James Hammett
@jameshammett.com
I chase storms across the High Plains in a Subaru
🌩️ Site Reliability Engineer in Denver, Colorado
🌩️ Builder of TurretCam
🌩️ Creator of #1 most viewed tornado video
jameshammett.com
🌩️ Site Reliability Engineer in Denver, Colorado
🌩️ Builder of TurretCam
🌩️ Creator of #1 most viewed tornado video
jameshammett.com
Pinned
James Hammett
@jameshammett.com
· Mar 25
My Laramie tornado video says "hallo!" from Dresden!🌪️ www.dhmd.de/en/exhibitio...
Reposted by James Hammett
WATER IS FALLING FROM THE SKY IN DENVER
November 21, 2025 at 3:38 AM
WATER IS FALLING FROM THE SKY IN DENVER
Reposted by James Hammett
The sun is bringing the beauty both night and day this week with overnight Aurora's followed by a spectacular sunrise with morning's first light splashing on the underside of a cloud deck over Colorado.
November 12, 2025 at 2:52 PM
The sun is bringing the beauty both night and day this week with overnight Aurora's followed by a spectacular sunrise with morning's first light splashing on the underside of a cloud deck over Colorado.
New video from veteran storm chaser Dan Robinson on fair use makes a lot of great points. TL;DR -- pay fairly for what you use youtu.be/ETTte5gUvTQ?...
Tornadoes and Fair Use
YouTube video by Dan Robinson
youtu.be
November 12, 2025 at 7:02 AM
New video from veteran storm chaser Dan Robinson on fair use makes a lot of great points. TL;DR -- pay fairly for what you use youtu.be/ETTte5gUvTQ?...
Reposted by James Hammett
And here's a short explainer on aurora colors! 🎨
Aurora color guide! What creates the different shades?
Different atoms getting "excited" at different altitudes
The bright reds are a sign of a particularly intense event
Different atoms getting "excited" at different altitudes
The bright reds are a sign of a particularly intense event
November 12, 2025 at 4:08 AM
And here's a short explainer on aurora colors! 🎨
That red was RED to the naked eye. Some green embedded in the red parts as well.
November 12, 2025 at 4:30 AM
That red was RED to the naked eye. Some green embedded in the red parts as well.
Phone photo of back yard aurora in Denver's light pollution
November 12, 2025 at 3:27 AM
Phone photo of back yard aurora in Denver's light pollution
Reposted by James Hammett
Reposted by James Hammett
I am on my way home to Toronto and the aurorae are absolutely phenomenal.
If you are anywhere in the northern half of the continent, get outside and look up! Or better still, put your camera on a 10 second exposure and point it up.
If you are anywhere in the northern half of the continent, get outside and look up! Or better still, put your camera on a 10 second exposure and point it up.
November 12, 2025 at 2:44 AM
I am on my way home to Toronto and the aurorae are absolutely phenomenal.
If you are anywhere in the northern half of the continent, get outside and look up! Or better still, put your camera on a 10 second exposure and point it up.
If you are anywhere in the northern half of the continent, get outside and look up! Or better still, put your camera on a 10 second exposure and point it up.
Reposted by James Hammett
Reposted by James Hammett
You know what? There's actually a tested solution to this! it is brilliantly simple, and it WORKS.
I would love to see @bsky.app and @support.bsky.team test this out.
www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2023/ju...
I would love to see @bsky.app and @support.bsky.team test this out.
www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2023/ju...
November 7, 2025 at 5:33 PM
You know what? There's actually a tested solution to this! it is brilliantly simple, and it WORKS.
I would love to see @bsky.app and @support.bsky.team test this out.
www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2023/ju...
I would love to see @bsky.app and @support.bsky.team test this out.
www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2023/ju...
I've published my storm chasing rendering style here - enjoy! github.com/pqo/stormcha...
November 6, 2025 at 5:46 AM
I've published my storm chasing rendering style here - enjoy! github.com/pqo/stormcha...
Reposted by James Hammett
Thanks for the warm welcome back, Bsky. It’s so much more pleasant here without the daily episode of Idiocracy. 🙃
Here’s a Colorado supercell from August resulting from 3 (three!) storm mergers. 🌀 Got a tad surprised by the intensity & thusly was a little closer than usual…
Here’s a Colorado supercell from August resulting from 3 (three!) storm mergers. 🌀 Got a tad surprised by the intensity & thusly was a little closer than usual…
October 15, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Thanks for the warm welcome back, Bsky. It’s so much more pleasant here without the daily episode of Idiocracy. 🙃
Here’s a Colorado supercell from August resulting from 3 (three!) storm mergers. 🌀 Got a tad surprised by the intensity & thusly was a little closer than usual…
Here’s a Colorado supercell from August resulting from 3 (three!) storm mergers. 🌀 Got a tad surprised by the intensity & thusly was a little closer than usual…
Remember the glowing orb video from earlier this year that was widely and uncritically described as ball lightning? Chris Asselin took the time to investigate...⚡
Il y a quelques jours, j'ai vu passer une vidéo sur Youtube, et ça m'a intrigué... donc j'ai mené une rapide enquête. #Foudre #FoudreEnBoule
www.youtube.com/shorts/bWC_c...
www.youtube.com/shorts/bWC_c...
Enfin la preuve de la foudre en boule ?
YouTube video by Chroniques Chaotiques
www.youtube.com
September 24, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Remember the glowing orb video from earlier this year that was widely and uncritically described as ball lightning? Chris Asselin took the time to investigate...⚡
Reposted by James Hammett
Tornado near Pleaant View, Colorado this afternoon…near the Utah/Colorado line in southwestern Colorado!
📸: Landan Wilson
📸: Landan Wilson
September 13, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Tornado near Pleaant View, Colorado this afternoon…near the Utah/Colorado line in southwestern Colorado!
📸: Landan Wilson
📸: Landan Wilson
Reposted by James Hammett
September 13, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Reposted by James Hammett
Why do we care about continued investment in our weather radar infrastructure? Without a reliable, modernized radar network, we lose valuable time in seeing tornadoes *before* they threaten places and people. The below percentages indicate that radar prompts 9 out of 10 warnings!
Computed statistic for yearly percentage of NWS Tornado Warnings that are "RADAR Indicated" at warning issuance.
2017 92.4%
2018 92.0%
2019 90.6%
2020 92.1%
2021 88.8%
2022 92.1%
2023 88.5%
2024 91.0%
2025 90.7%
2017 92.4%
2018 92.0%
2019 90.6%
2020 92.1%
2021 88.8%
2022 92.1%
2023 88.5%
2024 91.0%
2025 90.7%
August 28, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Why do we care about continued investment in our weather radar infrastructure? Without a reliable, modernized radar network, we lose valuable time in seeing tornadoes *before* they threaten places and people. The below percentages indicate that radar prompts 9 out of 10 warnings!
Reposted by James Hammett
One year ago today I was making what may be the easiest forecast of my life in central South Dakota. This long-lived tornado was just the icing we all knew was coming to top off the cake.
8.28.2024 - Mound City, SD
8.28.2024 - Mound City, SD
August 28, 2025 at 7:05 PM
One year ago today I was making what may be the easiest forecast of my life in central South Dakota. This long-lived tornado was just the icing we all knew was coming to top off the cake.
8.28.2024 - Mound City, SD
8.28.2024 - Mound City, SD
Reposted by James Hammett
Entry-level meteorologist positions (I think 40 of them) are posted! I promise the NWS is still an amazing place to work and full of wonderful, passionate people. And we are going to need more great people, with all kinds of skill sets.
NWS is hiring! Are you interested in working for an agency that uses science and technology to protect lives and property? Additional mission-critical positions just posted on usajobs.gov, including Meteorologist (1340) openings. Many are great opportunities for first-time hires. More coming soon!
August 25, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Entry-level meteorologist positions (I think 40 of them) are posted! I promise the NWS is still an amazing place to work and full of wonderful, passionate people. And we are going to need more great people, with all kinds of skill sets.
Reposted by James Hammett
There is a new world record for the longest lightning flash - 515 miles!
The World Meteorological Organization has certified a lightning flash that extended from near Dallas, TX, to near Kansas City, MO, on October 22, 2017, as the new longest lightning flash.
⚡🧪🧵
(1/3)
wmo.int/media/news/w...
The World Meteorological Organization has certified a lightning flash that extended from near Dallas, TX, to near Kansas City, MO, on October 22, 2017, as the new longest lightning flash.
⚡🧪🧵
(1/3)
wmo.int/media/news/w...
WMO certifies megaflash lightning record in USA
The megaflash occurred in October 2017, during a major thunderstorm complex. It extended from eastern Texas to near Kansas City - equivalent to the distance between Paris and Venice in Europe. It woul...
wmo.int
July 31, 2025 at 1:46 PM
There is a new world record for the longest lightning flash - 515 miles!
The World Meteorological Organization has certified a lightning flash that extended from near Dallas, TX, to near Kansas City, MO, on October 22, 2017, as the new longest lightning flash.
⚡🧪🧵
(1/3)
wmo.int/media/news/w...
The World Meteorological Organization has certified a lightning flash that extended from near Dallas, TX, to near Kansas City, MO, on October 22, 2017, as the new longest lightning flash.
⚡🧪🧵
(1/3)
wmo.int/media/news/w...
Reposted by James Hammett
Absolutely incredible view of the earlier Westcliffe tornado!
This vantage point is simply amazing. Wow times a million!
📸: Rick Sandoval
#COwx
This vantage point is simply amazing. Wow times a million!
📸: Rick Sandoval
#COwx
July 30, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Absolutely incredible view of the earlier Westcliffe tornado!
This vantage point is simply amazing. Wow times a million!
📸: Rick Sandoval
#COwx
This vantage point is simply amazing. Wow times a million!
📸: Rick Sandoval
#COwx
Reposted by James Hammett
Actually, it’s only a Derecho if it comes from the Derecho region of Central Iowa. Otherwise it’s just a sparkling squall line.
July 30, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Actually, it’s only a Derecho if it comes from the Derecho region of Central Iowa. Otherwise it’s just a sparkling squall line.
Reposted by James Hammett
TSUNAMI WARNING 3: See tsunami.gov for alert areas. M8.7 080mi SE Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka 1625PDT Jul 29
U.S. Tsunami Warning Centers
tsunami.gov
July 30, 2025 at 1:36 AM
TSUNAMI WARNING 3: See tsunami.gov for alert areas. M8.7 080mi SE Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka 1625PDT Jul 29
Reposted by James Hammett
A revision to M8.8 by the USGS. This earthquake off the coast of Russia is now the strongest observed across the globe since 2010. Only 5 stronger earthquakes have been measured by humans.
Tsunami Warning remains in effect for Hawaii with an ETA of 7:17pm HST
Tsunami Warning remains in effect for Hawaii with an ETA of 7:17pm HST
July 30, 2025 at 1:46 AM
A revision to M8.8 by the USGS. This earthquake off the coast of Russia is now the strongest observed across the globe since 2010. Only 5 stronger earthquakes have been measured by humans.
Tsunami Warning remains in effect for Hawaii with an ETA of 7:17pm HST
Tsunami Warning remains in effect for Hawaii with an ETA of 7:17pm HST
Reposted by James Hammett
Tsunami warning for eastern Japan, in many of the same areas impacted by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Not good. Live English-translated TV coverage from Japanese broadcaster NHK: www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/
July 30, 2025 at 1:23 AM
Tsunami warning for eastern Japan, in many of the same areas impacted by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. Not good. Live English-translated TV coverage from Japanese broadcaster NHK: www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/
Reposted by James Hammett
NWS is hiring! The first of several top-priority, mission-critical positions posted Friday on USAJobs.gov! Others will follow soon. Visit USAJobs.gov and search “NWS” to learn more.
July 28, 2025 at 5:37 PM
NWS is hiring! The first of several top-priority, mission-critical positions posted Friday on USAJobs.gov! Others will follow soon. Visit USAJobs.gov and search “NWS” to learn more.