Before Forecasts, There Were Gods

by Grace Aung ’26

As the seasons change, we can’t help but wonder what goes on behind the scenes. Beyond the obvious scientific reasons, are there underlying forces that beckon sunshine or bring on rainfall? Just as we cling to make-beliefs like Santa during the holidays to boost our spirits, many cultures hold weather-related beliefs that often go unseen. Living in Buffalo, we all know the double-edged nature of the weather: we hope for a snow day, yet a lake-effect blizzard can shut down the entire city. While we rationalise these events with empirical evidence, not everyone in the world interprets nature this way.

Mythology, natural disasters, and weather may seem like an unlikely trio, but they work in tandem better than we realise. From Athens to Tokyo, ancient cultures created stories to explain everything from thunderstorms to earthquakes. The diversity of interpretations makes you reconsider the “hows” and “whys” of something as simple as a storm (which is only simple until you’re on a flight amidst one). Let’s start with a fan favourite: Poseidon.

Poseidon and earthquakes in Greek mythology

Poseidon, the god of the seas who held power over oceans, earthquakes, fertility of the earth, horses, storms, and tempests, is said to shake the earth whenever his temperament flares. This happened when people failed to worship him properly or when he clashed with other gods, especially Athena, whom he famously battled for the city of Athens. Even divine beings had their own share of what I like to call ‘petty discourses’. Poseidon was known to send tremors across the earth when his expectations were unmet. One well-known example was his punishment of the Trojans during the Trojan War. Although he sided with the Greeks, he was angered by Troy’s disrespect and even sent a sea monster to terrorise the city, an act that showed both jealousy and retaliation. Earthquakes and destruction followed as he sought retribution. His reactions also extended to the preservation of his sacred spaces. If humans built structures that disrespected those places, he could respond with earthquakes to remind them of the importance of respecting the earth and its natural wonders. Honestly, with the way the entire city of Buffalo seemingly shakes anytime a truck hits the wrong pothole, Poseidon might have a few opinions about Western New York.

Lei Gong, the God of thunder and thunderstorms in Chinese mythology

In ancient Chinese mythology, the figure of Lei Gong, the god of thunder, is certainly not obscure. He was known to wield a hammer or drum to create thunder and is often portrayed with a beast-like appearance, responsible for the loud claps that accompany storms. Much like Poseidon, many of the tangible effects of his power felt on earth stem from fierce battles involving other deities. An infamous case of this involves Hou Tu, another Chinese deity commonly associated with the planet and often considered a protective figure. In some versions of the myth, she instead represents the chaotic forces of nature that disrupt harmony. In this particular tale, Lei Gong confronts Hou Tu due to her disruptive influence on the natural order. Their clash triggers fierce thunderstorms, and Lei Gong uses his drum and hammer to summon thunder and lightning to restore balance.

Safe to say that if we ever do get a streak of wild storms here, we’ll know exactly who to blame.

Izanami, the Goddess of creation and death and volcanic eruptions, in Japanese mythology

Japanese folklore depicts Izanami, together with her brother and husband Izanagi, as one of the creators of the Japanese archipelago. Izanami is closely linked to volcanic activity because of her connection to the earth’s most primal forces. In several myths, her anger is expressed through volcanic eruptions, which symbolise both destruction and the raw strength of nature. One of the most significant stories involves her death during childbirth. Izanami died while giving birth to Kagutsuchi, the fire god, a moment that marked the end of her nurturing role and led to her descent into Yomi, the realm of the dead. Heartbroken, Izanagi travelled to Yomi to retrieve her, only to find that she had transformed into a decayed figure. Horrified, he fled back to the world of the living. Izanami, furious at his reaction and abandonment, declared that she would bring death to a thousand people each day. In some interpretations, her sorrow and rage also manifest as natural disasters, such as volcanic eruptions, connecting her story to the earth’s violent energy. While Buffalo has no volcanoes, we know what it feels like to be reshaped by nature; whether it’s entire neighbourhoods buried after the 2022 blizzard or the frozen waves piled high on the Lake Erie shoreline.

Hopefully, these stories have reflected the ways different cultures try to understand the natural world. Each legend carries generations of tradition, and even if they are “just myths,” they have shaped how many cultures experience nature. Just as seasons shift, marking a transition, we can now observe the weather through a fresh, introspective lens.