Reaping the whirlwind

These astonishing scenes were captured by a man who gave up his day job as a corn plant worker to become a professional storm chaser.

Mike Hollingshead, 37, went after his first storm in 1999 and has been in awe of Mother Nature's most powerful phenomena ever since.

Growing up, he remembers being driven to the top of a hill near his family home so he could watch vicious lightning storms.

Hunting Nature's power: A stunning image of a supercell storm in York, Nebraska, taken by Mike Hollingshead who has given up his day job to become a storm chaser

Menacing: This thunderstorm in Chamberlain, South Dakota, is among a number of scenes captured by Mr Hollingshead since he started chasing storms in 1999

Hill City, Kansas: A twister tears through the state in 2005 in this incredible picture by full-time storm chaser Mike Hollingshead

Burdett, Kansas: Mike went after his first storm in 1999 and has been in awe of mother nature's most powerful phenomena ever since

In awe: Mike Hollingshead, pictured (left) in front of a mammatus cloud in eastern Nebraska has been fascinated by storms and tornadoes ever since he was child

These experiences were not necessarily storm chasing but, along with extreme weather videos and DVDs, helped fuel his love of such phenomena.

The day of his first solo storm chase, in 1999, Mike managed to successfully chase and catch his first tornado and was hooked.

 

By 2004, he had captured so many storms he was ready to make storm chasing his full-time job.

A supercell on Grand Island, Nebraska: Mike lives in an area known as Tornado Alley - a vertical strip down the centre of the U.S. where storms are most prevalent

Lifelong passion: Growing up, Mike remembers being driven to the top of a hill near his family home so he could watch vicious lightning storms

Valentine, Nebraska: Mr Hollinghead's early experiences of storms, along with extreme weather videos and DVDs, helped fuel his love of such phenomena

West Point, Nebraska: Mike managed to successfully catch his a tornado on his first solo storm chase in 1999 and has been hooked ever since

Mike currently lives in an area of America known as 'Tornado Alley' - a vertical strip down the center of America where storms are most prevalent.

Across the US, there were 1,037 tornadoes reported in the U.S. in 2012, of which at least 932 have been confirmed.

Mike, from Blair in Nebraska, USA, said: 'I always watched storms from town as a kid, but I didn't set out on my first actual chase until 1999.

Mastering the art: By 2004, he had captured so many storms he was ready to make storm chasing his full-time job

Bow Echo, Nebraska: Across the US, there were 1,037 tornadoes reported in 2012, of which at least 932 have been confirmed

Alvo, Nebraska: Mike said the 'wild-looking phase' of the storm may only last for around 15 minutes

Praying it will pass: An ominous storm brews on the horizon in Bow Echo in Watertown, South Dakota

'I got a tornado that first chase and have been hooked since. So often, the crazy-looking type of storms don't last very long. 

'You better be where the storms initiate and then try to stay ahead of them. Sometimes the wild-looking phase may only have been a 15-minute window.

'What I like most about storms is that they are alive. How you can go from invisible moisture that condense as it rises into a storm, then gets spun by the wind shear, into this 50,000-plus foot tall storm.

A mammatus cloud in Aberdeen South Dakota: The term is applied to a pattern of pouches that hang underneath the base of a cloud and is derived from the Latin mamma meaning 'breast'

Sioux City, Nebraska: Mike says he is fascinated by the transformation of invisible moisture that condenses as it rises, then gets spun into a 50,000-plus foot tall storm

Mr Hollingshead says of storm-chasing: 'If you are punching through a tornadic storm in the rain, it can be extremely stressful'

'The anticipation is really enjoyable. You leave home that morning for a long drive to where things look like they'll be best later in the day, just wondering what you will have witnessed by the end of the day.

'I've had experiences where I have felt scared. You can be pretty close to a tornado and not feel much of any real danger.

'But if you are punching through a tornadic storm in the rain, it can be extremely stressful.

'You need to pop out ahead of where the tornado would be, not just drive into a rain wrapped tornado.

'With radar on the road via internet you can have a good enough idea how much room you have. Some play that game closer than others.'

Strategy: Mr Hollingshead says you need to 'pop out ahead of where the tornado would be, not just drive into a rain-wrapped tornado'

Mr Hollingshead says: 'With radar on the road via internet you can have a good enough idea how much room you have'