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Chasing Twisters

Meet two people whose job is to get up close to nature’s most violent storms.

January 6, 2025
By Nicole Tocco

As You Read: Why might someone decide to become a storm chaser?

Val Castor drove through a blinding storm. He and his wife, Amy, kept their eyes on the road ahead. It was May 2024. The Castors were in Arnett, Oklahoma. Pouring rain made it difficult to see through the windshield. Winds of more than 80 miles per hour rocked their truck. 

A tornado had just touched down nearby. Dirt, branches, and other debris swirled in the sky. Val sped off. But he didn’t drive away from the twister. He headed toward it! 

That’s because the Castors are storm trackers. They work for News 9, a TV station in Oklahoma City. They help viewers at home stay safe. 

“It’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly,” Amy says.

Val Castor drove through a blinding storm. His wife, Amy, was by his side. They kept their eyes on the road ahead. It was May 2024. The Castors were in Arnett, Oklahoma. Pouring rain made it difficult to see through the windshield. Winds of more than 80 miles per hour rocked their truck. 

A tornado had just touched down nearby. Dirt and branches were everywhere. Other debris also swirled in the sky. Val sped off. But he didn’t drive away from the twister. He headed toward it! 

That’s because the Castors are storm trackers. They work for News 9. That’s a TV station in Oklahoma City. They help viewers at home stay safe. 

“It’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly,” Amy says.

Danger Zones

Tornadoes are spinning columns of air. Their winds can swirl at more than 250 miles per hour. They can destroy everything in their paths.

More tornadoes occur in the United States than anywhere else on Earth. On average, about 1,200 twisters touch down in the U.S. each year.

Tornadoes are hard to predict. That’s one reason they’re so dangerous. At the National Weather Service, meteorologists track tornadoes. Then they issue warnings. But experts don’t know exactly when a twister will form or what path it will take.

Tornadoes are spinning columns of air. Their winds can swirl at more than 250 miles per hour. They can destroy everything in their paths.

More tornadoes occur in the United States than anywhere else on Earth. On average, about 1,200 twisters touch down in the U.S. each year.

Tornadoes are hard to predict. That’s one reason they are so dangerous. At the National Weather Service, meteorologists track tornadoes. Then they send warnings. But experts don’t know exactly when a twister will form. They also don’t know what path it will take.

Courtesy of Amy and Val Castor

Amy and Val Castor in their storm chaser truck

On the Chase

That’s where storm chasers like the Castors come in. News 9 sends them to areas where tornadoes are likely to strike. If Val and Amy spot a tornado forming, they tell the station its exact location. Then the Castors give reports so people in its path can quickly take shelter.

Val and Amy have been chasing twisters together for more than 25 years. They’ve learned how to protect themselves. They always stay a safe distance from tornadoes. Despite the dangers, the Castors say they love their jobs. 

“We’re helping people make lifesaving decisions about what to do in extreme weather,” Val says.

That’s where storm chasers come in. News 9 sends the Castors to areas where tornadoes are likely to hit. Say Val and Amy spot a tornado forming. They tell the station its location. Then the Castors give reports. That allows people in its path to quickly take shelter.

Val and Amy have been chasing twisters together for more than 25 years. They’ve learned how to protect themselves. They always stay a safe distance from tornadoes. Their jobs are dangerous. But the Castors love what they do.

“We’re helping people make lifesaving decisions about what to do in extreme weather,” Val says.

How a Tornado Forms

Here’s how huge rotating thunderstorms, called supercells, can unleash tornadoes.

Here’s how huge rotating thunderstorms, called supercells, can unleash tornadoes.

Shutterstock.com

  1. Supercells form when cool, dry air mixes with warm, moist air.
  2. As the warm and cool air move in different directions, the winds collide. This creates a column of rotating wind called a mesocyclone.
  3. When the funnel-shaped cloud hits the ground, it’s called a tornado.
  1. Supercells form when cool, dry air mixes with warm, moist air.
  2. As the warm and cool air move in different directions, the winds collide. This creates a column of rotating wind called a mesocyclone.
  3. When the funnel-shaped cloud hits the ground, it’s called a tornado.
  1. How do storm chasers like the Castors help people?
  2. What details in the article show that chasing tornadoes can be dangerous?
  3. What are three facts you can learn from the sidebar, “How a Tornado Forms”?
  1. How do storm chasers like the Castors help people?
  2. What details in the article show that chasing tornadoes can be dangerous?
  3. What are three facts you can learn from the sidebar, “How a Tornado Forms”?
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