Storm Chasing Support Kit

A vehicle-based support kit for weather enthusiasts and spotters: communications, navigation, power, and roadside self-reliance for long days in remote country near severe weather.

Starter kit · human-reviewed draft · 2 sources listed · updated 2026-07-01

A starting point to copy and adapt — not a definitive or universally correct list. Check it against your own situation, skills, and local rules.

Items: 18 required · 9 optional
Est. cost: $250–$700
Est. weight: 20–35 lb
Skill level: Advanced
Budget: Moderate
Container: Gear duffel

About this kit

Keep a chase or spotting vehicle powered, connected, and navigable through long remote days, and self-sufficient if it breaks down far from help.

You’re following a developing supercell down gravel section roads with no cell coverage, a dozen tabs of radar draining the phone, and a tire that just picked up a nail. You need power, a way to communicate, and the ability to fix the tire and keep moving — safely, at a distance.

Required items 18

USB power bank×2
High-capacity — radar and streaming drain phones fast.
Why: Navigation and data are the whole job; a dead phone ends the day.
Charging cables×1 set
Why: Keep every device topped up on the move.
Two-way radio (FRS/GMRS)×2
Coordinate a multi-vehicle group.
Why: Teams need to talk where cell service fails.
Portable ham radio×1
Spotter nets run on amateur radio; license required.
Why: Amateur radio is the backbone of storm-spotting communication.
Handheld GPS×1
Backup navigation when the phone dies or loses signal.
Why: Section roads are easy to get lost on with no data.
Topographic map×1
Paper backup — county road maps of the chase area.
Why: A map never loses signal or battery.
Field notebook×1
Log times, locations, and observations.
Why: Reports are only as good as the notes behind them.
Rain shell×1
You will be out in it, briefly and at a distance.
Why: Even careful chasing means stepping into wind and rain.
Headlamp×1
Why: Night ops and roadside work after storms move through.
Flashlight (handheld LED)×1
Why: A brighter beam for spotting hazards and signaling.
First aid pouch×1
Stocked for road hazards.
Why: The real danger of chasing is the driving, not the storm.
Tire plug kit×1
Gravel roads eat tires.
Why: A flat on a remote road is the most likely trip-ender.
Tire inflator (12V)×1
Why: Re-seat pressure after a plug or a top-up.
Tow strap×1
Muddy roads and soft shoulders strand vehicles.
Why: Rain turns dirt roads into traps.
Work gloves×1 pair
Why: Roadside and recovery work.
Water bottle (1L)×2
Why: Long days without a store in sight.
Energy bars & snacks×1 box
Why: Meals are whatever you brought on a 12-hour chase.
Emergency whistle×1
Why: Signaling if separated or stranded.

Optional items 9

Portable antenna & mast×1
A better antenna vastly improves radio range at a stop.
Coax feedline×1
Feedline for the external antenna.
Jumper cables×1 set
Idling for power drains a battery.
Duct tape×1 roll
Hold a cracked mirror or trim from hail.
Safety glasses×1
Wind-driven debris protection.
Hand sanitizer×1
Gas-station-food hygiene on the road.
Polarized sunglasses×1
Glare and blowing debris on the drive.
Wool socks×1 pair
Dry feet after a rained-on roadside stop.
Pain reliever (OTC)×1 card
Long-haul driving headaches.

Make this kit yours — copy all 27 items into an editable kit.

Maintenance schedule

A kit you don’t maintain is a box of expired hope. Suggested cadence:

Interval	Task
Before each season	Update maps and radio programming; test all comms and charge power banks.
Before each chase	Top up fuel, water, and snacks; confirm the tire kit and inflator work.
After any use	Recharge everything and replace used tire plugs.

Variations

Solo spotter

Radio, power, navigation, and roadside basics — report from a safe fixed vantage, not a chase.

Photographer

Add camera protection, lens cloths, and a way to shoot safely from distance.

Team lead

Add repeater-capable radio, a mapping tablet, and redundant power.

⚠️ Safety notes

This kit supports observation from a safe distance. Storm chasing and spotting are hazardous; the leading dangers are traffic, fatigue, flooded roads, and hail — not just the storm. Never drive into flooded crossings.
This page is not training. Take a trained spotter course (e.g. NWS SKYWARN) and follow the safety practices of experienced spotters and local emergency management.
Transmitting on amateur bands requires a license. Keep a large distance from any storm and always have an escape route.

Sources

This guide draws on:

Page history & editing

Revision status: approved Last edited 2026-07-01 by human editor