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 viewing the PowerPoint from the information meeting, viewing our Twitter feed, or emailing me.

Informational PowerPoint
Twitter Feed
E-mail Me!

Schedule for 2023 — tentative dates

October 27, 2022

Informational Meeting 5 PM

November 18, 2022

Sign-up Meeting PM

May 11, 2023

Class begins

May 17, 2023

Field trip begins