Into the Storm: Violent Tornadoes, Killer Hurricanes, and Death-Defying Adventures in Extreme Weather

Reed Timmer is one of the most successful and most extreme storm chasers in the world. His is a job that requires science and bravado, knowledge and instinct just to survive, never mind excel. It's a job some people would kill for. But most prefer to let Timmer take the risks while they watch from the safety of their homes. Reed Timmer is a star of Storm Chasers, one of the Discovery Channel's top-rated shows. Into the Storm is Timmer's dramatic account of his extraordinary profession. Each chapter features the story of one of the three-hundred-plus extreme tornadoes, hurricanes, or blizzards that Timmer has intercepted over the last decade--storms that include the killer F5 tornado that struck Moore, Oklahoma, in May 1999; the unprecedented, devastating storm surge of Hurricane Katrina; and the little-studied but enormously powerful storm systems in places like Canada and Argentina, including a recent trip in which Timmer realized he was the only storm chaser in South America and was able to intercept super cells in the most prolific hail-producing region in the world. As a Ph.D. candidate in meteorology, Timmer is after more than just an adrenaline rush--his stories feature fascinating insights into the science of storms and how the data he is collecting will someday save lives. With a firsthand perspective on the storm-chasing community, Timmer also takes listeners inside this world, examining his controversial obsession and the ethical debates it sparks. Featuring the same you-are-there immediacy that attracts more than 100,000 visitors to Timmer's Web site every month, Into the Storm is one wild--and informative--ride.