OKC Teen Chases Tornadoes While Chasing Meteorology Dreams

A metro teen is chasing his dream of being a storm chaser before he even graduates high school.

Thanks to attending high school online and support from his family, Max Archer has made an amateur career out of chasing tornadoes and other severe weather.

It all started seven years ago when the 17-year-old discovered his passion in life.

“I watched my grandparents’ house get hit by the Elk City tornado,” Max said, adding that he felt helpless in that moment.

Years later, he began chasing, studying, and forecasting tornadoes on his own.

“It can be exhilarating. It can be boring. I mean, there's a lot that can go into how a storm chase can go, really,” Max said.

Max chases storms throughout the United States with his father, Rusty Archer, in the driver’s seat.

“It's intense. You know, I’m driving and trying to keep everybody out of harm's way, you know, watching out for other vehicles and people. And he's saying we need to go here, we need to go there,” Rusty said.

The pair have chased countless storms in countless states.

“New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Texas. Let's see, Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri just everywhere. Arkansas, Nebraska, everything. We've been all over,” Rusty said.

He says the adventures have left them with some great stories to tell.

“There’s trees blowing across the front of the truck and you’re like okay are we in trouble?” Rusty said, laughing with Max. “We drove basically intercepted the tornado in this truck.”

“Thankfully it was a weaker tornado,” Max said.

Max plans to continue chasing and turn his hobby into a career.

“What I want to do is I want to help get the warning process out there quicker,” Max said.

“Support your kid’s passions. If they’ve got something they want to do let them do it,” Rusty said.

Max hopes to attend the University of Oklahoma to study meteorology after he graduates from high school.