Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jennifer Mitchell. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jennifer, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

I do not own a company- but I have a passion for educating others about Severe Weather through photography and videography. I am a teacher by trade and my mission or “why” I document storms is to share what I know in a way that makes weather and science accessible to others. I enjoy live streaming the behind- the- scenes moments and using them to explain what is happening with the weather and what to expect. I also like to share the process of understanding weather models, radar and forecasts and “chasing” the storm. I want to “demystify” storms and share their power in a responsible way. I enjoy capturing the beauty of the storms and creating works of art while I do it. Documenting storms puts me in the face of something bigger than me and allows me to share my passion and grow at the same time,

Jennifer, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

As long as I can remember I have always had a passion for anything in the sky: clouds- the Space Shuttle- stars- the moon. I grew up in Florida with a healthy respect for for hurricanes. During the Lockdown, I started “following clouds” as a way to pass time. I found myself out on rural roads with my iPhone pointed to the sky. I sent those pictures to a friend, a veteran storm chaser. He taught me how to read radar and forecast maps and took me on my first Hurricane Chase- Hurricane Delta in Louisiana. This was the moment that I knew I needed to learn more. I got myself out on Social Media and found online resources to continue learning more about forecasting and storm chasing basics. I started taking my own local storm chases and practicing my skills.

Then, I went to Tornado Alley for the first time, with the same friend who taught me the basics. He and I spent 17 days out there- traveling thousands of miles chasing Supercells and finally saw my first Tornado. It is hard to describe the feeling that I had when I returned from that trip. I left thinking it would be a one- time thing- and I returned hooked. I wanted to learn more and could not wait to return.

I found a group of other women who also chased storms, Girls Who Chase. Joining this group helped me understand that I was not alone as a female who chased storms. I was a part of their inaugural Promotional Video and am featured in their 2025 Storm Chasing Calendar. I have gained many true friendships and connections through this group. I have also become a part of the Tornado Titans Partner Program and have increased my understanding of storm chasing and built my network of chasing friends.

I absolutely love the feeling of being out in the open- with those huge storms in front of me- feeling the winds and the rain. I enjoy the process of seeing the storms on the radar- forecasting and following the clouds until I can match what is on radar with what is directly in front of me. I enjoy teaching others about the storms and what to expect. It has become a true passion of mine.

I returned to the Plains/ Tornado Alley two times with my original Chase Partner, Jason. And, last year, I met one of the other members of Girls Who Chase, Kristy, out there and we chased many tornado- warned storms together. I have intercepted 10 hurricanes- including five Major Hurricanes, either with Jason, another local chaser, Taylor, or on my own. 2024 brought three of those to Florida’s West Coast, I found myself on top of the Hospital parking garage where I was born while the eye of Hurricane Milton passed over. It was truly a surreal experience.

Currently, I am working on a plan for my next trip out to Tornado Alley sometime this Spring. We will see what Hurricane Season brings this year, as well. It is a harsh reality that we will see some sort of tropical storm development in our area this year.

I do not like to glamorize storms or storm chasing. It is a passion- but I like to help people understand more about them. I like to tell the story of the storm – before- during and after. I also feel that for me, the personal side of storm chasing was the ability to begin a sort of healing process after having breast cancer, treatments and many related surgeries. There is something about being out there in the elements, building my strength against the storms that has helped me regain some of what I lost after all of that. There is something truly amazing about “feeling” the storms and capturing them through photography.

Currently I share my work on Instagram, Bluesky, Threads, YouTube and Facebook as Sunchaser941. Socials to follow:
WeatherWarriorMedia, Tornado Titans, Girls Who Chase, Tornado Genesis. Be on the look out for more to come!
In my spare time I also love Portrait Work: Families, Graduation/ Seniors, and Engagements.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

My first goal is personal to me- because at this point- it is truly in my blood and I have a drive to get out and document as much as I can. Secondly- I also enjoy teaching others about storms and sharing the story behind them. I have a passion for being out in them. When others talk about being afraid, yet safe inside their homes during a Hurricane, I feel the opposite. I feel alive out in the storms. I would rather be out in the storms and creating visuals for others to see than to be inside. I also enjoy educating others and feel it is important to help others understand storms. Often, chasers are the first ones on the scene. Many times, they are the ones who let authorities know there is rotation on the ground, or damage tracks.
There is also something very satisfying in seeing my footage on air, or to see a print of mine being hung on someone’s wall. That is the creative journey. Sometimes, especially out on the Plains, we can stop and really consider composition and true creativity during the process. When you see an old abandoned home (which there are a lot of out there) and you can set up your shot just perfectly- that is the creative drive of the hobby! Science meets art!

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Storm chasing isn’t easy. Twisters is a fabulous movie- however… it often takes hours of “chasing” and waiting and driving all day before you see anything that even resembles a storm. Then, you may do all of that and never see a storm- a total bust of a day- with 400 miles of driving and seven hours of waiting- and nothing. The storm literally dies before it even forms.
And- the next day you get up and do it all over again. That is resilience. When you have a limited number of days that you can take off work to spend in Tornado Alley you cannot let a bust get to you. You may even get stuck in the mud, or lose a tire (yes- this has happened)- but you keep going because that is what we do- keep chasing.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Sunchaser941
• Facebook: Sunchaser941Photog
• Twitter: Sunchaser941
• Youtube: Sunchaser941
• Other: Bluesky/ Threads- Sunchaser941

Image Credits

Jennifer Mitchell/ Sunchaser941