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Chad Crilley is now a familiar name to viewers of Netflix’s The Twister: Caught in the Storm. However, his journey into meteorology began years before the 2011 Joplin tornado brought him national attention. Growing up in San Diego, Crilley developed a fascination with extreme weather, and an unusual passion for the city’s mild climate.
At just 12 years old, Chad Crilley reached out to meteorologists across Tornado Alley, hoping to shadow them during storm season. According to WDHN.com, Doug Heady from KOAM in Joplin was the one who responded, inviting Crilley and his mother to visit on May 22, 2011.
The day coincided with the devastating EF5 tornado that tore through Joplin. As Decider.com reported on March 20, 2025, Crilley witnessed the destruction firsthand and provided on-the-ground coverage. This experience solidified his path in weather reporting.
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Over the years, Chad Crilley has worked with outlets such as KMBC 9 in Kansas City and WDHN in Alabama. Today, he focuses on storm-chasing content through his YouTube channel, as highlighted in The Direct, on March 21, 2025. His story is a key focus in The Twister: Caught in the Storm documentary.
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Chad Crilley left KMBC-9 in 2024 and WDHN in early 2025 to focus on his YouTube channel full-time
After building a notable career in broadcast meteorology, Chad Crilley has transitioned away from traditional newsrooms to focus on independent content creation. He left KMBC 9 in Kansas City in 2024, where he served as chief meteorologist. After his time there, he joined WDHN in Dothan, Alabama.
As per reports by Moviedelic on March 19, 2025, by March 2025, Crilley decided to step away from WDHN entirely to prioritize his mental health and dedicate himself full-time to his growing YouTube channel.
Today, Chad Crilley has fully stepped into the world of digital media. He creates daily weather reports and chases storms live on his YouTube channel. His broadcasts also include in-depth severe weather breakdowns.
This new direction allows him to connect directly with his audience on platforms like YouTube and engage with followers on X and Facebook. As noted by The Direct, on March 21, 2025, Crilley refers to himself as a “professional storm chaser," focusing on live field reports and real-time coverage whenever hazardous weather strikes.
Before transitioning to independent content creation, Crilley built a strong career as a meteorologist. He began in Jefferson City, Missouri, before moving to Lexington where he worked for WTVQ-TV. He then headed south to Macon, Georgia to join WGXA-TV. His career eventually led to larger outlets, including Yahoo News and Kansas City’s KMBC-TV as confirmed by WDHN.
Crilley's story began much earlier. At just 12 years old, he took a bold step, reaching out to the meteorologists in Tornado Alley, hoping one would let him shadow during storm season.
Doug Heady from KOAM-TV in Joplin was the one who said yes. On May 22, 2011, Crilley and his mother boarded a flight to Missouri, unaware that they would arrive just hours before an EF5 tornado that would tear through Jplin, becoming one of the most destructive storms in U.S. history.
According to Decider, on March 20, 2025, Chad Crilley was dining at a local café when the tornado sirens began blaring. While many locals downplayed the risk, he spotted alarming radar data and urged others to take cover. The tornado passed within half a mile of their location, leaving much of the town in ruins.
Right after the storm, Crilley wasted no time. He grabbed his phone and began reporting from the heart of the devastation. His first-hand updates reached newsrooms struggling to access the disaster zone. According to WDHN, this moment became a turning point for Crilley, igniting his deep commitment to weather reporting and public safety.
His story found its way into the Netflix documentary The Twister: Caught in the Storm. In the film, Crilley reflects on his experience during the 2011 Joplin tornado. The documentary pieces together multiple survivor stories to illustrate the storm's devastating impact on the community.
As Decider highlights, The Twister: Caught in the Storm weaves these personal accounts with real footage from the disaster, creating a gripping portrayal of survival and resilience.
Today, Crilley continues storm chasing while expanding his online presence. However, when it comes to his personal life, he stays off the radar. His focus remains on keeping people informed about severe weather, a mission that began in Joplin and has only strengthened with every newsroom he has worked in.
Stay tuned for more updates.
