been asking to go chasing. They are young though, 7 and 10, so I'm really on the fence. I'm leaning towards not going incase we get into trouble. I don't want to put them in danger. I'm doing yard work today (looking at the radar I'm really cutting it close, hopefully I can finish), but tomorrow if something pops up within an hour of Colorado Springs we may venture out on a VERY conservative chase keeping LOTS of distance. They've seen some structure shots I've taken and really wanna see it. We'll see how it unfolds. Best of luck to everyone heading out over the next few days! There should be some gems out there!

 

[Brett Nickeson]

**taps the dark red part of the chase map**

 

[Dan Robinson]

Yep, a gem of a pattern right now, the sleeper type that you'd normally get a day or two before/after a big trough ejection that gets you out there, but not one that normally gets you there by itself. A score for the vacationers and full-season crowd! Looks like it could be the last sequence of the season for the central/southern Plains.

 

[Jason N]

that storm out of Lubbock yesterday... definintely confirming that Dan ...

 

[JamesCaruso]

Looks like finally another opportunity is gonna present itself in CO today and tomorrow. I'm in the middle of a long stretch of time off with my kids, and they've been asking to go chasing. They are young though, 7 and 10, so I'm really on the fence. I'm leaning towards not going incase we get into trouble. I don't want to put them in danger. I'm doing yard work today (looking at the radar I'm really cutting it close, hopefully I can finish), but tomorrow if something pops up within an hour of Colorado Springs we may venture out on a VERY conservative chase keeping LOTS of distance. They've seen some structure shots I've taken and really wanna see it. We'll see how it unfolds. Best of luck to everyone heading out over the next few days! There should be some gems out there!

I would encourage you to take your kids chasing if they are showing an interest. What an incredible experience for them and a great bonding opportunity for you all. This could ignite a liefelong interest in weather and chasing. (On second thought, why infect them with the same disease we have LOL). Safety is no issue at all, it’s completely in your control how close you get.

On the other hand, adults need time to themselves for their own pursuits too; completely understandable to want to keep this as your thing. Once they start coming with you, it will be hard to tell them they can’t come every time.