Storm Experience
Are you a UND student interested in learning more about thunderstorms and tornadoes? Join us for the Annual Storm Experience - a class held near the end of May.
Storm Experience is a fun and exciting 3-credit UND course where you will learn how to forecast and safely observe severe thunderstorms.
You'll be taught and trained by Professor Mulholland and four experienced drivers/forecast assistants. We'll have class at a hotel room and in the class van during the trip. You'll visually document storms using your camera and keep track of storm characteristics in your notebook. You'll pick your favorite storm to document in a written class report.
Meet the Instructors
We will work hard during the trip to make sure you have a great learning experience and safe travels.
Dr. Jake Mulholland, Assistant Professor
Professor Mulholland graduated with a B.S. degree in Meteorology from SUNY Oswego in Oswego, NY in 2014 and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Atmosphere Sciences from the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, IL in 2016 and 2019, respectively. After completing his postdoctoral fellowship in Meteorology at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA he arrived at UND in 2022 where he teaches the following courses: ATSC 220: Extreme Weather and Climate, ATSC 405: Numerical Methods in Meteorology, ATSC 530: Numerical Weather Prediction, and the Storm Experience Field Trip (aka "Storm Chasing" course). Jake's research expertise is in severe local storms with an emphasis in simulating these storms with numerical weather models. Lastly, Jake has either been a participant, or co-led, storm chase programs with both SUNY Oswego and the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign since 2013.
Drivers/Forecast Assistants
Claiborne Wooton, M.S. Student
Clay is currently researching the effects of urban areas on QLCS structure with his advisor, Dr. Jake Mulholland. He participated in a course similar to this one at his undergraduate alma mater, the University of Louisville, in 2018. Currently, he chases with his fellow graduate students whenever possible.
Cole Hood, M.S. Student
Cole is a 1st year masters student in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences here at UND. He is currently a Teaching Assistant for the department, having TA'd ATSC 110L & ATSC 220, as well as currently ATSC 310 and teaching a lecture section of ATSC 110. He graduated from Texas A&M University in May 2023 with a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology. His research interests include tornado-genesis, supercells, and modeling. He enjoys playing volleyball, the outdoors, and storm chasing. He has previous experience being co-lead forecaster for the Texas Aggie Storm Chasers (TASC) when he was enrolled at A&M for 2 years, as well as going on a similar trip in the Convective Storms Field Study during his time as A&M in May 2021.
Levi Newell, M.S. Student
Levi grew up in Texas and began chasing storms as soon as he had his license. He has chased tornadoes all over the plains and foothills, and intercepted hurricanes all along the Gulf Coast. Levi is currently a Teaching Assistant in the department and has taught labs for Intro to Synoptic Meteorology and Instrumentation Meteorology.
Nicholas Camp, Senior Undergraduate Student
Nicholas has been interested in storm chasing and severe weather since he moved to Minnesota when he was 7 years old. He's been chasing storms for 3 years and has collected data around supercells as part of his current senior project. In addition to his severe weather research Nicholas studies Latin American literature and the Spanish language.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Does it Cost?
Three credits of tuition plus fees, plus a $1,125 Field Trip Fee to cover travel expenses. Also, you should budget approximately $40-50 per day for food and incidentals.
Are There Class Prerequisites?
No. We will teach you everything you need to know. However, you will probably learn more if you have already taken some lower-level Atmospheric Science classes.
Can I Use This Toward My ATSC Major or Minor?
Yes, this counts as a career elective (ATSC majors) or upper-level elective (ATSC minors).
When is the Trip and Class?
We have a mandatory all-day classroom bootcamp the first few days of the summer session (May 13-15, 2024). We depart around May 16, 2024, and return on or before May 26, 2024 (up to 10 days of chasing).
Where Will We Go?
We go where the storms are. We've been as far southwest as Big Bend, Texas, as far southeast as College Station, Texas, and as far north as Glasgow, Montana.
Is There a Version of the Class Without the Field Trip?
Yes, but it is not being offered for 2024.
How Do I Enroll?
You will need to contact Professor Mulholland for a special permission number which will allow you to enroll. Not a UND student? No problem! It is easy to apply to UND to take one class. Already graduated from UND? No problem! Learn more about readmission.
What if I Need to Take Other Summer Classes or Work?
We recommend you sign up for other summer session classes or work that begins in June or later.