Joel Taylor was born on January 6, 1980 in Elk City, Oklahoma, USA.
Taylor joined Storm Chasers, a reality series about researchers who follow storms in Tornado Alley, in 2008.
Taylor, who had studied meteorology at the University of Oklahoma, starred as a driver on Storm Chasers and was often accompanied by Rerd Timmer as they chased storms. He worked on the show until it was cancelled in 2012.
Growing up near the heart of tornado alley, Joel had a front-row seat to plenty of severe storms and tornadoes. Always fascinated by these phenomena, he attended the University of Oklahoma to study meteorology. There, he met someone who shared his passion for severe weather and storm chasing, Reed Timmer. The two have intercepted countless tornadoes, and with Joel's keen knowledge of the back dirt roads of the Great Plains, he has long been the trusted driver of Reed's TVN team. In 2010, Reed and Joel's working relationship soured when Reed expanded TVN's scientific mission, in which Joel had little interest. With a new chase season underway in 2011, Joel has reconciled with Reed and recommitted. Though some tension still lingers between him and Reed, Joel was back behind the wheel of the Dominator.
On January 23, 2018 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Joel died from a drug overdose while on a 7 day cruise. He was laid to rest at the Martin-Dugger Funeral Home in Elk City, OK.
