This year’s biggest storm chaser recognition goes to Aaron Rsby, who made history as the first-ever Storm Chaser of the Year winner, earning a unanimous vote at the National Storm Chaser Summit Awards Broadcast. His win highlights excellence in storm chase technology and weather prediction. The 2026 Stormys LIVE Award Show also revealed top storm chasing photography from 2025. There’s plenty more to uncover about this year’s inductees, Impel Award winners, and what makes these honors so significant.
Key Takeaways
- Aaron Rsby won the Storm Chaser of the Year award in 2025 by unanimous vote at the National Storm Chaser Summit Awards Broadcast.
- Rsby was the first-ever recipient of the Storm Chaser of the Year award, recognized for excellence in storm chase technology and weather prediction.
- The 2026 Stormys LIVE Award Show broadcast real-time results, honoring storm chasing photography captured throughout 2025.
- Both winners and runners-up were announced during the 2026 Stormys, with categories revealed live during the broadcast.
- All winners are selected through unanimous voting, ensuring strong community consensus on every recognized achievement.
Who Won Storm Chaser of the Year in 2025?
The first-ever Storm Chaser of the Year award went to Aaron Rsby, who won via unanimous vote at the 2025 National Storm Chaser Summit Awards Broadcast. The moment was described as unbelievable, complete with fireworks at the venue, and you could see Aaron wearing his patented hat during the winning announcement.
This new category reflects evolving storm chasing trends, recognizing individual chasers beyond traditional weather photography competitions. No other winner was selected for this title in 2025, making Aaron’s achievement entirely singular.
The unanimous vote signals strong community consensus around his contributions and standing.
As storm chasing trends continue expanding into broader recognition formats, this award establishes a benchmark for future recipients. Aaron Rsby’s win marks a defining moment in how the community honors its own.
The 2026 Stormys LIVE Award Show Explained
If you’re following storm chasing recognition, you’ll want to know about the 2026 Stormys LIVE Award Show, which marks the 6th Annual Live Award Show in the series.
The show broadcasts live announcements of all winners and runners-up, focusing specifically on storm chasing photography.
You’ll find that every image recognized in this show was captured during 2025, making it the definitive showcase for last year’s most compelling storm chasing photography.
Show Format And Purpose
Scheduled as the 6th Annual Live Award Show, the 2026 Stormys LIVE Award Show broadcasts live announcements of all winners and runners-up.
Focusing specifically on photographic images captured during 2025, you’ll find this format invigorating because it delivers results in real time, without delay or filtered presentations.
The show’s purpose centers on recognizing storm chasing photography at its highest level, giving image-based work the award significance it deserves.
Every winner and runner-up receives a live announcement, meaning you witness the results unfold directly. This structure keeps the process transparent and immediate.
2025 Images Highlighted
Anchoring the show’s live format is a focused collection of images taken in 2025, all of which serve as the competitive foundation for the 2026 Stormys LIVE Award Show. Every piece of storm photography evaluated during this broadcast traces directly back to that single calendar year, giving the award significance a clear and verifiable scope.
Here’s what you need to know about the images featured:
- All submitted photographs were captured during 2025 storm chasing activity.
- Images compete across categories announced live during the broadcast.
- Winners and runners-up are both recognized, expanding visibility beyond a single victor.
- The show evaluates storm photography on a yearly cycle, keeping competition current.
You’re watching a live showcase that holds chasers accountable to documented, time-stamped visual evidence from the field.
2026 Stormys LIVE: Top Storm Chasing Images of 2025
The 2026 Stormys LIVE Award Show marks the 6th Annual Live Award Show, where winners and runners-up are announced for storm chasing photography captured throughout 2025. This live broadcast format delivers real-time results, giving you immediate access to every recognized image from the year’s most compelling storm photography.
Unlike traditional award ceremonies, the Stormys LIVE focuses exclusively on photographic images, meaning every winner earned recognition based purely on visual documentation of storm events throughout 2025.
You’ll find both winners and runners-up announced during the broadcast, ensuring broader recognition across the storm chasing community.
If you’re passionate about storm photography, this event represents one of the most relevant award ceremonies in the field, spotlighting the best visual work produced by chasers during the 2025 season.
The Three Impel Storm Chaser Award Winners
Impel recently named three winners for its Storm Chaser Award: Nino Kezherashvili, Meeghan Mussington, and Kim Roberson.
You’ll find that this corporate award recognizes specific individuals who’ve made notable contributions to the storm chasing community. Each winner represents a distinct voice within the field, reflecting Impel’s commitment to honoring talent across the chasing community.
Meet The Award Winners
Who are the three individuals Impel selected for its Storm Chaser Award? These recipients represent outstanding community recognition across the storm chasing field.
- Nino Kezherashvili – Recognized for contributions that align with tech innovation and advancing storm chasing capabilities.
- Meeghan Mussington – Selected for demonstrated expertise and meaningful impact within the chasing community.
- Kim Roberson – Honored alongside the others as a standout performer in the field.
- The Award’s Significance – Impel’s Storm Chaser Award spotlights individuals who push boundaries, reflecting both tech innovation and community recognition at the highest level.
You’ll notice each winner earned this distinction through verified, substantive contributions.
Impel didn’t spread the award thin — they identified three specific chasers who clearly stood apart from the rest.
About The Impel Award
What makes the Impel Storm Chaser Award stand out is its precision — rather than casting a wide net, Impel named exactly three winners: Nino Kezherashvili, Meeghan Mussington, and Kim Roberson.
Unlike broader award ceremonies that recognize large groups, Impel kept its selection tight and deliberate. Each winner earned recognition specifically under the “Storm Chaser Award” title, signaling that Impel values quality over quantity when honoring contributors to the storm chasing community.
Whether your interest lies in storm photography or field performance, this award acknowledges individuals who’ve made a measurable impact.
If you follow chasing culture closely, you’ll notice that corporate-backed awards like Impel’s carry their own weight — they operate independently from community-voted honors, giving you a different but equally valid perspective on who’s shaping the industry.
NSCS Hall of Fame: The 2025 Inductees
The NSCS Hall of Fame welcomed six inductees in 2025, each selected unanimously by the committee from nominations submitted by active scientific and research professionals. These individuals dedicated decades to understanding weather phenomena and advancing storm chasing knowledge. Recognition ceremonies honored their long-term contributions to the community.
Six storm chasing pioneers were unanimously inducted into the NSCS Hall of Fame in 2025, honoring decades of dedicated contributions.
Here are the six inductees you should know:
- David Hoadley – A foundational figure in storm chasing history.
- Tim Samaras – Recognized for significant community contributions.
- Tim Marshall – Honored for decades of field expertise.
- Josh Wurman, Chuck Doswell, and Andy Gabrielson – Three additional professionals whose sustained impact earned unanimous votes.
Each inductee met strict eligibility requirements, including a minimum of twenty years of field experience, ensuring only the most qualified earned this distinction.
NSCS Hall of Fame Nomination Requirements
Earning a spot in the NSCS Hall of Fame isn’t easy — nominees must meet strict criteria before the committee ever considers their name. You’ll need to be widely recognized across the storm chasing community, with contributions spanning a long period of time. A minimum of twenty years of field experience is required, covering proven storm chase techniques and meaningful meteorological collaborations with active professionals.
Nominations come exclusively from active scientific and research professionals, so your reputation within those circles matters. The committee does recognize extenuating circumstances — if injury or death prevented someone from reaching the twenty-year threshold, that requirement can be waived.
Every inductee is selected by unanimous vote, meaning the committee must fully agree. There’s no partial credit here; you either meet the standard or you don’t.
How the Storm Chaser of the Year, Stormys, and Impel Awards Differ
While all three awards celebrate storm chasing, they recognize very different things. Understanding each one helps you see where your own contributions might fit.
- Storm Chaser of the Year – Honors overall excellence in the field, awarded by unanimous vote, as Aaron Osby proved in 2025.
- Stormys LIVE – Focuses entirely on photography techniques and images capturing weather phenomena from the previous year; the 2026 show evaluates 2025 images specifically.
- Impel Storm Chaser Award – A corporate recognition selecting specific individuals like Nino Kezherashvili, Meeghan Mussington, and Kim Roberson based on community impact.
- Scope – Storm Chaser of the Year is broad, Stormys is image-specific, and Impel targets individual contributors.
Each award offers you a distinct path to recognition.
Aaron Rsby’s Unanimous Win and Other Standout Award Moments
When Aaron Rsby won the first-ever Storm Chaser of the Year award in 2025, he did so by unanimous vote — a clean sweep that set a high bar for every future recipient. The announcement came during the 2025 National Storm Chaser Summit Awards Broadcast, complete with fireworks marking the moment.
Rsby was sporting his now-recognizable patented hat when the decision was revealed.
His win reflects broader recognition of how storm chase technology and weather prediction have elevated the field, making excellence harder to ignore and easier to reward. The unanimous vote signals that the committee saw no credible alternative.
You’re watching a community that takes merit seriously, and Rsby’s victory proves that when someone truly stands out, the votes follow without hesitation.
Why the Storm Chasing Community Takes These Awards Seriously
Storm chasing isn’t a hobby that forgives complacency — people operate in environments where miscalculation can be fatal, and the awards reflect that weight. When you understand the criteria behind each recognition, the award significance becomes clear:
- Hall of Fame induction requires a minimum of twenty years of field experience, signaling that longevity under pressure earns respect.
- Storm Chaser of the Year was introduced in 2025, marking a new standard for individual excellence in storm chasing.
- Photography awards like the Stormys LIVE evaluate images taken in specific years, holding visual documentation to a precise standard.
- Corporate recognitions like Impel’s award identify contributors the broader community should know.
These aren’t participation trophies — they represent verified, community-backed achievement in a field where your decisions matter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Storm Chasers Nominate Themselves for Any of These Awards?
The knowledge doesn’t confirm you can self-nominate. The award eligibility criteria shows NSCS Hall of Fame nominations come from active scientific professionals, making the self-nomination process unlikely for that award’s specific requirements.
Are Storm Chasing Awards Associated With Any Monetary Prize or Compensation?
Glittering trophies catch the light, but the knowledge base doesn’t confirm monetary prizes tied to these awards. You won’t find details about storm chasing sponsorships or award ceremony locations offering compensation within the available information.
How Often Are New Award Categories Introduced to Storm Chasing Recognition Programs?
New award categories don’t appear often. You’ll see rare introductions, like the 2025 Storm Chaser of the Year, when award criteria and nomination process gaps emerge that existing recognition programs haven’t yet addressed within the community.
Do International Storm Chasers Qualify for These United States-Based Awards?
Like open skies holding no borders, the knowledge doesn’t confirm international storm chaser eligibility for these awards. You’ll find no restrictions mentioned, but international recognition and storm chaser eligibility criteria aren’t explicitly detailed in available information.
Are Past Winners Eligible to Win the Same Storm Chasing Award Again?
The knowledge doesn’t specify whether historical winners retain award eligibility for future cycles. You’d need to check each award’s official rules directly, as different organizations like Impel, Stormys LIVE, and NSCS likely maintain their own distinct guidelines.
References
- https://www.chasersummit.org/hall-of-fame
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tmc7DefpEoA
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTubC-GrXxo
- https://impel.ai/blog/impel-storm-chaser-award/
