Chasing is Life. Everything Before or After is Just Waiting

Something happens to my brain around this time of year.

It's like a unique form of seasonal affective disorder.

As soon as the calendar strikes May, something flickers to life.

A spark soon turns into a blaze and a large part of my everyday life just fades into the background. I hastily scroll past any post on social media that isn't related to severe weather. I'm constantly refreshing forecast models and the SPC.

I start having tunnel (or in this case funnel) vision. Nothing else seems to matter as this sense of agonizing desire slowly creeps in. My focus, obsession, and priority becomes preparing, and looking forward to, the chase.

Something happens to my brain around this time of year.

The manic days of May.

It's like a piece of me that's dormant for the other 11 months is suddenly awoken.

It's a part that makes me feel the most alive, present, and with some sense of purpose. I can't exactly pinpoint what it is about chasing - whether it's the awe of nature, the adventure, the novelty, or the visual artistry that comes with it - but after 5 years of doing this, more so than ever, I am realizing that documenting severe weather is what truly makes me the happiest. Nothing else in my life comes close. I have yet to conclude whether this is healthy or not, but I don't really care because I am grateful that something can bring so much joy. For me, it feels like chasing is life and everything before or after is just waiting.

I saw a documentary about Steve McQueen when I came back from my first storm chase trip in 2014 and his quote, "Racing is life. Everything before or after is just waiting," really resonated with me, so I decided to borrow it.

Another sign of "storm fever" is when your worlds start colliding. Pro tip: A quick way to stress out your nail technician - ask her to draw radar signatures on your thumbs.

When you're both a weather nerd and a nail freak.

I don't know when I leave to chase yet.. but stay tuned!