Chaos Element
Zev Striker and Xel on a quest for weather awareness, art, and science
we are real life, flesh and blood artist stormchasers
Watch or Warning?
Check the National Weather Service for your current local weather.There are several advisory types you may get alerts for like Thunderstorm, Tornado, or Flood with two main stages to be aware of -- Watch and WarningFeel free to ask us for help if you have weather and safety questions, we love to yap
Thunderstorm
Severe thunderstorms are storms that are capable of producing wind gusts of 58mph or greater, and/or producing hail one inch or greater in diameter. Lightning can also be dangerous in these storms, but there is no set criteria for it.Severe thunderstorm Watch means that the atmosphere is primed and ready to create storms, but there may not be any storms in the area yet. When these are issued, it is usually over a very wide area. A watch means: carry on as usual, but be aware that there may be severe weather later on. This is time to plan, just in case. Check the national weather service, your local news, and weather apps for information.Severe thunderstorm Warning means that a severe storm is happening now in your area. These alerts are made over a smaller, localized area and mean it is time to take cover. Secure outdoor belongings and bring in pets. Have a sturdy shelter that can withstand the wind and rain.Plan to stay off the roads in these conditions due to blinding rain, hail, and other drivers. Be aware of high profile vehicles in the wind. Do NOT shelter under overpasses as this creates a dangerous traffic situation for yourself, first responders, emergency vehicles, and vehicles who may not be able to stop in time in blinding conditions. Leave the road clear and pull off to find shelter.Not all severe thunderstorms create tornadoes, but all tornadoes come from severe thunderstorms. Just because the watch or warning is for a thunderstorm does not mean a tornado isn't possible, it's just less likely. Watch for "tornado possible" tags on the warning.
Tornado
A tornado is a violently spinning column of air that stretches from a thunderstorm to the ground. They spin below a mesocyclone base, originating from what is known as a wall cloud.Tornadoes typically follow a certain recipe that we can, with enough datapoints, forecast ahead of time. With every mesonet station and weather balloon launch we can see a real-time slice of the atmosphere -- that data is then used to run the atmospheric models that all meteorologists rely on.Tornado Watch means the atmospheric conditions necessary for a tornado are in place. These are usually issued over a wide area well before any danger manifests. This is the time to plan, just in case. Charge your phone, get your shoes ready.Not every storm creates tornadoes, but when a watch is issued, it's well within the realm of possibility. These types of storms are also often capable of large hail, so think about your vehicle, plants, and outdoor pets or livestock.Tornado Warning means a tornado has been detected happening now in your area. These alert areas are small and localized to the region that the tornado could possibly impact given its speed and trajectory. Warnings can be issued by radar detection or ground reports. They are to be taken seriously and acted upon immediately.IF YOU ARE IN A TORNADO WARNING
get inside a sturdy building, into the interior most room with as many walls between you and the outside as possible. Have shoes on, grab a helmet. The biggest danger is flying debris, followed by the lofting action of the winds. Cover yourself and get low.Do not remain in your vehicle, escape to find actual shelter. Seek a low lying area if you are caught outside such as a ditch, but again do not take shelter under an overpass. You will get hoovered out of there if not torn to shreds by the debris.Tornado Emergency is a rare enhanced warning and means a large, dangerous tornado is actively on the ground doing damage. It means lofted debris is being detected on radar. This is as real as it gets, and if you are in the path of one of these warnings, take it as deadly serious.The lower you can get, the stronger the walls, the better. Underground or in an industrial walk in-cooler are the safest places we have seen so far.When the danger has passed, allow first responders to do their thing and stay out of the way of damage areas. With luck, life will continue as normal. But consider every warning a drill so you can be safe when the day isn't so lucky.
Crew and Mission
Out of the chaos of the modern era rises two artist weather nerds hell-bent on creating, educating, and having a good time.
Our mission is to gather real world reference for artists and scientists while spreading severe weather awareness along the way. We are passionate, experienced stormchasers with over a decade of trial and error in learning the craft.Zev is Skywarn trained and makes weather reports to the NWS as a volunteer. Other than spreading weather awareness, we are not affiliated.We ride in a 2004 Honda Element with well over 250000 miles and more hail dents than we can count.
.Zev Striker the Weather Dragon
Raised in Texas where destructive storms are a fact of life. Has a bachelors of science in computer animation with a focus in character creation. Severe weather interest never went away despite family's attempts at dissuading.Twitter || Bluesky || Tiktok
.Xel
Hailing from the southwest where monsoon lightning towers over the vivid desert landscape. Has an expansive world and roster of characters. Well known for digital art and storm photography.Twitter || Bluesky || Patreon
Chase Rig
We chase storms in a 22 year old Honda Element. Zev has piloted four Elements in total since the model's debut in 2003, with the latest rig the most battle-worn by far.
Crosstalk III: Stormchosen is a 2004 Sunset Orange AWD who was rescued from Springfield MO after a massive hailstorm left him without a windshield or moonroof. Rather than being totaled, he's been given a second life as an art and science machine.His predecessor, Crosstalk II was a 2005 Nighthawk Black AWD who was active between 2022 and the start of the 2026 season.
Want to support us?
We are self-funded through the art we make off-season so we can chase in the spring. Unfortunately, this year has been harder than most with the political climate making it more difficult to make accurate forecasts and move around the country.Any support goes directly into the gas tank and vehicle maintenance so that we can continue our quest to raise awareness, bring artists reference material, and give scientists some more datapoints. We would love to upgrade our gear to include a streaming setup in the near future to increase our reach.Check out our ko-fi support tiers if you'd like to sponsor some miles in exchange for some trinkets or your name on our vehicle ✨
Contact
Give us your deets if you want to get in touch