Storm chaser Reed Timmer to present in Farmington Jan. 27

San Juan College will host Reed Timmer's Dominate the Storm presentation at 7 p.m. Jan. 27 in the Connie Gotsch Theatre, bringing dramatic storm footage, scientific context and behind-the-scenes accounts of a high-profile storm-chasing career to Farmington. The free event, part of the San Juan College Foundation's Broadening Horizons Series and presented with Citizens Bank, is open to the public and will conclude with an audience question-and-answer session.

Timmer, a nationally recognized storm chaser, uses multimedia storytelling to pair visual footage with explanations of atmospheric science and field tactics. For San Juan County residents, the program offers more than spectacle: it provides locally relevant information about severe weather dynamics and real-world responses to extreme storms. The Q&A format creates direct lines between an expert and community members, an element that often helps translate technical concepts into actionable preparedness steps.

The San Juan College Foundation's Broadening Horizons Series has framed this appearance as an educational outreach opportunity. Private sponsorship from Citizens Bank underwrites the public access component, raising questions about how public institutions and private partners fund community programming. The partnership underscores an ongoing trend in which regional colleges expand civic engagement and informal science education through donor-supported events. For citizens, free admission lowers financial barriers to participation and broadens access to scientific expertise that might otherwise be confined to academic settings.

Locally, the timing and content of the presentation intersect with county responsibilities for emergency management and public safety education. County emergency planners and city officials may view the event as a complementary channel for outreach about road safety during storms, county alert systems and household preparations for sudden weather. For students at San Juan College, the program also represents experiential learning—exposing STEM students and the broader campus community to field-based science communication and risk assessment.

Attendance at community events such as this can be a low-effort but meaningful form of civic engagement: residents learn, bring questions to experts, and can carry insights back to neighborhoods, workplaces and local institutions. The presentation is a reminder that public colleges serve as civic hubs where science, storytelling and community preparedness converge.

For more information about the event, contact the San Juan College events office. The appearance offers a practical opportunity for residents to sharpen understanding of severe weather and for local institutions to amplify preparedness messaging ahead of future storm seasons.