01Tornado path map
From £24.99
See the print →Maps of ten famous tornado tracks, from Tri-State 1925 to Mayfield 2021. Ask which tornado they would name first and buy that one. If it hit their town, check how they feel about it first.
02Hook Echo mug
From £21.99
See the mug →An 11oz ceramic mug printed with a hook echo, the curl on radar that marks a rotating storm that may produce a tornado. The EF Scale mug and Tornado Warning mug cost a little less.
03Tornado Warning sweatshirt
From £36.99
See the sweatshirt →A black sweatshirt with the text of a tornado warning bulletin across the back, ending in TAKE COVER NOW. Unisex, sizes S to 3XL.
04Hook Echo sweatshirt
From £36.99
See the sweatshirt →The hook echo design on a premium unisex sweatshirt. Sizes run true, so buy their usual size.
05Respect The Wind sweatshirt
From £39.99
See the sweatshirt →A sand crewneck with a 1940s style public notice printed large on the back. The same series includes Watch The Sky, Know The Signs, Take Cover and Vintage Tornado Newspaper.
06Supercell Storm print
From £24.99
See the print →A print of a supercell, the rotating storm that produces most strong tornadoes. Available framed or unframed. You Should Respect The Wind and Retro Tornado Sunset are the other storm prints.
07EF Scale chart
From £24.99
See the print →Shows how tornado damage is rated from EF0 to EF5. The Tornado Types chart pairs with it, showing rope, cone, wedge and multi-vortex tornadoes. How a tornado is measured explains the scale.
08Tornado trucker hat
From £22.99
See the hat →A trucker hat with a multi-vortex tornado on the front. Mesh back, one size fits most. If they chase, see our storm chaser gift list.
09Radar app subscription
From around $10 a year
RadarScope's paid tiers add lightning data and longer radar loops. Our NEXRAD explainer covers what the app shows.
10Tornado 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.
Birthday
Print the weather from the day they were born. Historical observations and surface weather maps are public record, and a framed printout costs a few dollars. Pair it with the Hook Echo mug.
Secret Santa
At $25, the EF Scale mug. At $31, the Hook Echo mug.
Last minute
Find the National Weather Service warning issued for the storm they talk about most. The Iowa Environmental Mesonet archives warnings by office and date. Print it and put it in a frame.
What to skip
A tornado in a bottle, anything with a cartoon funnel, a weather rock and another rain gauge.
Tornado gift questions
What is a good gift for someone obsessed with tornadoes?
A map of the tornado they would name first. If you don't know it, the Hook Echo mug.
What should I buy a weather lover for Christmas?
Under $35, the Hook Echo mug. Between $35 and $75, the Tornado Warning sweatshirt. Over $75, a framed tornado path map. Order by the first week of December, since everything is printed to order.
Which tornadoes do the path maps cover?
El Reno 2013, Moore 2013, Bridge Creek-Moore 1999, Joplin 2011, El Reno-Piedmont 2011, Greensburg 2007, Jarrell 1997, Mayfield 2021, Xenia 1974 and Tri-State 1925. The storm archive has the full record for most of these events.
What is the widest tornado ever recorded?
The El Reno, Oklahoma tornado of May 31, 2013, at 2.6 miles wide. Why it was rated EF3 is still argued about. There is an El Reno 2013 map in the shop.
What is a hook echo?
A hook-shaped curl on weather radar at the back of a supercell. It shows rain wrapping around a rotating updraft and often appears before a tornado forms.
What should I buy a child who loves tornadoes?
See our gift list for kids who love tornadoes, which covers youth sizes and wall charts.
What do you get a meteorologist?
Gifts for Tornado Lovers and Weather Obsessives
Gift ideas for tornado lovers and weather obsessives: tornado path maps, radar mugs, warning sweatshirts and prints, with birthday and Secret Santa picks.
Related Reading
In the Storm Archive