Journal: unexpected weather

Every reader recognizes the use of weather to set the mood. Thunder and lightning arouse apprehension in an audience. If the wind changes, well, the reader expects something in the story to go a different direction. If the sun is shining, we're happy. If a cloud suddenly floats in front of that sunshine to create a shadow, then we expect something ominous. A rainbow...
...symbolizes hope. Movies and books have created cliches in the use of weather, but they're important tools in a story.

Weather changes lives. It changes characters. It changes plots. What happens when unexpected weather strikes? Can it help? Hurt?

Any Oklahoma insurance agent will tell you that you can't predict it. Our state experienced a 100 year storm season for hail and ice TWO years in a row, which means that a storm that should occur only once every 100 years happened two years in a row. On top of that, record snow hit our state. Sadly, last week many homes in the Oklahoma City area were flooded and few of the owners had flood insurance because they didn't live in a flood zone. They weren't counting on the 500 year rainstorm--yep, once every 500 years.


Journal: Write about unexpected weather. Avoid cliches!