An often overlooked element in worldbuilding, the weather is more than just background noise. Tiny details here and there–along with a reliable and consistent system–can bridge the gap between a fun read in an interesting world and a fascinating read in a richly developed world that lingers long after the last page is completed.
Here are some questions to consider when planning the weather for your world (and story):
- What is the typical weather in your world? Are there seasonal changes? Describe these shifts.
- Is your world big enough to have different seasons at the same time (winter in North and summer in South)?
- What are some typical weather patterns in your world? Is it the stuff we know: snowstorms, rain, humidity, sunshine, and clouds?
- Do you have weather phenomena unique to your world? Does it occasionally rain shells in the mountains, or does sand show up over the ocean?
- How do people respond to the weather in your world? Can they affect it at all (weather machines, magic, or just wear a warmer coat)?
- What kind of natural disasters are a result of the weather in your world? Do people freeze to death in blizzards, drown in tsunamis, suffocate in mudslides?
- Do people study the weather in this world? Is there an understanding of weather patterns, or is it just angry gods playing in the sky? Is meteorology a thing in this world or do people guess (“My hip aches—snow’s coming”)? How trusted are meteorologists?
- Is the weather changing, or has it always been this way? Are the inhabitants of the world affecting the weather patterns (climate change)?
- Do people have special names for different seasons in your world? What are they?
- How much does the average person know about the weather in your world?
Bonus questions to ponder:
- What weather events from our world will you incorporate in your world? Why those and not others?
- Describing the weather in our world is easy enough based on the location of the situation: it’s colder in the North and warmer in the South. Does your world have such distinctions?
- In our world, science explains natural phenomena (thunderstorms, hurricanes, blizzards, etc.). How do the inhabitants of your world explain why natural events happen?
- In our world, we are often at the mercy of the weather. How much agency do the inhabitants of your world have when it comes to the weather? Can they make it rain?
- How much personal experience do you have with certain weather phenomena and what will you have to research?
When worldbuilding, a good habit is to create a weather tracker for your world (or at least one location in your world—pick the dominant one in your story). You should know the answers to the following questions without interrupting the writing process: What are the seasons of the year? What is the weather like during those seasons? How will the weather impact your story?
For more Worldbuilding Questions, check out The General Worldbuilding Guide!
