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How to Describe a Storm in Writing

Whether they're ruthless tornadoes or torrential hurricanes, storms can add atmosphere and conflict to a personal narrative or story. The use of vivid description is a crucial tool for bringing these weather phenomena to life on paper and moving your plot forward. Using figurative language and active verbs can help you place readers right in the middle of the rain, wind and thunder.

Mighty Metaphors and Storm Similes

A simile is a type of description that makes an explicit comparison between two things using the words "like" or "as." A metaphor, by contrast, is a direct comparison that does not use these words. You can use these devices to create surprising descriptions of your storm. If you're describing a hailstorm, for example, you might use a simile to write, "The hailstones clattered to the ground like marbles spilled from a box." To use a metaphor, you might write, "An avalanche of hailstones fell from the sky."

The Sound of Storms

In real life, the sounds of nature are often key indicators of approaching storms. You can bring these sound effects to your descriptions by using onomatopoeia, a device where words mimic the sounds of their meaning. For example, if a thunderstorm figures prominently in your story, the thunder could "rumble" or "boom," rain could "patter" against the windows" and wind could "rush" across a field. Try making a list of all the sounds the storm in your narrative might involve and brainstorm onomatopoeic words to describe them.

The Character of Storms

If a storm is central to your story's conflict, you might consider having the weather literally take on a life of its own. Personification occurs when a writer gives human characteristics, such as actions and emotions, to an inanimate object. If your characters are trapped in open water during a hurricane, you might write, "The angry waves smacked against the side of the boat." Although water can't feel anger, the description of the waves as "angry" adds emotional texture and characterization to the storm.

Vivid Verbs

Because bad weather can often get out of control, describing a storm is not the time to skimp on verb usage. Weak verbs, such as "was" or "were," drain your descriptions of energy rather than infuse them with detail. Using specific, active verbs for the storm's motion gives readers a more detailed image of the story's events. For example, the sentence, "The dark sky was lit up by lightning," is a good start, but revising it to include an active verb can make the description even more forceful: "Lightning flashed across the sky."

Western Michigan University: Basics of Metaphor and Simile
Read Write Think: Onomatopoeia
Universal Design for Learning: Literary Devices: Personification
Writing Commons: Avoid Unnecessary "To Be" Verbs"

Kori Morgan holds a Bachelor of Arts in professional writing and a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing and has been crafting online and print educational materials since 2006. She taught creative writing and composition at West Virginia University and the University of Akron and her fiction, poetry and essays have appeared in numerous literary journals.

20 of the Best Words to Describe a Storm in Writing

By: Author Hiuyan Lam

Posted on Last updated: October 20, 2023

Categories Vocabulary Boosters

20 of the Best Words to Describe a Storm in Writing

What’s great when searching for words to describe a storm, whether for a storm you are looking to write about in your novel or something else, is that there are endless possibilities.

Words to describe how a storm is can vary as there are different aspects you could focus on, and storms can occur in different places.

Here are some words to describe two different aspects of a storm and where one can take place.

The best words to describe a storm with lightning

Finding the right words to describe a storm with lightning is particularly hard as some people are afraid of it, whereas others think that it’s awesome, or both. Here are some words to describe a storm with lightning:

dark blue nightsky lightning body of water buildings boat

Top words for describing the sound of thunder

When looking for words to describe a storm, don’t forget to consider those that describe the most distinct sound you will hear during one: thunder. There are many words to describe a storm with thunder and we have compiled the best of them below.

cityscape with thunderstorm lightning over skycrapers night dark sky

25 Perfect Words to Help Describe Your Pain and Suffering

big black storm like smoke burst in brown field going to sky daytime

The best words to describe a storm at sea

Sailors have seen their fair share of bad weather, so you need to think and feel as they would when using words to describe a storm. To get the best words to describe a storm at sea when you haven’t witnessed one, try to imagine what feelings sailors of old and modern times would share.

silhouette photography of boat on water during sunset going inside the dark clouds storm with lightning

25 of the Best Words to Describe Heat and Hot Weather

Thunderstorm lightning with dark clouds reflection

Storms are one of the most amazing weather occurrences when you consider how they have the power to build and destroy all in one watery bundle. We hope that you’ve found a few words to describe a storm that can accurately express how you felt during one.

BRYN DONOVAN

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Master List for Describing Weather

A lot of writers struggle with describing settings. I’ve written before about how to describe settings and why it matters , but a few people have told me they’d like me to do some of my master lists for writers to help them out!

I have a weird love for creating lists like this, so I’m happy to do it. “How to describe weather” seemed like a good place to start. This way, you won’t get stuck trying to figure out how to describe nice weather, or thinking up ways to describe rain. Hopefully, this will make your writing go faster.

I always include simple as well as more creative ways to describe or write about weather. Sometimes, the simple word is the one you want! I included dryness and humidity in a few of the categories because it felt weird for them to get their own.

As always, this is not a comprehensive list, and I might add to it. My list will probably make you think of other possibilities, too. Bookmark or pin it for future writing reference!

HOT WEATHER

blazing sunshine

glaring sun

baking in the sun

sun-drenched

scorching heat

extravagant heat

relentless sun

like a suana

dense tropical heat

radiating heat

blistering heat

oppressive heat

insufferable heat

suffocating heat

heat pressing down

searing sun

shimmering heat

like an oven

like a furnace

WARM / PLEASANT WEATHER

(“Pleasant” is a matter of opinion, of course.)

a beautiful day

a clear day

a temperate day

a golden day

a glorious day

heavenly weather

bright and sunny

a gorgeous spring day

a dazzling summer day

a brilliant autumn day

a vivid blue sky

a cloudless sky

fluffy white clouds

gentle sunshine

lazy sunshine

kind sunshine

filtered sunlight

dappled sunlight

welcome warmth

one of those rare, perfect days

the kind of day that made people forget to worry

the kind of day that lifted people’s moods

COOL WEATHER

refreshing air

stimulating cool air

invigorating cool air

bracing cool air

a nip in the air

a brisk day

a chilly day

weak sunshine

GRAY / OVERCAST WEATHER

(Most people don’t like gray days, so most of these descriptions are negative. I love them, so I had to add a few positive descriptions.)

colorless sky

a soft gray sky

a dove-gray sky

a gray day made for books and tea

steel-gray sky

granite sky

cement-gray sky

threatening clouds

foreboding clouds

COLD WEATHER

glacial air

bitter cold

brutal cold

bone-chilling cold

penetrating cold

devastating cold

numbing cold

punishing cold

dangerous cold

unforgiving cold

too cold to talk

so cold it burned one’s lungs

so cold it took one’s breath away

like a blast from a hair dryer

a gust of wind

insistent winds

heavy winds

strong winds

cutting wind

whipping winds

biting wind

wintry squall

violent gale

howling wind

shifting winds

restless wind

fresh breeze

soft breeze

balmy breeze

perfumed breeze

slight breeze

hint of a breeze

stirring breeze

wind rustling through the trees

fine drizzle

gray drizzle

pebbles of falling rain

spitting rain

stinging rain

steady rain

rain falling in torrents

cascades of rain

rain beating down

shower of rain

sheets of rain

hard-driving rain

pelting rain

lashing rain

slashing rain

THUNDER AND LIGHTNING

rumbling in the distance

a roll of distant thunder

crash of thunder

crackle of thunder

crack of thunder

clap of thunder

bang of thunder

booming thunder

rattled with thunder

earth-shaking thunder

tempestuous

a furious storm

flash of lightning

streaks of lightning

SNOW AND ICE

flurries of snow

dancing flakes

snowflakes floating down

snowflakes wafting down

swirling snow

falling thick and fast

big flakes falling like petals

blinding snowstorm

raging blizzard

sparkling expanses

blankets of white

caked with snow

boulders of snow

branches coated in ice

glittering ice

crystallized by frost

silvered with frost

clouds of mist

swirling mist

billowing fog

cloaked in mist

cocooned in fog

shrouded in fog

enveloped by fog

smothered by fog

made mysterious by fog

the fog rolled in

the fog was burning off

the fog was lifting

the fog was clearing

the fog was dissipating

I have many lists like this in my book Master Lists for Writers: Thesauruses, Plots, Character Traits, Names, and More . Check it out!

Master Lists for Writers by Bryn Donovan

Do you describe weather conditions in your writing? Do you have a favorite example of a weather description? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading, and happy writing!

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Describing Storms: Adjectives with Examples

Hey there! Ever been caught in the midst of a raging storm? The thunder rumbling, the lightning crackling, and the rain pouring down in torrents. It’s a powerful and awe-inspiring experience, isn’t it? But have you ever wondered how to describe a storm using the perfect adjectives? Well, look no further! In this article, I’ll be sharing a list of adjectives that will help you vividly paint a picture of a storm in your writing. From words that capture the intensity of the storm to those that evoke the emotions it stirs, we’ve got you covered. So, let’s dive in and explore the world of adjectives for storms together!

Table of Contents

How to Describe storm? – Different Scenarios

When it comes to describing a storm, there are various scenarios that you may encounter. Each scenario requires a different set of words to vividly capture the essence of the storm and evoke the emotions it stirs. In this section, I will provide you with examples and adjectives that can help you paint a picture of a storm in different contexts.

1. Thunderstorm:

Roaring : The thunderstorm was roaring, shaking the ground beneath us.
Electrifying : The electrifying thunderstorm lit up the sky with flashes of lightning.
Torrential : Drenched in the torrential downpour, we sought shelter from the thunderstorm.
Frightening : The thunderstorm was so frightening that it sent chills down my spine.
Powerful : The powerful gusts of wind accompanying the thunderstorm threatened to uproot trees.

2. Hurricane:

Devastating : The hurricane left a trail of devastation in its wake, flattening houses and uprooting trees.
Wreaking havoc : The hurricane was wreaking havoc, causing widespread destruction and chaos.
Unpredictable : The path of the hurricane was unpredictable, making it difficult to know when and where it would strike.
Fierce : The fierce winds of the hurricane howled through the night, rattling windows and doors.

3. Tornado:

Twisting : The tornado was a twisting force of nature, tearing through everything in its path.
Whirling : The whirling tornado created a deafening sound as it approached.
Destructive : The destructive tornado ripped roofs off houses and tossed cars like toys.
Terrifying : The sight of the tornado was terrifying, as it seemed like a monster devouring everything in its way.
Blinding : The snowstorm created blinding conditions, making it nearly impossible to see.
Freezing : The freezing temperatures during the snowstorm made us bundle up in layers to stay warm.
Impenetrable : The snowstorm created an impenetrable wall of snow, blocking roads and causing travel disruptions.
Peaceful : Despite the chaos it caused, there was a certain peacefulness to the snowstorm as everything was blanketed in white.

Describing Words for storm in English

When it comes to describing storms, it’s important to choose the right adjectives to paint a vivid picture in the reader’s mind. Whether it’s a thunderstorm, hurricane, tornado, or snowstorm, each type of storm carries its own specific characteristics. By using carefully selected adjectives, you can effectively convey the intensity and emotions associated with these weather phenomena. Let’s explore some describing words for storms in English:

Thunderstorms:

Sound: Booming, crackling, deafening, percussive, electrifying
Vision: Flashing, illuminating, ominous, dark, swirling clouds
Intensity: Ferocious, raging, downpouring, torrential, volatile
Emotion: Fearsome, awe-inspiring, exhilarating, cleansing, chaotic

Hurricanes:

Power: Destructive, relentless, unstoppable, devastating, awe-inspiring
Wind: Howling, screaming, whipping, ferocious, gale-force
Rain: Torrential, relentless, blinding, sheets of, deluge
Impact: Flood-inducing, catastrophic, widespread, crippling, paralyzing
Movement: Twisting, swirling, churning, dancing, whipping
Sound: Roaring, deafening, shrieking, howling, unearthly
Destruction: Devastating, obliterating, leveling, pulverizing, merciless
Fear: Terrifying, awe-inspiring, paralyzing, unsettling, ominous

Snowstorms:

Vision: Blinding, whiteout, swirling, muffled, apocalyptic
Sound: Eerie silence, muffled, howling wind, crunching snow
Intensity: Blinding, relentless, heavy, blizzard-like, paralyzing
Emotion: Peaceful, serene, isolating, magical, treacherous

Remember, when describing storms, choose adjectives that accurately capture the intensity, movement, and impact of the weather phenomenon. Use descriptive words that engage the reader’s senses and evoke emotions. By carefully selecting your adjectives, you can create a powerful and engaging description of a storm.

Adjectives for storm

Positive adjectives for storm with example sentences.

When describing storms, it’s important to choose adjectives that capture their intensity, movement, and impact. Here are some positive adjectives that can be used to depict storms:

Powerful : The storm unleashed its powerful winds, shaking the trees and rattling the windows.
Fierce : The fierce storm pounded the coast, causing massive waves to crash against the shoreline.
Majestic : As I stood on the hilltop, I marveled at the majestic storm clouds rolling in.
Impressive : The storm displayed its impressive lightning show, illuminating the darkened sky.
Thrilling : Despite the chaos, there was a thrilling beauty to the storm’s wild fury.
Energizing : The storm’s energy filled the air, charging the atmosphere with excitement.
Enchanting : The storm’s enchanting winds whispered secrets to the dancing leaves.
Invigorating : I felt invigorated as the storm’s rain washed away all my worries.
Dramatic : The storm put on a dramatic performance, showcasing nature’s raw power.
Breathtaking : The storm’s breathtaking display of lightning painted the sky with streaks of brilliance.
Glorious : The storm’s arrival was greeted with a chorus of thunder, announcing its glorious presence.
Mesmerizing : I was mesmerized by the storm’s swirling clouds, hypnotized by their fluid motion.

Negative Adjectives for Storm with Example Sentences

While storms can be captivating, they can also bring destruction and chaos. Here are some negative adjectives that reflect the more turbulent aspects of storms:

Destructive : The storm wreaked havoc, leaving a path of destruction in its wake.
Menacing : The dark, menacing storm clouds hung low in the sky, foreshadowing the impending chaos.
Violent : The storm unleashed its violent fury, tearing through the town with relentless force.
Terrifying : The storm’s howling winds and booming thunder were absolutely terrifying.
Disruptive : The storm disrupted everyday life, causing power outages and road closures.

When using negative adjectives to describe storms, it’s important to remember the awe-inspiring power and beauty they possess while also acknowledging their potential for danger and damage.

By carefully selecting descriptive words, we can create powerful and engaging descriptions that evoke emotions and engage the reader’s senses when talking about storms. Whether it’s positive or negative, the right adjective can make all the difference in bringing the storm to life in our writing.

Synonyms and Antonyms with Example Sentences

Synonyms for storm:

Example sentences:

The tempest tore through the town, uprooting trees and knocking down power lines.
We were caught in a fierce gale while sailing, and it was quite a challenge to navigate the rough waters.
The coastal regions were devastated by the powerful hurricane that struck last night.
A massive tornado touched down in the countryside, leaving a trail of destruction behind.
The sudden squall caught us off guard, drenching us in heavy rain within seconds.
The cyclone approaching the island is expected to bring strong winds and heavy rains.
Residents are advised to evacuate as the typhoon is predicted to make landfall soon.

Antonyms for storm:

After the chaos of the storm, the sea returned to a calm state, with gentle waves lapping the shore.
The lake looked serene under the clear blue sky, devoid of any hint of a storm.
The air was still , without even a whisper of wind, creating a peaceful atmosphere.
The forest was peaceful , with birds chirping and a gentle breeze rustling the leaves.
The lake was so tranquil that it reflected the surrounding mountains like a mirror.
The gentle rainfall provided a soothing sound, creating a tranquil ambiance.

Remember, when describing storms, the use of appropriate adjectives is essential in creating vivid imagery and engaging the reader’s senses. Whether you choose to depict the ferocity and power of a storm or the calm and tranquility after it has passed, selecting the right adjectives can greatly enhance your writing.

So whether you’re writing for young children or teaching them about storms, these synonyms and antonyms can help expand their vocabulary and understanding of different weather conditions.

Describing storms with the perfect adjectives is a crucial skill that can greatly enhance your writing. By carefully selecting words that accurately depict the intensity, movement, and impact of storms, you can create vivid and engaging descriptions.

Throughout this article, we have explored various synonyms and antonyms for the word “storm” and provided example sentences to illustrate their usage. These adjectives not only expand your vocabulary but also allow you to convey different weather conditions with precision.

In addition to accuracy, the right adjectives can evoke emotions and engage the reader’s senses. By choosing words that paint a vivid picture, you can transport your audience into the heart of the storm, making your writing more captivating and immersive.

Remember, the power of adjectives lies in their ability to bring your writing to life. So, the next time you find yourself describing a storm, be sure to select the perfect adjectives to create a truly impactful and memorable experience for your readers.

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Best Descriptive Writing Sites Describing the beauty of nature

Archive for the ‘ describing storms ’ tag, describing the rain 115 comments.

Describing the rain. I hope to give you all the information you need to write a descriptive scene using the rain.My new book ‘Writing with Stardust’, is now available on Amazon. It is the ultimate descriptive guide for students and teachers. Just click on any of the book images below.

The FULL post with 5 levels can be viewed in PDF by clicking here:

DESCRIBING THE RAIN

LEVEL 1 I looked out the window. The sky was tar-black and the large clouds were moving towards me. I heard a tapping on the window and then it became a pitter-patter. People ran for cover outside and umbrellas were opened as the clouds spat out their beads of water. Puddles began plinking as the rainfall became heavier. The roofs of the cars danced with spray and I could hear the murmuring of the rain through the window. It sounded like the buzzing of angry bees.

For a Level 2 assignment, more detail should be added. Imagine the effect of the rain on the trees and include more detail on the sky and clouds. At the end of the paragraph, try to write something about the sun coming out. This will vary your writing style.

LEVEL 2 I quickened my pace as the clouds began to gather in the sky. Up to now, the sky had been postcard-perfect, but it was changing. The beautiful cocktail-blue shade was beginning to darken into gravel-grey. Large pillows of cloud were forming, blotting out the old-gold colour of the sun. I got the first splatter of rain when I was halfway across the meadow. I took shelter under an old oak, hoping that I could see out the shower. Droplets of moisture began to drip from the leaves. They were sprinkling onto the grass like a gardener’s hose. Then the rainfall became more intense. A wall of rain moved over the oak and the drops were drumming against the canopy. So much rain was falling that the sound blurred into one long, whirring noise. It reminded me of the rotor blades on a helicopter. Eventually, the noise lessened and the drops faded into a musical chime. The sun came out again, casting slanted beams of light across the meadow. Steam rose slowly from the grass. It rose up eerily and drifted mist-like towards the molten-gold sun. The image was so vivid that it stayed with me all the way home.

Level 3 should conjure up a scene where the rain’s effect can be explored in more detail. The words should get more complex also. An idea might be to visualise a forest scene in autumn, for example. Transport yourself there and describe the colours, the sensations and the sounds of the rain.

LEVEL 3 It began as a whispering in the air. The day had been beautiful and the sky was like a dome of plasma-blue. The clouds had looked like airy anvils drifting under the gleaming disc of sun. We had put our tent up just before the Reaper’s moon of autumn appeared over the trees. The moon seemed to turn the leaves into a flaming patchwork of colours: scorching-yellows, lava-reds and burnished-browns. It added an alien glamour to a perfect scene. We heard a greedy thrush, snail a-tapping on rock; he finished his supper before fluttering into the owl-light of the forest. The mournful cry of a lonely fox echoed through the vault-still silence of the trees. A huffing wind rose up then, stirring the flaps of our tent. A tinkling sound came to our ears as the first pearls of rain dropped onto the leaves. The sound was like the glassy clinking of a champagne flute, lilting and clear. A sheet of rain passed over us and the sound intensified. The noise on the tent was like the phut-phut-phut that ripened nuts make when they hit the ground. It wasn’t the soft, sodden, swollen drops of spring we were hearing; it was like ball-bearings were hitting the canvas roof with force. We could also hear an occasional ker-plunking sound. It was caused by the rainwater gathered on the tent falling to the ground in a great swash of release. The thermometer plunged as we huddled together and shivered in the tent. For a brief moment, we thought that we might be doomed adventurers, destined to get swept away in a mighty flood. We needn’t have worried. The curtain of rain passed over by the time dawn arrived. An explosion of birdsong erupted from the dripping trees and it was if the rain had never been.

A Level 4 assignment might involve a degree of philosophy. You can discuss how the rain is both life giving and life threatening. The metaphors should be more creative and the turn of phrase made more enriching.

LEVEL 4 ‘The sun enables life. The rain grants it safe passage’. The winter sky is a widow’s sky, bedarkened and weeping. The clouds are churlish and kraken-cruel. They cough out great gouts of water and thunking balloons of sopping moisture. It teems down in a biblical deluge, flooding the rivers, drowning the fields and overflowing the dams. It is a Noah’s-Ark cataclysm of rain, an unending cataract of water sluicing from the sky. Trees are uprooted, cars go bobbing by and entire villages disappear under a frothy lather of suds. Cities are overwhelmed and electricity blackouts have people living in fear of the unknown. The rain is incessant. It snaps and crackles like bracken pods in a bush fire. The flood-gates in the sky have been opened and no-one is there to close them back up, it seems. Is this the scene from a sci-fi movie? Is it a terrifying vision of a future world? Indeed it is not. It is the new reality for people from Missouri to Manchester, from Mumbai to Melbourne. The rain is man’s new enemy, according to news reports. It is public enemy number one. It has betrayed man and is now the most destructive arrow in nature’s quiver. The rain has a bad ‘rep’ at the moment. Is this how it should be viewed? Maybe we are forgetting the gifts it bestows upon us. The spring sky is a fragile, pellucid-blue. The clouds are frail and angel-white. They are carried on a light, ruffling breeze. The soil of Mother Earth is titanium hard and in need of nourishment. A misty rain falls down. It is as frail as a Scottish smirr and its misty dew feels like warm butter melting on a face. As it falls, it unlocks the glassy fingers of winter’s frosty fist, one by one. Flowers slowly unfurl in the meadows and ripple like coral arms at low tide. The rivers exhale with a murmurous purr of satisfaction. The spring rains are here and they are as sinless and glistening as an angel’s tears. The summer sky is neon-blue and vibrant. The sun-crisped flowers of the meadow are wilting. They gape at the tufty clouds and beg for their parched petals to be given one more shot of insulin. The clouds oblige and rain descends in little gleam-drops of silver. If you were to stand in the meadow, the drops would feel as sparkly and effervescent as champagne bubbles hitting your skin. The sound of the rain is a harmonic thrumming, nature’s white noise. Silver trickles of water seep into the soil, renewing the life-roots of the plants beneath. A homely, baked-earth smell rises from the land as it is washed and cleansed by the dewy tears of summer rain. Petrichor, the smell of the first rains after a dry spell, rises like a miasma. It is a jasmine-and-gingerbread fragrance, warm and fresh, and it laves the land with sweetness. The farmer is happy. The rain has giveth what the sun would taketh away. The autumn sky is dark and vengeful. Steaming shrouds of cloud coil and writhe. Then an unearthly caterwauling sound fills the air. The wind whips up into frenzy. It is a shrieking, keening omen of the carnage to follow. The clouds race across the sky, thrumming with the charged energy they are desperate to release. It starts with big, sopping drops of moisture. They are wild and indiscriminate, plump missiles of mass destruction that splatter onto the soft soil. The topsoil turns into slushy goo, but it doesn’t matter. The harvest has been taken in and the farmer stokes the glowing coals with a poker and a sigh of contentment. The rain is sissing and hissing off the roof, teeming onto the spongy earth. The farmer thinks about how most gifts come with a cost. He shudders at the thought of another winter, but counts his blessings that the rain has once again ensured his livelihood. To him, the rain is the nectar of the gods and the serum of the sky. He is neither philosopher nor ancient mariner, neither writer nor jungle adventurer, yet he understands the importance of nature’s bounty. If beauty is God’s signature, then rain is his final flourish.

Level 5 is available to read on my new book called ‘Writing with Stardust’ which is on Amazon. It also gives the sounds of rain in more detail. Everything on my blog posts AND MUCH, MUCH MORE are included in this book. There are 20 chapters jam-packed with colours, sounds, scents, beautiful phrases and practical tips. It also comes with a fill-in-the-blanks workbook. Hopefully, this post will help those who need guidance on describing the rain. God bless and good luck with your writing!

For much more of the above, please check out my book Writing with Stardust by clicking on the book images..

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Weather Symbolism in Fiction Literature: Learn How to Use It

Kyle A. Massa

As I write this article, it’s raining. Through my window, I see the outline of trees dancing in the wind. The occasional car rolls by, momentarily illuminating the slick road before the world returns to darkness. I don’t think I’ll be going for a run today.

In my opinion, weather is one of the most interesting elements of fiction. A big storm or a sunny day can add symbolic meaning to one’s work. Furthermore, weather can underscore a feeling or mirror a dramatic conflict.

Weather is powerful, and today we’re going to examine a few ways to use it.

Weather as a Complicating Factor

Weather as mood, weather as symbolism, weather as all of the above, in conclusion.

Just like baseball games have rain-outs, stories have weather conditions that affect the outcome of events.

For an example from a classic, look no further than J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring . As the Fellowship sets out on their journey to Mt. Doom, they decide to take a treacherous pass through the Misty Mountains.

A fine plan… if only the weather co-operated. Instead, they encounter a snowstorm, falling rocks, and eerie noises on the wind. These harsh conditions force them to turn back and reroute their path through the Mines of Moria. That’s where they run into the Balrog, and where (spoiler) Gandalf falls to his doom.

So, as we can see, weather can complicate a hero’s journey or even alter its course. It’s uniquely suited to do so because fighting weather is nearly impossible, even in a fantasy world like Tolkien’s. If you need a complicating factor, you’ll find few more effective.

Free story time! Well, at least a few sentences of a story. Let’s start off like this…

Luna admired the twinkling sunlight peeking through the trees. The air surrounding her was mild and comforting, like floating in a warm bath.

If I’ve done my job right, you should feel relaxed. That’s the power of weather: in just two sentences, we can establish a distinct mood in our writing. Now, let’s examine the other end of the spectrum…

Luna peered at the sparse moonlight creeping through the trees. The wind wailed mournfully and set her shivering in an instant.

All that’s changed here is the weather, yet the mood is totally different.

I don’t know about you, but I always feel better when it’s sunny outside. Likewise, readers will end up with a particular feeling based on the weather of your story.

If you want readers to feel happy, describe a sunny day. If you want them to feel apprehensive, describe a stormy evening. Speaking of which…

Ever notice how many descriptions of weather can double as those of humans? That’s because weather and human emotion often overlap. A few examples:

Murph stormed into the store.
“I want more ice cream,” the little girl thundered.
His sunny optimism lit up the room.

Human emotion and weather are interconnected, even within the foundation of our language itself. As such, weather is an excellent tool for symbolizing emotion, and more.

William Shakespeare’s King Lear , for example, is one of the earliest examples of weather in fiction. When Lear wanders out into the wilds, a storm rolls in. The storm helps create a mood, yes. But it also goes deeper than that.

In this scene, Lear discusses his life with his Fool. He’s trying his best to understand the world around him and make sense of what’s happening with his kingdom and his daughters. Simultaneously, back in his castle things are going to hell.

Here, the chaos of the storm mirrors the chaos of the story. The weather symbolizes the wildness of the moment. It’s no coincidence that the storm dies down just as order is restored.

In your next book, consider underscoring a dramatic moment with symbolic weather. If the climax has an uncertain outcome, it will almost certainly be made more suspenseful by a storm. If your story has a happy ending, a sunny day can symbolize that fact nicely.

Or, if you want to leave your readers with a feeling of uncertainty, you might change your weather to overcast, with a chance of rain.

We’ve covered three ways to use weather in fiction. So why limit ourselves to just one per story? Why not use them all?

That’s what Neil Gaiman does in A Game of You , the fifth collected volume of his masterful Sandman comic book series. The story’s main character is a woman named Barbie (yes, like Barbie and Ken), who used to dream of being the princess of a fantasy realm when she was young.

When we meet her, however, she doesn’t dream at all. Barbie must descend back into her dreams to confront her own childhood (with the help of the titular Sandman, of course).

In the book’s final act, a hurricane descends upon New York City. The weather fulfills all three of our functions.

The hurricane is a complicating factor. Barbie’s friends are trying to buy her enough time to delve into her dreams and confront her past. However, when the hurricane threatens her safety, they must save her from the weather. One of Barbie’s friends, Wanda, even dies in the attempt.

The hurricane sets a clear mood: our story is in chaos and no one is safe. As the tension builds, the storm also builds in intensity, which heightens the emotions we’re already feeling.

The hurricane symbolizes Barbie’s inner turmoil. At its core, bad weather is an internal struggle. The earth provides us shelter, yet also destroys that shelter when natural disasters strike. The external weather symbolically mirrors the internal struggle of the main character. While the storm rages outside, Barbie battles her own past within her dreams. It’s symbolism like this that heightens an already exciting dramatic moment.

Though we don’t always consider it, weather is one of the most powerful tools in the writer’s toolbox. This is just about the only opportunity we’ll ever have to control the weather. So I say we should use it!

You can use ProWritingAid to improve your weather descriptions to set the mood in your novel. Use our Sensory Report to highlight which of the five senses you've used in a scene, then mix it up! Add some sound and taste descriptions to your weather.

Struggling to describe the weather in a poignant way? Try out our Paraphrase button to rewrite your sentence.

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

Kyle A. Massa is the author of the short fiction collection Monsters at Dusk and and the novel Gerald Barkley Rocks. He lives in upstate New York with his wife and their two cats. Learn more about Kyle and his work at his website, kyleamassa.com.

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10 Words to Describe the Sky in a Storm

By Ali Dixon

Does your novel have a scene in which a storm puts some characters in danger? Do you need assistance in explaining this scene? The following 10 words to describe the sky in a storm will help you.

Lacking in light ; black or partially black.

“They had expected a clear day that day, but now as they looked out at the dark sky, they knew that they were about to have a big storm on their hands.”

“Aside from what little light the moon could cast through the clouds, the sky was completely dark .”

How It Adds Description

As heavy rainclouds come in, this is going to make the sky during the storm in your story appear dark. This darkness could also serve to reflect any internal struggles that a character could be going through at this point in the story.

Overcast with clouds ; a sky that is filled with clouds; unclear.

“The cloudy sky threatened rain later.”

“She stared up at the cloudy sky through the rain, wondering when this storm was ever going to end.”

A stormy sky will naturally be cloudy, so it makes sense to use the word in this context. Cloudy can also mean unclear. If a character in your story is struggling to make a decision or to figure something out, then describing the sky during the storm as cloudy could reflect your character’s own state of mind.

Partially or completely dark ; depressing; lacking in promise or hope.

“He looked out the window towards the gloomy sky and wondered if his plan was worth trying at all.”

“The sky hung dark and gloomy overhead, and she pulled up her hood as the rain started to fall.”

Gloomy is one of those words with a little flexibility. You can use it to describe the literal darkness of the stormy sky. You can also use it to describe how depressing the sky may appear, and might make your characters feel in turn.

Showing listlessness or discouragement ; having nothing to provide comfort or cheer.

“The clouds had moved in quickly and as the rain started to pour, a dreary feeling began to sour the day.”

“She had planned on going out for a walk, but the storm and dreary sky made her feel much more inclined to stay in.”

Something that is dreary is gloomy or dismal. A stormy sky can be quite dreary because it makes it much more difficult to go outside and enjoy the day.

Having no hope or encouragement ; cold or lacking in warmth and life.

“She suggested a walk when they woke up, but then they took a look at the bleak sky and decided otherwise.”

“The storm clouds hanging overhead made it clear that they would have to expect a bleak day.”

Storms usually bring about a lot of cold and darkness, so it makes sense to use the word bleak to describe a stormy sky in your story. A character might also feel pretty bleak if they expected a sunny day and instead get a storm.

6. Tenebrous

Having no or little light ; causing gloom or dreariness.

“The tenebrous sky hung above them, and at the sound of thunder, they knew they had to get somewhere safe quickly.”

“Lightning cracked in the tenebrous sky and a few seconds later thunder sounded, startling all of them.”

Want to describe your stormy sky in a way that’s going to stand out to your readers? The word tenebrous doesn’t get used frequently, so it will catch your reader’s eye. This can be especially effective if there’s something particularly unusual about the storm itself.

7. Pitch-Black

Completely dark or black ; very difficult to see in.

“The clouds were dark and gray and soon the entire sky was pitch-black .”

“She wanted to get back to the house, but she knew that navigating the winding trails in the rain and pitch-black sky would be next to impossible.”

Is the storm in your story making it almost impossible for your characters to see? Try describing it as pitch-black. If one of your characters is stuck in this storm, describing it as pitch-black and difficult to see through can make the scene feel much more dangerous.

Marked by or bringing rain.

“The sky was dark and rainy , and she knew instantly that all of her plans to work on the garden would have to wait.”

“The rainy sky would make it impossible for him to walk all the way over to her house that afternoon.”

Storms and rain tend to come hand in hand. If there’s a storm, you can count on there being rain too. Describing the sky in your story as rainy could also help to increase an overall feeling of doom and desolation.

Lacking in or having no warmth ; marked by a temperature that is uncomfortably low.

“The sky was cold and unwelcoming, and she wondered if she would be able to take her bike to work that day after all.”

“The cold sky hung above them, and they all shivered as the rain began to fall heavily.”

The stormy sky in your story could literally cause sensations of cold. You can also use it to describe the way the storm can cause the sky to appear unwelcoming or even threatening to your characters and readers.

Shaded to the extent of darkness and gloom ; serious, dismal, or melancholy.

“The sky appeared quite somber , and only a few minutes later it started to rain.”

“She had been so excited when she woke up to go on a long hike, but looking at the somber and rainy sky now, she knew that her plan wouldn’t be possible.”

Using the word somber to describe the sky in your story can make the overall atmosphere feel rather depressing. It can also help to add feelings of doom or claustrophobia.

How to Describe Snow in Writing (100+ Examples & Words)

Snow is a popular setting in many stories, essays, poems, and all kinds of writing.

Here is how to describe snow in writing:

Describe snow in writing by choosing specific words and phrases that evoke its unique characteristics: fluffy, sparkling, silent, cold, and transformative. Consider the type of snow, the time of day, the weather conditions, and the overall atmosphere you want to create.

In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know about how to describe snow in writing.

11 Best Tips to Describe Snow in Writing (+ Examples)

People walking through the snow in a forest - How to describe snow in writing

Table of Contents

As we step out into the winter wonderland of words, let’s start with the best ways to describe snow in your stories.

1. Define Different Types of Snow

There are many different types of snow, each with its own unique characteristics. Here are a few examples:

Powder: Dry and fluffy snow, perfect for skiing and snowboarding.
Corn: Snow that has been melted and refrozen, creating a granular texture.
Crust: A hard layer of snow on top of a softer layer.
Drift: A large pile of snow that has been blown by the wind.
Sleet: A mix of snow and rain.
Graupel: Small, white pellets of snow that are formed when supercooled water droplets collide and freeze.

2. Describe the Texture of the Snow

The texture of snow can vary greatly depending on the type of snow, the temperature, and the wind conditions. Here are some examples of words to describe the texture of snow:

Fluffy: Light and airy, like a cloud.
Powdery: Fine and dry, like dust.
Crunchy: Hard and brittle, like ice.
Slushy: Wet and mushy, like melted ice cream.
Slick: Smooth and slippery, like a sheet of ice.

3. Describe the Color of the Snow

Snow is often described as white, but it can also take on other colors depending on the light and the environment. Here are some examples of words to describe the color of snow:

White: Bright and pure, like a blank canvas.
Gray: Dark and dirty, like a city sidewalk.
Blue: Cold and icy, like a glacier.
Yellow: Warm and sunny, like a winter sunrise.
Pink: Soft and delicate, like a rose petal.

4. Describe the Sound of the Snow

Snow can make a variety of sounds, depending on the conditions.

Here are some examples of words to describe the sound of snow:

Crunching: The sound of footsteps on fresh snow.
Hissing: The sound of wind blowing through the snow.
Rustling: The sound of leaves being blown by the wind.
Silence: The absence of sound, creating a peaceful atmosphere.
Muffled: The sound of voices being muffled by the snow.

5. Describe the Smell of the Snow

Snow can have a faint, clean smell, especially when it is fresh. Here are some examples of words to describe the smell of snow:

Clean: Fresh and pure, like a mountain stream.
Cold: Sharp and refreshing, like the air in a winter forest.
Earthy: Musky and rich, like the smell of soil.
Dry: Dusty and powdery, like the smell of a desert.
Metallic: Sharp and metallic, like the smell of ice.

6. Describe the Movement of the Snow

Snow can move in a variety of ways, depending on the wind conditions.

Here are some examples of words to describe the movement of snow:

Falling: Descending gently from the sky.
Drifting: Blowing across the ground by the wind.
Whirling: Spinning in circles in the wind.
Swirling: Moving in a circular motion, like a blizzard.
Settling: Coming to rest on the ground.

7. Describe the Light on the Snow

The light on the snow can create a variety of visual effects. Here are some examples of words to describe the light on the snow:

Glistening: Sparkling and reflecting light, like diamonds.
Dazzling: Bright and blinding, like the sun on a winter day.
Soft: Gentle and diffused, like moonlight.
Shadowy: Dark and mysterious, like the woods on a winter night.
Eerie: Strange and otherworldly, like a snowy landscape in a horror movie.

8. Describe the Temperature of the Snow

Snow can range in temperature from very cold to slightly warmer.

Here are some examples of words to describe the temperature of snow:

Freezing: Cold enough to cause frostbite.
Chilling: Cold and uncomfortable.
Crisp: Cool and refreshing.
Invigorating: Exhilarating and stimulating.
Biting: Cold and sharp, like a winter wind.

9. Describe the Emotions Associated with Snow

Snow can evoke a variety of emotions, depending on the context.

Here are some examples of words to describe the emotions associated with snow:

Peacefulness: Calm and serene, like a winter wonderland.
Joy: Playful and happy, like children building snowmen.
Loneliness: Isolated and desolate, like a deserted snow-covered landscape.
Melancholy: Sad and introspective, like a lone figure walking through the snow.
Fear: Anxious and apprehensive, like being trapped in a blizzard.

10. Describe the Sensory Impact of Snow

Snow has a unique sensory impact that can be described using a variety of words and phrases.

Here are some examples:

The cold sting of snowflakes on your cheeks.
The soft crunch of your boots on fresh snow.
The muffled silence of a snow-covered landscape.
The blinding glare of the sun reflecting off the snow.
The sweet scent of pine trees in the winter air.

11. Describe the Transformative Power of Snow

Snow can transform a familiar landscape into a magical wonderland. Here are some examples of words and phrases to describe the transformative power of snow:

The world was blanketed in a pristine layer of white.
The trees were adorned with sparkling diamonds of ice.
The normally bustling city was eerily silent and serene.
The snow created a sense of peace and tranquility.
The world felt new and clean, as if it had been reborn.

Here is a video about how to describe a snowy day in writing:

50 Best Words for Describing Snow

Consider these words for describing snow in your writing:

Invigorating
Peacefulness
Tranquility

50 Best Phrases for Describing Snow

Read through these phrases and choose your favorites to describe snow:

A blanket of white
A winter wonderland
A crystalline carpet
A world transformed
A hush fell over the land
The air was crisp and clean
The sun glinted off the snow
The world was a silent symphony in white
The snow fell like a thousand tiny feathers
The snowdrifts piled high
The snowflakes danced in the wind
The snow-covered landscape sparkled like diamonds
The snow crunched underfoot
The snow was a canvas waiting for footprints
The snow muffled all sound
The snow was a reminder of the fleeting beauty of winter
The snow fell in gentle whispers
The snow was a cleansing force
The snow covered the world in a peaceful shroud
The snow was a testament to the power of nature
The snow was a blank slate waiting for stories to be written
The snow was a symbol of hope and renewal
The snow was a reminder to slow down and appreciate the simple things in life
The snow was a magical world waiting to be explored
The snow was a reminder that even the coldest winter eventually gives way to spring

3 Full Examples of How to Describe Snow in Different Genres

Now, let’s look at three full examples of how to describe snow in different kinds of stories.

Outside, the snow fell in thick, swirling flakes, muffling all sound and creating a world of hushed intimacy.

The soft glow of the streetlights cast long shadows on the snow-covered ground, and the only sound was the gentle crunch of our boots as we walked hand-in-hand. The air was crisp and clean, and the scent of pine trees filled the air. In this winter wonderland, surrounded by the beauty of the falling snow, I felt closer to her than ever before.

The first snowflake drifted down from the leaden sky, an icy harbinger of the blizzard to come. The air was thick with anticipation, and the silence was broken only by the occasional creak of the old house settling.

The snow began to fall in earnest, blanketing the world in a cold, white shroud. Visibility dropped to near zero, and the house was plunged into darkness. I huddled closer to the fire, the flames casting flickering shadows on the walls. The old house seemed to hold its breath, waiting for what the storm might bring.

The snow swirled around the ancient castle, obscuring its towers and ramparts in a swirling mist.

The wind howled like a banshee, tearing at the windows and doors. Inside the castle, the fire crackled in the hearth, casting long shadows on the stone walls. The king sat on his throne, his face grim and determined. He knew that the blizzard was not just weather; it was a portent of the dark forces that were gathering at the borders of his kingdom.

The snow continued to fall, a silent promise of the battles to come.

How to Write a Scene with Falling Snow

Setting a scene with falling snow can add a touch of magic and atmosphere to your writing.

Here are a few tips:

Use vivid verbs and sensory details to bring the scene to life. Describe the way the snow falls, the crunch of boots on fresh snow, the way the wind whips around.
Use the snow to create a mood. Is it a peaceful and serene snowfall, or a violent blizzard? The way you describe the snow can set the tone for the entire scene.
Use the snow to reveal something about the characters. How do they react to the snowfall? Are they excited and playful, or are they cold and miserable?
Don’t forget the contrast. The white snow can create a beautiful contrast against dark backgrounds, such as trees or buildings.

How to Describe a Blizzard

A blizzard is a powerful and dangerous storm, and it can be difficult to capture its full force in writing.

Use strong verbs and adjectives to describe the wind and the snow. The wind should howl and roar, the snow should swirl and whip.
Focus on the sensory details. Describe the way the wind sounds, the way the snow feels against your skin, the way the world looks completely white and obscured.
Use figurative language to create a sense of danger and chaos. Similes and metaphors can help to convey the power of the blizzard.
Show, don’t tell. Instead of simply saying that the blizzard was a powerful storm, describe the effects of the storm on the characters and their surroundings.

How to Write a Winter Wonderland

A winter wonderland is a magical place where the snow covers everything in white and creates a world of its own.

Here are a few tips for writing about a winter wonderland:

Focus on the beauty of the snow. Describe the way it glistens in the sunlight, the way it covers the trees in a white shroud, the way it creates a peaceful silence.
Use metaphors and similes to compare the snow to other things. Describe the snow as pure, as clean, as a blank canvas.
Don’t forget the other elements of winter. Include details about the cold air, the frost on the trees, the icicles hanging from the eaves.
Use the winter wonderland to set the mood for your story. Is it a peaceful and idyllic place, or is it a cold and lonely place? The way you describe the winter wonderland can affect how your readers feel about the story.

Final Thoughts: How to Describe Snow in Writing

So next time you see snow falling, take a moment to appreciate its beauty and transformative power.

It might just inspire you to write your own snow-bound story.

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KathySteinemann.com: Free Resources for Writers and Poets

Word lists, cheat sheets, and sometimes irreverent reviews of writing rules. kathy steinemann is the author of the writer's lexicon series..

1000+ Ways to Describe Snow Part 1: A Word List for Writers

Snow: Supernatural?

“The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of a world and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment then where is it to be found?” ~ J. B. Priestly

Where is enchantment to be found? In stories, and some of those stories may become even more enchanting with the inclusion of snow.

Today’s post is the first of two that offer ways to incorporate snow in creative writing.

See also 1000+ Ways to Describe Snow Part 2 .

Adjectives to Describe Snow

Adjectives are often the first resource exploited by writers. As you experiment with words in this section, heed opinion adjectives and stacked modifiers .

A abominable, abundant, accumulated, advancing, ageless, airborne, alpine, ankle-deep, appalling, approaching, arctic, artificial, autumnal

B bad, barren, beautiful , belated, belly-deep, billowed, billowing, biting, blasted, bleak, blinding, bloodstained, bonnie, bottomless, bright, brittle, bumpy, bygone

C changeless, chaotic, cheerless, chest-deep, chilling, choppy, clammy, clean, cloud-soft, cohesive, cold, compacted, compressed, concealing, congealed, constant, continuous, cottony, crisp, cruel, crumbly, crunchy, crusted, crusty, crystalline, cushiony

D and E damp, dazzling, deathly, deep, dense, desolate, dingy, dirty, distant, domed, downy, dreaded, dreary, drifting, dry, dusty, dwindling, early, elusive, encircling, encrusted, endless, enveloping, ephemeral, eternal, evanescent, everlasting, evil, extraordinary

F fake, fallen, falling, faux, feathery, featureless, fierce, filmy, filthy, fine, firm, flaky, fleecy, flinty, flocculent, floury, fluffy, flying, foamy, foggy, forbidding, forecasted, formidable, frequent, fresh, friable, frigid, frothy, fun, furious, furrowed

G gentle, ghostly, glacial, glaring, glassy, glazed, gleaming, glinting, glistening, glistering, glittering, gorgeous, gory, grainy, granular, granulated, gravely, grimy, gritty, groomed, grubby, gummy, gusting

H and I half-melted, hard, hardened, hated, heavy, high, hip-high, honeycombed, icy, immaculate, immeasurable, impassable, impending, implacable, incessant, indefatigable, inevitable, infernal, inhospitable, interminable, intermittent, inviting, iridescent

J to L jewel studded, knee -deep, lacy, lasting, late, layered, leaden, leftover, light, limitless, liquefied, looming, loose, lovely, low-lying, luminous, lumpy, lustrous

M to O magnificent, majestic, matted, mealy, measurable, melted, melting, merciless, miserable, moderate, moist, moonlit, muddied, muddy, mushy, nasty, nearby, neck-deep, never-ending, new, numbing, occasional, old, omnipresent, oncoming, orographic, overlying, overnight

P to R packed, patchy, pathless, pelting, penetrating, perennial, permanent, perpetual, persistent, phosphorescent, pillow-soft, pillowy, pitiless, plastic, plentiful, plowed, polluted, porous, powdered, powdery, pretty, pristine, prolonged, puffy, punctual, pure, raging, rain-saturated, receding, reflecting, refreshing, relentless, reliable, remaining, ridged, rimed, rippled, ruthless, rutted

Sa to Sm salty, sandy, savage, scant, scattered, sculpted, seamless, seasonal, seeping, semipermanent, serene, shadowy, shallow, sheeted, shifting, shiny, silent, silken, simulated, skiable, sleety, slick, slimy, slippery, sloshy, sludgy, smooth, smothering

So to Su soaked, sodden, soft, softening, soggy, soiled, solidified, soppy, sparkling, sparkly, sparse, spectral, spongy, spotless, spotty, spring, squeaky, star-studded, starlit, sticky, stifling, stinging, streaming, strong, sudden, sugary, summer, sun-kissed, sunless, sunlit, superincumbent, surrounding

T tempestuous, terrible, terrific, textured , thawing, thick, thin, threatening, toxic, track-filled, trackless, trampled, treacherous, twilit

U ubiquitous, unblemished, unbroken, uncleared, undisturbed, unending, uneven, unexpected, ungroomed, uninterrupted, uninviting, unmarked, unmarred, unpacked, unplowed, unpolluted, unpredictable, unpredicted, unrelenting, unseasonal, unspoiled, unstable, unstained, unsullied, unswept, untimely, untouched, untracked, unwelcome, unyielding

V to Y velvety, vengeful, violent, virgin, waterlogged, watery, waxy, well-trampled, wet, whispering, wild, windblown, wind-driven, windswept, winter, wispy, wondrous, wooly, year-round, yielding

Snow Similes and Metaphors

Sometimes a figure of speech adds the perfect touch. Be careful not to overdo, though. Provide enough imagery to stimulate the imagination, but not so much that you slow action or bore readers.

Watch everything and everyone around you. Pay attention to visual media, and note phrasing in books. Your scrutiny will inspire new ideas.

Here are a few phrases to stimulate your creativity.

a blanket of melancholy
a carpet of cotton batting
a colorless shroud
a crispy meringue tipped with brown
a fluffy featherbed
a garden of ice
a lacy tablecloth with flowers and grass peeping through
a landscape frosted with sweet whiteness
a serial killer, silent, stalking, waiting to thrust its cold knife into the countryside
a wooly white duvet
an avalanche of icy death
an onslaught of white, blinding and freezing
as cold as someone’s icy heart
as inevitable as polar nights
as quiet and soft as an angel’s wings
as rare as ice cubes in Hell
as sparse as the hair on someone’s balding skull
as welcome as rain at a summer barbeque
as white as someone’s lies
cookie-sized confetti
dirty lather soaping the city
disappearing as quickly as dew in the desert
feathers of white creating a downy nest in every hollow
fluttering white moths kissing noses and chins
muddy and slushy snow-gravy
powdered gems sparkling in the sun
soft as a lover’s kiss
sparkling gems floating onto flower and face
stardust sprinkling over a Milky Way of upturned faces
white concrete
white waves rippling over the fields

The Colors of Snow

Snow is often multicolored. Shadows, foreign substances, variable lighting, and other conditions change its tint. It might be shadow-dappled, blue-spattered, mud-stained, or smoke-streaked, for example.

Consider the following ten phrases as a foundation for creating multicolored descriptions of snow.

[insert color or colorful object]-dappled
[insert color or colorful object]-dotted
[insert color or colorful object]-flecked
[insert color or colorful object]-pocked
[insert color or colorful object]-spattered
[insert color or colorful object]-splattered
[insert color or colorful object]-spotted
[insert color or colorful object]-stained
[insert color or colorful object]-stippled
[insert color or colorful object]-streaked

If you need a single color, try one of the following.

A to M ashen, black, bloody, blue green, bluish, brown, brownish, candy-colored [due to algae growth], cement grey, crimson, down grey, empurpled, filthy grey, glare white, golden, green, grey, greyish, gritty grey, hoary (greyish white), mauve

O to Y off color, orange, pallid, pearlescent, pearly, pink, purple, red [from iron oxide], red with blood, roseate, rosy, ruddy, sidewalk grey, silver, silvery, sooty, watermelon pink [due to algae growth], white, yellow, yellowish

See also 1000+ Ways to Describe Colors .

Snow Scents

Although snow is frozen water and shouldn’t have an inherent smell, most people and animals can detect a snowstorm before it hits. Their noses respond to a number of factors, including the increase in humidity.

Characters will experience different olfactory stimuli depending on location and time period. A visitor to Disneyland could smell cinnamon from churros (What? Snow in Disneyland? Story fodder.) But a resident of the 1800s might smell coal fires.

If someone claims that snow smells like apple pie, they’re likely standing next to a bakery or Grandma’s cooling shelf.

The colder the temperature, the more subdued the scent of air. But snow still absorbs scents from the environment, especially when partially melted.

I have seen adjectives like the following used by writers when describing the scent of snow: fresh, fragrant, humid, odorous, perfumed, and stagnant.

However, English provides a myriad of words to choose from. Snow might smell like, reek of, or be redolent with the scent of:

A to D algae, almonds (cyanide), apple pie, bacon, a bakery, a barbeque, a barn, blood, booze, burning [leaves, plastic, rubber], brushfires, a busy highway, campfires, Christmas, cinnamon, clean laundry, coal fires, coffee, compost, decaying [fill in the blank], diesel, dirt, dog poop

E to M exhaust fumes, fire, fir trees, a forest, fresh laundry, gasoline, ghetto, gingerbread, Grandma’s kitchen, gunpowder, horse manure, incense, iron, jasmine, kitty litter, landfill, the mountains, mud, musk ox, musty leaves

O to W an oil refinery, an outhouse, ozone, peppermint, pig manure, pine trees, a polecat, pollution, a pulp mill, roasting [chicken, pork, turkey], rotten cabbage, sewer, skunk, smog, spruce trees, sulfur, Thanksgiving, vomit, warming cars, wastewater treatment plant, wet grass, woodsmoke, wolf, wolverine

Snow: So Much More Than Freezing Water

“We love the sight of the brown and ruddy earth; it is the color of life, while a snow-covered plain is the face of death. Yet snow is but the mask of the life-giving rain; it, too, is the friend of man, the tender, sculpturesque, immaculate, warming, fertilizing snow.” ~ John Burroughs

Does Your WIP Include Snow?

If your story unfolds in a desert, you could generate intrigue with the addition of wintry precipitation. What would cause snowflakes in the middle of the Sahara? Why would an SUV have ice encrusted on its undercarriage?

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10 thoughts on “ 1000+ Ways to Describe Snow Part 1: A Word List for Writers ”

I am writing a book based on a cold forest and I was really in search of some good metaphors and vocab which could elevate that particular part of the book and I think this page has really helped me a lot. Thank you so much, the selection of words and phrases is quiet unique here.

I’m so glad this post was helpful for you, Biren, and good luck with your book!

This is wonderful. Thanks so much.

Thanks for stopping by, Lori. Good luck with your writing!

Hello. I am writing a murder mystery that takes place in the Rocky Mountains. I live in ice and snow during the winter, and so appreciate this list of snow metaphors and descriptors!

My pleasure, Donna. Good luck with your murder mystery. Now is the perfect time of year to see, feel, hear, taste, and smell snow and ice — especially in the Rocky Mountains.

Kathy—This is just wonderful! You’ve demonstrated—with examples—the richness of associations a gifted writer can bring to her work.

Your post brings to mind Smilla’s Sense of Snow by Danish author, Peter Høeg. Have you read it? The flinty, intelligent heroine is from Greenland and part Eskimo. She is a deeply knowledgable about the properties of snow and uses that knowledge to solve a murder and ultimately expose a conspiracy to steal Greenland’s vast mineral riches. One of the first Scandi noir novels, it was also made into quite a good movie starring Julia Ormond and Gabriel Byrne.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0385315147/

Thanks, Ruth. I hadn’t heard about the book until now. Sounds intriguing. The link you gave went to a page that shows it as unavailable for purchase, so I tracked it down and took the liberty of modifying the URL. Smilla’s Sense of Snow is now on my Amazon wish list.

I appreciate the heads-up!

Kathy – I always look forward to these wonderful descriptions for just about everything! When I get the emails that say “100 Ways to Describe…”, I always leap on top of it and open the web page up and save it to my bookmarks!!! I’m currently writing a book and your works help me in so many ways and you, as an Author, have inspired me to keep writing! Thank you for all that you do! You are AMAZING!

Thank you, and Have a wonderful Holiday! Rebecca Kroll

PS: I have both of your Lexicon books! I wish there were more!

Thanks, Rebecca. What a wonderful way to start my day — even better than coffee. Good luck with your writing, and you have a wonderful holiday too!

P.S. I’m working on The Writer’s Body Lexicon . It’ll be out early next year.

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19,890 quotes, descriptions and writing prompts, 4,964 themes

blizzard - quotes and descriptions to inspire creative writing

a hurricane
an avalanche
melting snow
shovelling snow
snow clouds
snow forest
snow squall
snowman's scarf
storm clouds
storm in the city
winter storm

Every pain blizzard grants a new fresh page, awaiting inky feats.

Into the ice kissed air came wintry-feathers of pure white, a great snowfall that soon gave-way to a blizzard, as if a sky-dam had burst.

As if the evergreens had paused time in the moment of a camera flash, the blizzard was a total white-out.

From grey clouds, bold and strong, comes wintry confetti. The blizzard conjuring our forest to a wonder-dream in but a camera-flash.

Come blizzard of frozen dreams; from your ice-petals that blossomed in such coldness, my warm heart will conjure a soul-quenching spring.

In the blizzard we head toward the sun, for it is the only way to find true direction.

In the array of frozen blooms, where the air kisses the lungs so cooly, the blizzard tips the balance of emotion from adventure to caution.

In a moment the world became snow-globe, one of those Christmas time ornaments children love to shake up and watch the flakes swirl in unseen currents. We watched the blizzard from the safety of the lodge for a moment, but we knew we should use those moments to prepare to go out there. The youth team was out there struggling to get home and what could we do but go help?

The blizzard came with nature's determination, that primal force that conquers until its energy is released. From evergreen forest to an almost white-out, so we set our sights on home, though more by the GPS than our eyes.

The blizzard is more flakes than it would ever make sense to count, yet each makes its own daring path to the white dunes they build taller. One flake in the sky would be madness, yet this horizon filled with them is the greatest of sanity, our winter playground growing with each new addition.

The snow became so thick that the trees appeared as the confetti, as if they were the flakes that danced. Everywhere there was light, every crystal magnifying the rays from above, the mountain as brilliant as any camera flash.

Milo walks backwards into the blizzard, turning once in a while to check his path. He feels the half-ice pellets bounce from his winter coat and hat. He hears the song of old man winter, his calling for Earth to pause, to dream of warmth and feel the yearning for blossoms and new foliage. He sees his footprints form, as if he were going the other way and smirks, for regardless of the appearance, he's going home to Sam.

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Writers in the Storm

A blog about writing.

by Ellen Buikema

A character's impact on the plot involves all their traits. It's important to understand how their background , personality , flaws , and strengths influence the plot and move the story forward.

Character arc

A character arc is the journey of transformation that a character takes over the course of a story. They grow as individuals through their experiences.

Elements of a character arc

The Goal : What the character wants. The Goal gives direction and sets the story (and their arc) in motion. It is their motivation.
The Lie : A misbelief they have about themselves or their world that thwarts their ability to reach their Goal.
The Truth : An understanding the character needs. A truthful view of their own self or the world. If the character can find and accept The Truth, then they often reach their Goal.

The three main types of character arc are:

Positive character arc, a hero’s journey. The character changes for the better, resulting in an improved situation.

In J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit , Bilbo Baggins wants a simple life in the Shire but after joining a quest he feels terrified, regretful, and inept. He is transformed along the journey.

Flat character arc – The character does not evolve. Instead, their mission is to enlighten others. Mystery, thriller, and adventure series that follow one unchanging investigator or hero.

In Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express , detective Hercules Poirot, on a train to London, takes on a murder case because there are no police on board. That’s his Goal. He resists the lies of deceitful passengers and exposes the culprits, finding the Truth.

Negative character arc, the anti-hero. The character changes for the worse, taking a toll on their world and those around them. The truth is right in front of them but they can’t see it.

In the series, Breaking Bad , happy, honest science teacher, Walter White, is diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. Unable to afford his treatment and care for his family he tosses aside his morals and spirals downward. He sees the Truth but believes the Lie (acting in his family’s best interest). Immorality for morality’s sake.

A well-developed character arc affects a character's impact on the plot, while readers become invested in the character.

Relationships between characters

A character's impact on the plot may be influenced by their relationships with other characters. Family, friends, neighbors, enemies, pets and sometimes objects—for example the volleyball named Wilson in Chuck Noland’s Cast Away.

Interactions with other characters creates tension, conflict, and provide support for the character's journey. These interactions are the mortar that holds the building-story together.

Relationships are important. No one lives in a vacuum.

Here are some positive and negative dynamics you might see in relationships:

Positive relational traits, negative relational traits.

Controlling
Dysfunctional
Unable to love

Any combination of these relationship dynamics can shape behaviors and impact the plot.

Relationships are complicated because people are complicated. They view the world from a different doorway, each feeling that they are the hero of their own story.

Conflict between characters

Friction between characters keeps the readers turning those pages.

is necessary for plot development and creates feelings of uncertainty.
reveals character traits and motivations, shaping character development.
pushes characters to their last nerves, revealing their true selves.
shapes characters’ actions and decisions.

By understanding how characters relate to each other, writers can create more complex and interesting plotlines.

Decisions a character makes

Decisions made by characters during conflict situations impact the plot, moving it forward.

Look at the main events in the story. How many of them are caused by the character's actions? A character who tends to makes things happen will likely have a big influence on the plot.
Ponder the character's choices. How do they affect the story's twists and turns? Decisions aren’t always about doing something—doing nothing can have an impact!
Even passive characters can influence the plot through their reactions. How do other characters and events in the story change because of this character's responses? This can give you clues about their indirect influence on the plot.

Think about the decisions your character makes in your story. Are there consequences for those choices? Does your protagonist always make the right one? Brainstorm ways to make those decisions have higher stakes and see how it could change the story.

Don’t waste opportunities to cause trouble for your protagonist. Take advantage of each choice your characters make.

Character’s perspective

No two individuals will perceive an event in the same way—a perception gap.

In Wendy Corsi Staub’s The Final Victim , two women interact with the same man, but their perceptions are very different—generous or self-centered.

Who’s right?
Is one untruthful? If so, why?
Is one of them misjudging him? If so, might she misjudge something else?

Perception gaps encourage readers to think about characters’ motivations, be more involved in the story, and to try to figure out what makes the characters to act the way they do.

A perception gap presents an opportunity. If writers know how characters perceive things, they can predict characters’ behaviors, then create plots specific to the characters. Because no two characters have the same background or personality, each has a unique perspective. The story varies depending on who is telling it.

How do your characters impact the plot of your stories? What character arcs do you prefer to write? Read? How do you use conflict?

* * * * * *

About Ellen

Author, speaker, and former teacher, Ellen L. Buikema has written non-fiction for parents, and The Adventures of Charlie Chameleon chapter book series with stories encouraging the development of empathy—sprinkling humor wherever possible. Her Works in Progress are The Hobo Code , YA historical fiction and The Crystal Key , MG Magical Realism/ Sci-Fi, a glaze of time travel.

Find her at https://ellenbuikema.com or on Amazon .

Top Image by Sammy-Sander from Pixabay

by Sandy Vaile

Plan your novel, typewriter with Chapter One

You are in the right place if you are preparing to write a novel and want to set yourself up for success. Whether you're a seasoned writer or taking your first steps into the world of fiction, one truth remains constant: successful storytelling begins long before the first words grace the page.

Beneath the romanticized notion of dreaming up an idea and penning a best seller, lies the reality that the path to a compelling story is paved with careful planning, deliberate choices and meticulous attention to detail.

But, forewarned is forearmed, as the saying goes.

If you are aware of what to expect from the writing process, you can focus on the exhilaration of creation instead of getting bogged down in uncertainty.

When preparing to write, here are four planning strategies to consider:

Solidifying a vague idea into a compelling concept.
Understanding the boundaries of the project.
Make a realistic plan to write the book.
Understanding essential concepts so you don’t fall into common traps.

Vague Idea to Compelling Concept

Picture yourself in a cozy writing nook, bathed in the soft glow of a desk lamp, the faint scent of well-worn books in the air. Your fingers dance across the keyboard to the soothing backdrop of rain tapping against the windowpane. This is the joy of bringing imaginary worlds to life, but there are a few vital questions we need to ask ourselves before diving headfirst into writing.

Sculpting a vague idea into a compelling novel requires digging beneath that first spark of an idea to uncover the underlying themes, conflicts, and characters that lie dormant.

To give all of the shiny ideas swirling through your mind a purpose, it helps to understand the following.

Why you want to tell this story?

Recognising what is driving you to tell a particular story helps clarify what you aim to achieve. Entertainment is rarely the only reason to write a story. Our beliefs and interests shine through the themes we choose to explore. Some authors want to open minds to a new way of thinking, others like to expose social inadequacies, make a statement about corruption or unethical behavior, inspire others, or challenge commonly held assumptions.

Other reasons your "why" is important:

When we have something to say about a topic, it influences the decisions we make as we write. Your underlying message can tether everything in the story.
Being passionate about topics gets us fired up to keep writing even when the going gets tough.
Aligning our story with our values and passions enhances our sense of purpose and satisfaction, making it easier to imbue our unique voice into the book.
We write for like-minded readers, so these motivations can help us connect what we want to say to our audience, compelling them to invest time between the pages we create.

Whose story it will be?

In my opinion, it’s vital to determine the focal point of a story. The ONE character whose story you’re telling.

There might be other main characters with imporant roles, their own goals and motivations, but it’s that one character who determines what belongs in the story and what doesn’t. Everything serves to help or hinder their journey towards their goal.

This clarity creates a cohesive plot.

What story are you telling?

There are infinite possibilities for the direction of each idea, so knowing what aspects are important to you will help narrow the direction of the narrative. Without a clear purpose, stories may meander aimlessly, lacking the resonance and depth needed to captivate readers.

Articulate the essence of the story through one or all of these:

A story concept states central themes explored in the story. For example, The Three Little Pigs premise might be that foolishness leads to death and wisdom leads to happiness.
A dramatic question is a query that centers around the main character’s central conflict, which your story will answer by the end. (Ex: Will Romeo and Juliet ever be together? )
A story premise is a high-level paragraph of what the story is about at its core. It highlights details that are unique to this story, including who (main characters), what (conflict), where (location), when (if the era is important), and why (motivation, which also hints at the stakes).

Example: When Harry Potter discovers he’s a wizard and the chosen child, he not only has to learn magic but defeat the all-powerful "he who must not be named."

Example from my own work

Below, I take the initial idea for my book Inheriting Fear and create a premise to guide the direction of the story.

Idea – A tough, independent woman who rides a motorbike and is in danger from some bad people.
Dramatic question - What if a fiercely independent woman had to rely on others to survive?
Premise - A reclusive motorbike-riding chef is stalked by an enemy from her past and forced to rely on a cocky detective who thinks she’s his best suspect, to avoid becoming the next victim.

Understand Your Project's Boundaries

Once you've unearthed the essence of your story idea, it's time to breathe life into it by fleshing out its key elements.

If you are a plotter, there are lots of decisions to make and brainstorming to be undertaken before you start writing. (If you are a pantser, most of this gets done in the second draft.)

Things like:

Genre: Your genre helps you understand reader expectations and any specific conventions for that genre (e.g. structure, word count, and world-building).
Point of View and tense , which can be influenced by genre norms and personal preference.
Central character goals . Their external goals and internal desires will motivate them to keep striving for their goal even when it seems impossible to reach.
Worldbuilding. This is especially vital if the story is set on a different planet or era, so it’s clear what the physical, magical, psychological, cultural, flora and fauna look like.
What rules guide characters, what myths and legends are important to them, what governing and commerce structures are in place?
An outline of the plot , though no essential, can provide a foundation upon which to build the narrative. Some authors like to know exactly where their story is going. Others prefer to discover as they write. Many are a blend of the two methods.
Knowing the starting point of the story . There are a variety of methods for choosing the opening scene, but the main goal is to immediately hook readers by showing the characters in action.

It’s important to note that you shouldn’t stress too much at this point. Revisit this decision after writing the manuscript, because you’ll have a better idea of will draw readers into the story by then.

Make a Plan.

Making a plan to write the book might include the following:

Tools or resources you need
Learning about story craft
Determining how much time you realistically have to dedicate to writing each week around work and family commitments. If you have a deadline in mind, calculate how many words you need to aim for each week.

A good formula for this: Total word count divided by weeks = word count goal per week.

80,000 ÷ 13 weeks (3 months) = 6,150 words per week
80,000 ÷ 25 weeks (6 months) = 3,200 words per week
80,000 ÷ 52 weeks (12 months) = 1,540 words per week

Essential Novel Survival Concepts

Writing a novel is a challenging endeavor that requires dedication, persistence, and resilience. Understanding what to expect and having realistic expectations certainly helps.

Here are a few things to set your mind at ease.

1. you are writing a 'first draft' and they are as messy and unruly as a teenager finding their way in the world..

You won’t always know what comes next.
You may write yourself into dead-ends and spend weeks pondering a particularly gnarly plot problem.
It’s all part of the process.

The only goal of a first draft is to get to ‘the end,’ so push through until you have a whole, gloriously imperfect manuscript.

2. Finishing a first draft is only part of the writing process.

Revising is likely to take just as long because there will be plenty of problems to solve, research to be done, scenes to be moved or (God forbid) cut, and feedback to seek.
Don’t underestimate how long it will take you to do countless rounds of edits.

3. DO NOT give up your day job with the belief that it’s easy to pen a best-seller and you’ll be able to replace your income with one book.

4. gathering a community of like-minded authors around you can be invaluable when it comes to maintaining momentum..

Whether you prefer to join a face-to-face or online group, or have a few author friends to supplement the support of friends and family, having people to bounce around ideas and enthuse about your wonderful characters with, is priceless.
Seek out accountability buddies, support groups, critique partners and uplifting communities. And always come back to your purpose for writing this story.

Final Thoughts

Immersing yourself in the purpose, characters, and world of a story provides a solid foundation to craft a compelling novel. Making a realistic plan to write the first draft will enable you to reach for tangible goals that suit your lifestyle. And by understanding key concepts surrounding the process, you can be better prepared to keep the joy or writing alive and make it to the next stage, which is revising.

Opportunity:

If you are stuck in a rut of writing novels you never finish, never submit or aren’t sure how to fix, then it’s your lucky day. Sandy runs a nurturing community for female authors of contemporary fiction, which is packed full of tips, resources and free events to keep you motivated and writing quality books. Join Sandy’s community here .

What strategies do you use to plan your books? Do you just start writing, or do you have other structures you employ before you begin? Are you a "plotter" or a "pantser?" Please share with us down in the comments!

About Sandy

Sandy Vaile is a motorbike-riding daredevil who isn’t content with a story unless there’s a courageous heroine and a dead body.

Her romantic suspense is published by Simon & Schuster US, but most of her time is spent supporting female fiction writers to finish contemporary novels traditional publishers can’t resist. She shares her decades of experience with others through fiction coaching, courses and developmental editing.

Connect with Sandy Vaile on her website or social media .

Top photo purchased from Depositphotos.

by Sarah (Sally) Hamer

White rose on grey granite tombstone outdoors. Funeral ceremony

Yes, there are right ways and wrong ways to kill a character in a fiction story. And, even if we're working with non-fiction and telling a true story, we might still need to determine how to tell how a character will die.

We often have characters who, for one reason or another, need to be left behind. Maybe it's a mentor, like Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars. We know from the beginning of Charlotte's Web (at least, some of us know!) that the spider, Charlotte, will die, because few small critters like her live very long. But there's a time and place to help make the story more real, to create the most impact.

3 Considerations for deciding to kill a character

1. why do you think the character should die.

Part and parcel of that, why did you invent the character in the first place? What role does the character play? Characters aren't just there for the fun of it. They each play a very specific part in a story.

We can use the archetypes for examples:

A Hero/ine is who the story is about. We rarely see them die because the story wraps around them. Maximus in Gladiator is one of the rare exceptions.
A Mentor like Obi-Wan teaches the lesson, then goes away. Dying is common for this archetype. After all, would Luke have been able to grow into the man he becomes if he’d had Obi-Wan to tell him what to do all the time?
Goose plays Maverick’s Best Friend archetype in Top Gun . He dies to propel Maverick into facing his past and the loss of his father.
The Villain archetype dies all the time, since we have to slay the dragon. But once this archetype is dead, the story often is over. So, normally, the Villain dies near the end of the story.

2. When does a character need to die?

Every story is different. For instance, a mystery often needs to have a dead body early on and we only get to know that character through other peoples' eyes. There can be other bodies along the way, but each death needs to be carefully planned and HAS to make sense.

In a heart-rending true story about a loved one's death, the protagonist is usually someone who is deeply involved with the dying person, so the decision about when comes down to where it will impact the reader the most. In Ray , the story about Ray Charles, the death of his younger brother impacted his entire life. So, does it work best at the very beginning? Or in the middle? Or at the very end?

My personal preference is usually smack dab in the middle in a story like this, since I like to get to know my character before I find out what drives him or her. But you may like it somewhere else and, as long as it makes sense and impacts the reader, it will work.

3. Are you using it as a shortcut?

Carefully consider whether killing off a character is really a too-easy way out of a story conflict. Maybe that character can stir up extra trouble in the story, leading to a stronger plot, if he or she sticks around for a while.

I read a story several years ago where the fiancé of the heroine was the captain of an ocean-going ship and was gone when she really needed him. Another man came to her rescue and she fell in love with him instead. So, when the captain died at sea, the path to her new relationship was very simple.

Should it have been? Would it have been better for the fiancé to come home and for her to make a hard choice between the two men? (Of course, the romance writer in me would have liked to see that choice. But that's just me.)

So, kill any character you choose. It can be a very cathartic and enjoyable process, especially if you don't like a character. But do it for the right reasons.

Impacting the reader with a death, even of a villain, can make a book immensely better.

Do you have a favorite book or movie where a character is killed off ? Why is it your favorite? Please share with us down in the comments!

About Sally

Sarah (Sally) Hamer, B.S., MLA, is a lover of books, a teacher of writers, and a believer in a good story. Most of all, she is eternally fascinated by people and how they 'tick'. She’s passionate about helping people tell their own stories, whether through fiction or through memoir. Writing in many genres - mystery, science fiction, fantasy, romance, medieval history, non-fiction – she has won awards at both local and national levels, including two Golden Heart finals.

A teacher of memoir, beginning and advanced creative fiction writing, and screenwriting at Louisiana State University in Shreveport for over twenty years, she also teaches online for Margie Lawson at www.margielawson.com and hosts symposiums at www.mindpotential.org. Find her at [email protected]

Top photo from NewAfrica at Depositphotos.

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