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Veteran storm chaser Greg Tetley featured speaker at First Tuesday
McCOOK, Neb. — Veteran storm chaser Greg Tetley was the featured speaker at this month’s Buffalo Commons First Tuesday gathering at Embers Café. He recounted his decades-long career tracking severe weather across Tornado Alley. With over 30 years of experience, Tetley has chased storms from the Dakotas to Texas, encountering both awe-inspiring weather phenomena and life-threatening tornadoes.
“My son Trevor started riding with me when he was just 13,” Tetley shared. “We’ve covered everywhere — North and South Dakota, Texas, Nebraska, Kansas — you name it.”
Tetley walked the small gathering through the science of storm chasing, explaining key weather phenomena such as low-pressure systems, dry lines, and the notorious "triple point"—the convergence of ingredients for severe weather. “The lower the pressure, just like hurricanes, the stronger the system, and the higher the chance for storm development,” Tetley explained. He illustrated how quickly conditions can change, recalling moments when temperatures plummeted nearly 40 degrees in mere minutes.
Tetley also recounted harrowing close calls. He described one terrifying incident in El Reno, Oklahoma, where a tornado suddenly shifted, killing three of his friends—highly regarded scientists. “That tornado turned on us so fast,” he said. “It did a complete circle—something none of us expected.”
Despite the dangers, Tetley stressed the effectiveness of safety measures. “Ditches work,” he emphasized. “When we tell you to get down in a low-lying ditch, they work very, very well.”
One of Tetley’s most sobering stories involved an EF4 tornado that devastated a residential area in Oklahoma. “It injured six and killed one,” Tetley recalled. “The person was in a mobile home and never made it out.” Tetley has witnessed first-hand the destruction tornadoes can cause, from flattened homes to entire neighborhoods wiped out in minutes.
Throughout his presentation, Tetley dispelled misconceptions about storm formations, showing photos of "mothership" shelf clouds—massive, rotating structures that can signal impending danger. "The intensity of storms is getting bigger, and they’re developing quicker,” Tetley observed, attributing the change to evolving climate conditions.
While the dangers of storm chasing are real, Tetley maintained his sense of humor, joking about the toll it’s taken on his vehicles. “My wife keeps asking how many more vehicles I’m going to wreck. I tell her, probably too many to count,” he quipped.
Tetley, who lives in Cambridge and works in Arapahoe, shares his observations with a number of radio and television stations as well as the National Weather Service. His videos can be found on his Tetley Storm Chasing Facebook page, and he will occasionally go live if conditions warrant.
In addition to sharing his experiences, Tetley, who served 20 years in law enforcement, offered practical advice for staying safe during tornadoes. He emphasized the importance of preparedness, advising attendees to keep an extra pair of shoes, gloves, helmets, and water in their safe place. “Cover your head, and you can survive most tornadoes,” he said, underscoring the importance of helmets and protective gear.
Tetley also encouraged documenting belongings in case of a tornado, a lesson he has learned through years of witnessing devastation. “Taking photos of valuable items can make insurance claims a lot easier,” he advised.
Tetley’s stories were not only entertaining, also served as a stark reminder of the power and unpredictability of nature. Despite the risks, Tetley remains dedicated to storm chasing, noting that modern tracking technology, such as the RadarScope app, has made it easier to stay informed. However, as Tetley knows all too well, no technology can fully predict the dangers lurking in a powerful storm.
“It’s been over three decades of chasing,” Tetley reflected, “and I’m still learning something new with every storm.”