As a little girl, I was frightened of big thunderstorms. As an adult, I’m energized, sometimes relaxed, and in awe of them. No matter the type of storm or its severity, storm magick is a powerful force of the craft that any witch can learn to use. Here are 8 ways to incorporate storm magick into your practice AND how to evoke protective angels and guardians to protect from catastrophic storms like hurricanes and tornadoes.

What is Storm Witchcraft? Are There Storm Witches?

For as long as there’s been witches, we’ve been blamed for storms. Particularly storms at sea and thunderstorms that cause damage. Heck, witches have been blamed for basically anything that goes wrong in society: illness, famine, drought, soured milk, death, poverty, and cold winters. Pretty much every kind of destructive weather has been a result of “witches” in centuries past. But maybe there’s some logic behind the idea.

I see it this way – witches are in-tune with all things in nature. Some have an affinity to the moon, sun, or stars. Some witches prefer to work with forest or mountain energy. Still others are drawn to thunderstorms. I call these storm witches (including myself). If you find storms energizing, thrilling and awe-inspiring, you might be a storm witch. When hurricanes and tornadoes fascinate you and you wonder why you didn’t become a storm chaser or meteorologist, you might be a storm witch. If you were born in a thunderstorm, and you’re magical, you’re likely a storm witch.

1. Storm Magick: Thunder Water

One of the easiest forms of storm magick is to collect storm water. We also call it thunder water or lightning water, depending on the witch. It’s as easy as setting a bowl or vessel outside to collect storm water from a thunderstorm. But you’re not just collecting water, you’re collecting the potent energy in the atmosphere, as well. The thunder, lightning, and pressure all charge the water with extra energy. Once the storm is over, bottle and keep your storm water for anointing tools, doorways, and altars. OR add herbs and magical ingredients to it and pour into a bath.

2. Charging Tools with Storm Magick

You know how we set our crystals and tools out to charge in the moonlight? Lightning is a magical charging source, too. Think of it as a strong, sometimes dangerous battery. The easiest and safest way to harness the lightning’s energy is to set your tools and crystals in a window facing a storm. Particularly if you have a window that’s facing lightning strikes in the distance, set your tools and crystals in that window. They will soak up the lightning vibrations.

3. Ritual During Storm

Does your ritual or spell need a strong burst of energy? Casting spells or performing rituals during a thunderstorm or snowstorm adds an extra kick. Rituals during thunderstorm super-charge and shake up the energy. But performing one during a snowstorm will quickly cool off or freeze your intention. Why would we want to freeze our intentions? Some examples might be to bind a person or situation that’s bothering you, OR you can use snow’s soothing, calming energy to bring peace to a situation/intention.

4. Storm Magick With Thunder Gods

Who better to call on during a thunderstorm than thunder gods and spirits? Their energy is most present when a storm is rumbling in the distance and directly over you. Fierce, fiery, and strong, calling on thunder gods like Thor, Zeus, Perun, Indra, Oya, Berchta and Shango illuminate and push us to our magical limits. The Wild Hunt is also linked to thunderstorms, the realm of the gods and the realm of spirits. Working with these deities and spirits during thunderstorms will empower your magick.

5. Cloud Scrying

When a thunderstorm is about to hit, I enjoy going upstairs in my bedroom and opening the blinds all the way. Then reading the thunder cloud patterns – the way the clouds swirl and move, the color and shades and how they change, and any cloud-to-cloud lightning strikes. Simply clearing your mind and meditating on the clouds rolling in and by is an enchanting experience…an easy and beautiful storm magick practice.

6. Thunder and Lightning Divination

Just as you’re looking at the clouds to divine messages and connect with deities, counting lightning strikes and thunder rumbles is also another method of divination for stormy witches. This can be done in different ways including counting how long a thunder rumble lasts, counting the time between a lightning flash and thunder rumble, or counting the number of lightning strikes. Moreover, you can also record the direction in which the lightning strikes (N, S, E, W). Then determine your messages based off numerology and the numeric occult symbolism.

7. Knot Magic and Broom Shakin’

In Medieval Times, witches were accused of causing storms and some were even tried for it. A well-known example of this is the case of John Fian and his witch coven, who were accused of sending a storm to sea that sank the ship of James VI and Queen Anne on their way to Scotland from Denmark. There were also magicians called the Tempestarii who were individuals with the ability to conjure up storms and/or send storms away.

There are different ways to brew up a storm, including knot magic (also used by sailors) and broom magic. Consider learning how to tie and untie knots as spell-work. Tying knots binds the wind, and untying those knots releases it. Same with storms. And, if you’d like to cause a rainstorm, hold a wet broom over your head and shake it, according to folk tradition.

8. Working With Herbs for Storms

Certain types of herbs, plants, and trees have traditionally been used to ward off storms and lightning strikes. And others raise winds and summon rains. Learn which storm herbs to use in your practice and incorporate them into your witchcraft. Here’s a few:

• Protective herbs: hazel, holly, houseleeks (hen and chicks), mistletoe and hawthorn
• To raise winds: bladderwrack, broom and saffron
• To summon the rains: broom, cotton, fern, rice, and toadstool

Magical Protection & Prayers for Hurricane Victims, Tornadoes, Monsoons, Etc.

Like with any aspect of Mother Nature, storms can be beneficial and/or destructive. Sometimes hurricanes, tornadoes, tsunamis, etc. ravage homes and buildings and take human lives. There’s a few things we can do magically to protect people in the wake of a hurricane or tornado:

• Visualize a bubble/shield of white light protection around the places and people in the storm’s path
• Pray to archangel Michael and the storm gods like Thor, Tyr, Odin, Berchta, Hecate, Horus, Ba’al, Peru, etc. to protect those in the path of a hurricane or tornadoes
• Provide offerings to the spirit of the storm itself and ask for leniency and protection
• Dress and dedicate a candle to the protection of hurricane/storm victims and let it burn down completely every day for 3 days prior to/during the storm
• Bind the storm from doing harm
• Set protective wards around your house and/or property: four stones painted with protective symbols in the 4 corners of your property, paint protective runes on doorways and windowsills with oil/lipstick/shaving cream/dry erase marker, 4 crystals with protective vibes like tourmaline, obsidian, tiger’s eye, etc.