Lions, Lambs and Setting the Scene

Well, the first part of the old saying for March, “In like a lion and out like a lamb,” is certainly holding true, but with the first day of Spring already past and the month nearly over I’ve only caught fleeting glimpses of the lamb. 

I admit I’m a bit of a weather junkie. I have a snow pack data and several National Weather Service sites bookmarked in my favorites which I check daily.  I find weather and climate fascinating and from a writer’s perspective weather conditions help set the scene and can ratchet up the tension. Is an approaching blizzard or tornado forcing action that normally could have waited? Did an unexpected deluge take out the only bridge for miles? Has the hurricane turned a romantic outing into the fight to stay alive? Is the situation made more terrifying by a major power outage? And, on a more subtle front, weather conditions and seasons dictate small nuances like what the characters are wearing, if the windows in the house are open,  and what kind of activities are taking place, such as chaining up a vehicle, surfing, picnicking or gardening. When setting the scene for your novel it is essential to factor in the weather. Those natural elements can help create a romantic outing or throw up a formidable obstacle to survival.