Reed Timmer

Dr. Reed Timmer loves all things atmospheric science. He chases blizzards, hurricanes, flash floods, and more, but he is best known for his work with tornadoes. The secrets of tornadoes have been a source of endless fascination for him for as long as he can remember. Reed chased his first one when he was a freshman at the University of Oklahoma, only a year later recording the historic Moore EF5 tornado. He has since sought them at every opportunity.

Real-world observations are invaluable opportunities. Scientific models can only tell us so much. First-hand observations are necessary to either validate or provide feedback for them. Reed’s recent drone footage of the Andover tornado is a great example of this.
Dr. Timmer developed the Dominator to allow his team to get close enough to conduct their own research. They have deployed probes into tornadoes using drones, small aircraft, and even rockets – gathering measurements never-before-recorded on earth (yes, just like in ‘Twister’). For more, see our DomLabs page.

He looks to educate & inspire the next gen of meteorologists. Reed uses every social post to teach and inform about severe weather, but his first step into formal education was serving as a Lab T.A. for METR1004 in 2003.

Since then, He has taught classes for Discovery Education, Varsity Tutors, and more. Dr. Timmer has done over 400 speaking events and has spread his message of severe weather awareness and research as both a morning and late-night talk show guest.

Focusing on one’s passion is what he is all about. His mother, who’s also an educator, taught him that if he followed his dreams, he would never work a day in my life. She may have regretted those words once she saw that Reed’s passion was getting up close and personal with the most powerful forces on the planet, but she still supports his goals to this day. Reed tries to pass that lesson of focus and passion on to others every chance he gets, so whatever your dreams are…

“NEVER Stop Chasing” is not just a motto for Reed Timmer, but a way of life.