Most experienced hurricane chaser on earth.

Hurricane chaser Richard Horodner has intercepted, experienced, and photographed more hurricanes than anyone else on Earth

1948-1950-Four hurricanes passed over house in Miami, Florida, when toddler.

1960-Hurricane Donna, S. Florida

1964-Hurricane Cleo, S. Florida

        Hurricane Isbell, S. Florida

1964-Participated in work-study program at National Hurricane Center.  Worked with researcher Banner I. Miller (Atlantic Hurricanes, Louisiana Press Publishing, 1960).  Research paper on Hurricane Hattie published in National Weather Review magazine.

1966-Hurricane Alma, N. Florida 

           Intercepted Hurricane Inez, S.Florida.

1968-Tropical Storm Abby, Central Florida

1974-Hurricane Carmen, Louisiana.

1975-Hurricane Eloise, Florida Panhandle.

1976-Tropical Storm Dottie, S. Florida

1977-Experienced coldest winter in Minnesota history @ Minn/St.Paul: including a minus 32 F on Jan. 9th.  Drove N. to where wind chill temp. was -84 F, and absolute temperature -51 F.

1979-Hurricane David, S. Florida.

1979-Hurricane Frederic, Mobile, AL--estimated gusts to 135.

1981-Tropical Storm Dennis, S. Florida--19 inches rain.

1982-Technition/Desk Forecaster/Severe Weather Desk, The Weather Channel.  First  featured hurricane chaser for the Weather Channel.

1983 (through 2009) - Began working relationship with Florida Civil Defense Dept. (now Emergency Management) to produce and distribute educational and training videos concerning hurricane awareness, response, and preparation.

1983-Tropical Storm Barry, Central Florida.                                                                  

           Hurricane Alicia, Freeport, Tx

1984-Hurricane Diana, Holden Beach, NC.  Footage led off CBS Evening News. Produced and marketed first-ever hurricane documentary video, Hurricane Diana-Live.

            Tropical Storm Isadore, Central Florida

            Contracted by U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Land/Water Interface Program to film the tidal surge of landfalling hurricanes.

            Established the world's 1st. fulltime severe weather video business:  "Richard Horodner - THE Hurricane Phototgrapher; and clearinghouse for all storm photography."

1985-Intercepted the eyes of four hurricanes in one season:  a world's record on the ground for one human being.

           Hurricane Danny, W.  Louisiana.

           Hurricane Elena, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi.  Filmed rare tidal  surges demolishing homes and collapsing barrier island causway. Footage led off CBS Evening News. Produced Hurricane Elena-Live  on Video.

           Hurricane Gloria, Nags Head, N. Carolina.

           Hurricane Kate, Florida Panhandle.  Produced video Hurricane Kate-Late Season  Icing on the Cake.

1986-Hurricane Bonnie, Sabine/High Island, Texas.  Filmed tidal surge overtaking coastal highway.

           Hurricane Charley, Nags Head, NC.

1987-Hurricane Floyd, Florida Keys.

1988-Hurricane Gibert, S. Padre Island, Texas.  Footage of  boat fire and rescue on ABC  Evening News.  Produced video Hurricane Gibert-Most Intense Hurricane in History. 

           Tropical Storm Chris, Central Florida

1989-Hurricane Hugo, Puerto Rico and S. Carolina.  Produced Hurricane Hugo-Double Strike.

1990-Tropical Storm Marco, Lido Key, Florida.

           Hurricane Trudy, Cabo San Lucas, Baha California, Mexico

           Produced and released video Hurricanes  of the 1980s.

1991- Tropical Storm Fabian, S. Florida

1992-Hurricane Andrew, S. Florida and Central Louisiana.  Experienced wind gusts 175-200mph.  Produced video Hurricane Andrew-Live and  Deadly.

           First hand account of the Cat. #5 hurricane interception.

1993-Hurricane Emily, Buxton/Cape Hatteras, N. Carolina.  Filmed highest tidal surge in Cape Hatteras history, 10.2 ft. above normal.  Released  video Hurricane Emily Inundates the Outer Banks.

1994 Tropical Strorm Alberto, Destin, Florida, filmed recon. plane flying through eye as it made landfall. CNN news feature.        

          Hurricane Gordon, Florida and Cape Hatteras, N. Carolina 

1995-Hurricane Allison, Near St. Marks, FL

           Hurricane Erin, Vero Beach, Florida.

           Tropical Storm Jerry, S. Florida

           Hurricane Luis, Puerto Rico.  Participated in PBS special "Savage Skies, Monsters of the Deep" narrated by Al Roker .(34) Savage Skies, Hurricanes, Part 1, Al Roker Narrating - YouTube  and          Savage Skies, Hurricanes, Part 2, Al Roker Narrating - YouTube

Hurricane Opal, Florida Panhandle.  Produced video Hurricane Opal--a Pearl She Was Not.

1996-Hurricane Bertha, Surf City, N. Carolina, filmed eye coming ashore and pier being demolished.

           Hurricane Fran, Wrightsville Beach, N. Carolina.  Produced video Hurricanes Fran & Bertha-Double Dose for N. Carolina. 

            Hurricane Edouard, Cape Cod, Massachusettes. 

            Hurricane Lily, Nassau, Bahamas.

1998-Hurriane Bonnie, Wrightsville Beach, N. Carolina.  Accompanied by CBS 60 Minutes crews.

           Hurricane Earl, Appalachicola, Florida.

           Hurricane Georges, Biloxi and Gulfport, Mississippi, NW Florida (30 inches rain).  Produced video Hurricane Georges-Path of Destruction.

            Tropical Storm Mitch, S. Florida

1999-Hurricane Bret, S. Texas coast , just north of Kingsville

           Hurricane Dennis, Atlantic Beach, N. Carolina.

           Hurricane Floyd, Myrtle Beach, S. Carolina

           Hurricane Irene, S. Florida

2000-Hurricanes Gordon & Helene, NW Florida

           Released compilation video Hurricanes of the 1990s.

2001-Contracted by The Weather Channel to film landfalling hurricanes exclusively for them. 

           Completed largest sale of weather footage in history; hurricanes 1984-2000: to The Weather Channel.

           Hurricane Barry, Panama City, Florida

          Hurricane Michelle, Paradise Island, Bahamas.  Filmed 110 mph winds in sunlit skies.  Released  video Hurricane Michelle-Cat 2 Sub-Tropical.

           Featured on Dateline, NBC as the premier hurricane chaser of our times. 

2002-Hurricane Gustav, Cape Hatteras, N. Carolina

           Hurricane Isidore, Pass Christian, Louisiana

           Hurricane Lily, Abbeville, Louisiana.

2003-Hurricane Isabel, Elizabeth City, NC.  Filmed gusts to 103 mph & 6 foot tidal surge sweeping into downtown.  Released video Hurricane Isabel--the Perfect Storm Surges Ashore.

2004-Hurricane Charley, SW Florida Coastline.  Released video Hurricane Charley-As It Happened.

           Hurricane Frances, Jensen Beach, Florida.  Winds gusts to 105, hurricane winds for 16 hours, IN the eye for a personal record of 7 1/2 hours. 

            Hurricane Ivan, Mobile, Alabama.

            Hurricane Jeanne, Vero Beach, Florida.  Wind gusts to 122 mph.  Released video Hurricanes Jeanne and Frances Plunder the Treasure Coast.

2005-Hurricane Dennis, Florida panhandle.

        Hurricane Emily, Yucatan peninsula , Mexico

        Hurricane Katrina, S. Florida, N. Gulf Coast; Released DVD, Hurricane Katrina - As It Happened   

        Hurricane Rita, Key West, Florida

        Hurricane Wilma, S. Florida; Released DVD,  Hurricanes Wilma and Katrina -  As They Happened

2007-Tropical Storm Ernesto, Yeehaw Junction, Florida

2008-Released DVD package, Notorious Hurricanes - 1985-2004.

         Tropical Storm Fay, Sebastian, Florida

         Hurricane Ike, Texas City-Galveston Bridge, Texas

2011- Hurricane Irene, Atlantic Beach, NC

2016- Hurricane Matthew, Titusville, FL

2017- Hurricane Irma, S. Florida

            Tropical Storm Philippe, S. Florida

2018 - Hurricane Michael, Panama City,  Florida.  2nd. interception of inner eyewall of a Category #5 Atlantic basin hurricane; Andrew in 1992 was the 1st.  Released DVD:  Hurricane Michael - Live

                79 Tropical Cyclones Experienced Total  --To Be Continued

My unique path of obtaining hurricane knowledge (by Richard Horodner):

As noted above I participated in a work-study program at the NHC in 1964, and had the honor of working with noted hurricane researcher Banner I. Miller.  After  that date, for 40 years, I had the privilege of stopping by the NHC for several hours almost every day a tropical system was in progress.  I would attend the daily map discussions, and also sit in the hurricane forecast room with the forecaster(s) on duty.  There I observed and discussed the current situations with the most knowledgeable hurricane practitioners on earth; as they devised their forecasts and warnings.  What I learned could not be obtained from the few textbooks available on tropical meteorology.  I learned how they used their guidance and various level maps and forecasts, their personal experience applying past circumstances to the current situation, and their intuition about what would happen next.  I observed the intricacies of balancing the uncertainties of each situation with the hoped for public reactions to their pronouncements; the major goal to save as many lives and mitigate hurricane damage as best as could be accomplished.

I had the privalege of learning much from:  Banner Miller, Gordon Dunn, Paul Hebert, Gil Clark, John Hope, Richard Pasch, Bob Sheets, Max Mayfield, Joe Pelissier, Miles Lawrence, Hal Gerrish, Bob Case, Ed Rappaport, Jim Lushine, Lixion Avila, Neil Frank, Stanley Wright (satellite specialist) , John Pavone (recon officer), Brian Jarvinen (storm surge specialist), and  many others.

horodner@aol.com

hurricane video photography