METC 490 / 590 Field Study of Severe Local Storms
Storm Chasing Class at Ball State University
METC 490/590 is a classroom and field course where students forecast, observe, and document severe local storms and tornadoes. Students first learn about thunderstorm and tornado dynamics, weather forecasting, and storm chasing in the classroom. Then in May and June, they take a field trip to the Great Plains to forecast, observe, and document severe local storms.
Ball State has offered the class since the late 1990s, and I've led it since 2007. We know how to find tornadoes and keep everyone safe. You also see more on our trip because we're out for longer than most other universities and storm chasing tours.
METC 490/590 is open to current students at any accredited United States university.
Learn more by the trip by clicking on the buttons below. You may also wish to read the FAQ or my 2024 interview with Vox about the movie Twisters.
TENTATIVE Schedule for 2026
November 13, 2025
Informational Meeting (tentative date) 5:15 PM
November 20, 2025
Sign-up Meeting (tentative date)
February 2, 2026
Deposit due
May 11, 2026
Class begins
May 15, 2026
Field trip begins