Scott Nicholson
From the western suburbs of Chicago, Illinois, Scott became fascinated with storms from a very young age. He would sit on the front step with his father to watch storms roll in from the west. His passion for meteorology and severe weather only grew with time.
Scott went on to earn a B.S. in Atmospheric Sciences from Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. While attending Creighton, he joined Josh Boustead on a 3-state journey through Nebraska, Kansas, and Oklahoma. Witnessing the beauty and power of supercell thunderstorms quickly turned Scott’s passion for severe weather into an obsession.
Scott has spent most of his career testing and designing weather software (AWIPS) for the National Weather Service. In 2011, Scott founded Spring Weather Productions, Inc. to share with tour guests the thrilling and breathtaking experiences of storm chasing. In 2019, Spring Weather is launching Mobile Weather Office to share those same experiences with viewers across the country.
A few chasing highlights include:
-Observing 16 tornadoes in south central NE on May 24, 2004
-Recording El Reno, OK tornado on May 31, 2013
-Chasing the Dodge City, KS cyclical supercell on May 24, 2016
-Following the 96 minute Chapman, KS tornado on May 25, 2016
In addition, Scott volunteers time visiting schools and attending events to talk about severe weather, weather safety, and share personal storm chasing accounts and video highlights.
Jennifer Nicholson
From a young age, Jennifer was glued to the Weather Channel. She was so fascinated by thunderstorms that her parents would find her experiencing the severe weather event from their driveway in Yardly, Pennsylvania.
After graduating with a B.S. in Atmospheric Sciences degree from Millersville University in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Jennifer worked as a front-line Computer Systems Engineer working the AWIPS Help Desk for the National Weather Service. Three years later, while volunteering to test the AWIPS II software, she met Scott Nicholson. Not long after, Jennifer accepted a Test Engineering position on the AWIPS program and moved to Omaha, Nebraska.
Scott introduced Jennifer to the life of a storm chaser. She quickly discovered that storms in the Plains were unlike anything she witnessed on the East Coast. The beauty and power of Mother Nature never ceases to take her breath away.
A few of Jenn’s storm chasing highlights include:
-Observing the York, NE tornadoes on June 20, 2011
-Witnessing the Canadian, TX tornado on May 27, 2015
-Chasing the Dodge City, KS cyclical supercell on May 24, 2016
-Following the 96 minute Chapman, KS tornado on May 25, 2016
Chris Lenz
Chris, living in the Central Plains, inherently developed a passion for severe weather and tornadoes. He is a self-taught storm chaser who has had great success throughout the years chasing after Mother Nature’s most destructive forces. Chris began his chasing career back in 1988 and has since recorded over 400 different tornadoes, intercepted several hurricanes, and witnessed major flood events.
Weather Nation caught wind of Chris’ experience and asked him to join their storm chasing team. For 3 years, Chris worked as their driver and chase-caster.
Chris’ top chases include:
-Witnessing the Grand Island, NE tornado March 13, 1990
-Chasing the Spencer, SD tornado May 30, 1998
-Chasing hurricanes Ivan and Jeanne in 2004
-Catching the Piedmont, OK tornado May 24, 2011
Josh Boustead
Josh became interested in meteorology after a severe thunderstorm made its mark on his home in Woodbine, Iowa in July 1980. He witnessed the black sky, as dark as night, approach from the west. Not long after, the storm unleashed wind driven hail the size of baseballs across the yard, against his house, and through the windows. Everything turned to white as the deafening sound of hail pelted his home. It was a storm to remember.
Years later, Josh took his interest in meteorology to Creighton University where he earned a B.S. Degree in Atmospheric Sciences. Upon graduation, Josh took a position forecasting weather for the National Weather Service at several locations across the central US.
Josh began storm chasing in April 1997, catching his first tornado near Minneapolis, Kansas with fellow storm chaser Chris Lenz. Josh’s top storm chases include:
-Catching 10 tornadoes across southeast South Dakota on June 24, 2003, including the devastating Manchester, SD tornado
-Observing 16 tornadoes across South Central NE on May 2004
-Witnessing the half mile wide EF2 tornado near Hoxie, KS on May 22, 2008
-Chasing the 2.6 mile wide El Reno, OK tornado on May 31, 2013
Jason McKittrick
Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, with a childhood that kept him outside most of the time, Jason developed an appreciation for clouds and storms. Jason’s earliest memories growing up consist of the 1975 Omaha F4 tornado and the preceding blizzard. From that point forward, he was on a quest to learn and understand as much about weather as possible.
Jason went on to earn a B.S. in Atmospheric Sciences from Creighton University. While attending Creighton, he had his first taste of storm chasing (May 4, 1994). In the afternoon, several discrete supercells erupted along a southeastward advancing surface trough in central Nebraska. The supercell Jason chased went on to produce three tornadoes a couple miles west of his position. From that point forward he was hooked. A few of his storm chasing highlights include:
-Chasing the EF3 Tulia, TX tornado on April 21, 2007
-Witnessing the Kanopolis, KS EF4 tornado on April 15, 2012
-Intercepting the 2.6 mile wide El Reno, OK tornado May 31, 2013
-Following the Tescott, KS tornado May 1, 2018
Bill Turner
Bill grew up watching the weather from his hometown in Carroll, Iowa. His dream to become a TV meteorologist grew from his devotion of watching all three weathercasts during each newscast.
After graduating from Creighton University with a B.S. in Atmospheric Sciences, Bill spent 10 years broadcasting weather in Lubbock and Amarillo, Texas. Since then, he has taken a position with the National Weather Service forecasting weather at several locations across the western half of the US.
Bill’s storm chasing career began in 1992. His storm chasing highlights include:
-Intercepting the Clarendon, TX tornado March 28, 2007
-Witnessing the Tulia, TX tornado on April 21, 2007
-Chasing the Tescott, KS tornado May 1, 2018