Witch Storms

11/12/2024

Yesterday morning I was scrolling through The Weather Channel app to look at the temperature for the day, when I stumbled across a headline titled “Witch Storms”. One, I had never heard of that phenomenon; and two, because of this class, I wanted to learn more about them.

During late October and early November, the Midwest and Great Lakes prepare for the arrival of these so-called witch storms. These storms are intense extratropical cyclones, known for their gale-force winds, heavy precipitation and large temperature drops. Because of this, they have earned the eerie nickname from the "Witches of November." Witch storms occur when warm, wet air from the south collides with cold, dry air from the north, creating a low-pressure system. While rooted in meteorology, the term conjures a connection to folklore and the dark history of witchcraft.

As seen in readings, videos and in class, the association between storms and witches isn’t new. In the Salem trials, weather played a symbolic role. Storms, like witches, were perceived as chaotic forces of nature. Accused witches were often blamed for calamities, including sudden weather changes and some were thought to summon storms to destroy crops or harm communities. These fears were weaponized during trials, with accused individuals confessing under torture to "storm-making."

The "witch" label for November storms couples superstition and science, a nod to humanity's struggle to understand nature’s fury. Witch storms remind us of the power of both nature and the narratives we create to confront it. Perhaps the fierce winds are a fitting echo of history, where superstition and science meet in the tempest.