Tornado Glory
Encyclopedia
Tornado Glory is an American documentary film
that was released in 2006
by PBS. Produced by Angry Sky Entertainment, the program follows storm chasers
Reed Timmer
and Joel Taylor through Tornado Alley
during the 2003 storm season. The film was produced and directed by Ken Cole.
meteorology
students, Reed Timmer and Joel Taylor. Timmer in particular has emerged as a controversial figure in the storm chasing world, favoring high-risk chase tactics such as speeding and driving in reverse to get out of a tornado’s path. Taylor and Timmer’s critics, including notable meteorology professors, take issue with such tactics, as well as Timmer’s high-profile television appearances.
The documentary blends the personal stories and backgrounds of the two main chasers with chase sequences from their 2003 chase season. Events covered in the movie include October 9, 2001 in Elk City, Oklahoma
, April 5, 2003 in Stonewall County, Texas, the May 15, 2003 outbreak, and June 24, 2003 in Manchester, South Dakota
, in which Timmer was almost hit by a mile-wide tornado.
According to the DVD commentaries, Taylor, Timmer, and Cole studied meteorology together at the University of Oklahoma, graduating in 2002. Taylor graduated with a bachelor’s degree, while Timmer is currently pursuing a doctorate in meteorology. Cole, who was also cinematographer and editor, graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in meteorology in 2002. He then studied filmmaking as part of his master’s degree.
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
that was released in 2006
2006 in film
- Highest-grossing films :Please note that following the tradition of the English-language film industry, these are the top-grossing films that were first released in the United States in 2006...
by PBS. Produced by Angry Sky Entertainment, the program follows storm chasers
Storm chasing
Storm chasing is broadly defined as the pursuit of any severe weather condition, regardless of motive, which can be curiosity, adventure, scientific exploration or for news professions/media coverage....
Reed Timmer
Reed Timmer
Reed Timmer is a meteorologist and professional storm chaser who stars in the American documentary reality television series Storm Chasers. He also starred in the documentary film Tornado Glory....
and Joel Taylor through Tornado Alley
Tornado Alley
Tornado Alley is a colloquial and popular media term that most often refers to the area of the United States where tornadoes are most frequent. Although an official location is not defined, the area between the Rocky Mountains and Appalachian Mountains is usually associated with it.The areas...
during the 2003 storm season. The film was produced and directed by Ken Cole.
Overview
As opposed to many documentaries focusing strictly on the science and destructive nature of tornadoes, Tornado Glory examines the determination, excitement, and struggles of storm chasing from the personal experiences of two University of OklahomaUniversity of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma is a coeducational public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. Founded in 1890, it existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two became the state of Oklahoma. the university had 29,931 students enrolled, most located at its...
meteorology
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
students, Reed Timmer and Joel Taylor. Timmer in particular has emerged as a controversial figure in the storm chasing world, favoring high-risk chase tactics such as speeding and driving in reverse to get out of a tornado’s path. Taylor and Timmer’s critics, including notable meteorology professors, take issue with such tactics, as well as Timmer’s high-profile television appearances.
The documentary blends the personal stories and backgrounds of the two main chasers with chase sequences from their 2003 chase season. Events covered in the movie include October 9, 2001 in Elk City, Oklahoma
Elk City, Oklahoma
Elk City is a city in Beckham County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 11,693 at the 2010 census. Elk City is located on Interstate 40 and Historic U.S. Route 66 in Western Oklahoma, approximately west of Oklahoma City and east of Amarillo....
, April 5, 2003 in Stonewall County, Texas, the May 15, 2003 outbreak, and June 24, 2003 in Manchester, South Dakota
Manchester, South Dakota
Manchester was a small unincorporated community in Kingsbury County in the east-central part of the U.S. state of South Dakota. On June 24, 2003, the town was completely annihilated by a large F4-rated tornado, and has since become a ghost town.-History:...
, in which Timmer was almost hit by a mile-wide tornado.
According to the DVD commentaries, Taylor, Timmer, and Cole studied meteorology together at the University of Oklahoma, graduating in 2002. Taylor graduated with a bachelor’s degree, while Timmer is currently pursuing a doctorate in meteorology. Cole, who was also cinematographer and editor, graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. in meteorology in 2002. He then studied filmmaking as part of his master’s degree.