01Tornado path map
From £24.99
See the print →Most forecast offices have an event that defines them. Norman has May 3, 1999 and May 20, 2013. Springfield has Joplin. If they worked a deadly event, ask someone close to them before giving its map.
02A framed warning they issued
A few dollars plus a frame
National Weather Service warnings are public record. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet archive lets you search them by office and date. Find one they wrote, print the text and frame it, on its own or under the map of the same storm.
03Hook Echo mug
From £21.99
See the mug →An 11oz ceramic mug printed with a hook echo, the radar signature of a rotating storm that may produce a tornado. Pair it with good coffee for an overnight shift.
04EF Scale chart
From £24.99
See the print →The EF0 to EF5 damage scale as a wall chart, for an office or classroom. How a tornado is measured explains the scale.
05Doppler On Wheels print
From £24.99
See the print →A print of the Doppler On Wheels, the truck-mounted research radar. A good fit for a radar meteorologist. Our explainer covers its history.
06Hurricane Hunters print
From £24.99
See the print →A print of a hurricane hunter aircraft, the planes that fly into hurricanes to measure them. A good fit for a tropical meteorologist.
07Forecasting history books
Often a few dollars secondhand
Two to look for: Warnings by Mike Smith, on how tornado warnings were developed, and Tornado Alley by Howard Bluestein, on the storms of the Great Plains and how scientists study them. Secondhand copies are usually cheap.
08Hook Echo sweatshirt
From £36.99
See the sweatshirt →The hook echo design on a premium unisex sweatshirt. A good gift for a student starting their first forecasting job.
An NWS forecaster
If you know their office, buy the map of its defining event. If you don't, the Hook Echo mug or something unrelated to weather.
A meteorology professor
A map of a case from their own research, framed for the office. Their publication list usually shows which events they study.
A graduating student
The EF Scale chart or a map of the storm that got them into meteorology, plus the Hook Echo mug.
A retiring meteorologist
Ask a colleague which storm they still talk about and buy that map. A framer can add a small engraved plate with their office and years of service. For a group gift, add a bound book of colleagues' memories. For a broadcast meteorologist, a voucher to digitize old tapes.
What to skip
Weather instruments, textbooks, anything with a scientifically wrong illustration and jokes about retirement.
Meteorologist gift questions
What do you get a meteorologist as a gift?
A map of a storm that matters to them, or a framed copy of a warning they issued. Under $35, the Hook Echo mug.
What is a good retirement gift for a meteorologist?
A framed map of the storm that defined their career, with an engraved plate naming their office and years of service.
What should I give a meteorology student who is graduating?
The EF Scale chart or the Hook Echo sweatshirt.
Which tornadoes do the path maps cover?
Can I find a tornado warning someone issued?
Yes. National Weather Service warnings are public record, and the Iowa Environmental Mesonet archive is searchable by office and date.
When should I order for Christmas?
By the first week of December. Everything in the shop is printed to order, and framing adds more time.
What about someone who loves weather but isn’t a meteorologist?
The Best Gifts for Meteorologists in 2026
Gift ideas for meteorologists, NWS forecasters, meteorology professors, graduating students and retirees, from tornado path maps to framed warning text.
Related Reading
In the Storm Archive