'Into The Storm': "Storm Chasers" Reed Timmer's Extreme Weather Adventures(PHOTOS) (VIDEO)

Over the last 12 years as an extreme storm chaser, I've risked my life documenting the most powerful and deadly natural disasters on the planet, including mile-wide F5 tornadoes, softball-sized hail, and over a dozen hurricanes in the U.S. and Caribbean, including the devastating Hurricane Katrina from Slidell, Louisiana. I've traveled over 40,000 miles a year across Tornado Alley from Mexico to Canada every storm season, intercepting over 250 tornadoes, many of which were from dangerously close range. I learned to respect the power of a tornado early in my career as a storm chaser, as I was grazed by an F5 tornado and covered in mud after abandoning my vehicle and seeking shelter under an overpass near Moore, Oklahoma on May 3, 1999, but also became obsessed with getting as close as possible to these beautiful but destructive forces of nature. 250 tornadoes and 12 years of meteorology training at the University of Oklahoma later, my team is now driving into the heart of violent tornadoes and hurricanes with our tornado tank (a.k.a. the Dominator), recording valuable data inside that others are unable or unwilling to collect. "Into the Storm" documents my hair raising tales as an extreme storm chaser, as well as my progression from a young thrill-seeker to scientist willing to risk my life to contribute to the young and exciting science of tornadoes and hurricanes.

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May 3, 1999 F5 tornado; Moore, OK (1/4)

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During my first year as a storm chaser, I was chasing a destructive mile-wide F5 tornado near Moore, Oklahoma, and abandoned my vehicle to take shelter under an overpass as the tornado was on a collision course. Just when this most powerful tornado in recorded history was about to hit me, it veered to the left. I was still grazed by 100+ mph winds and covered in mud from the south side of the massive circulation.

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Authors speaking at The Third Metric

During my first year as a storm chaser, I was chasing a destructive mile-wide F5 tornado near Moore, Oklahoma, and abandoned my vehicle to take shelter under an overpass as the tornado was on a collision course. Just when this most powerful tornado in recorded history was about to hit me, it veered to the left. I was still grazed by 100+ mph winds and covered in mud from the south side of the massive circulation.

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