Magic of the Weather

Since I was young, the weather and climate is a phenomenon that has always peaked my interest. I always wondered as a child what caused a major storm, why the climate was different across different places in the world, and how meteorologists could (or could not) predict the weather accurately. Ahead of the potential winter storm this Thursday, I thought it would be appropriate to comment on the connection between the weather and the supernatural.

The Norse are a relevant culture to discuss when considering this connection. As we've learned, Scandinavian cultures in the early middle ages often interpreted the weather as messages or displays of emotions from the gods. Zeus, one of the more recognizable gods from this culture, could hammer a thunderous storm down to Earth when angry, for example. While this could easily be passed off by some as a simple explanation for something the Vikings did not understand, the connection between the divine still prevalent today--of course, the Bible mentions the flood brought upon Earth by God after he told Noah to build an ark. This story, widely accepted by not just Christians, but those of other Judaic faiths as well, is another example of the weather being utilized by the divine.

In my opinion, the weather is an exciting topic to study. Last I heard, phenomena such as tornadoes were still a mystery in some ways to scientists. Are there more to these climate mysteries than science can explain? I am not a meteorologist myself, but I also cannot eliminate the possibility of supernatural forces driving the weather....