Halloween is synonymous with trick-or-treating, haunted houses and horror movies. But nearly 1 in 10 people have a fear of weather, including specific phobias.
According to a study published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, storm phobias occur in 2% to 3% of the general population.
👀⚡7 WEATHER PHOBIAS
— Theodoros Kolydas (@KolydasT) October 29, 2024
✅While the weather is business as usual to most of us, for one out of every ten Americans, it is something to be feared. Do you or does someone you know suffer from a weather phobia, an inexplicable fear of a certain atmospheric condition? People are very… pic.twitter.com/x2w33LtwDf
The American Psychiatric Association defines "phobia" as a “marked fear or anxiety about a specific object or situation.”
A Gallup poll found that 85% of respondents said they had some degree of fear about severe weather and 40% said they had a moderate degree of fear.
Time for some Spooky Season fun 🎃👻🐈⬛
— NWS Sioux Falls (@NWSSiouxFalls) October 30, 2024
Did you know there are many weather related fears and phobias?
Take a look at some of common ones and then head over to https://t.co/CHNHiCMzRT. pic.twitter.com/JMhaURInf9
It’s no surprise that thunderstorms and tornadoes are among the most feared weather events. An unhealthy fear of tornadoes or hurricanes is called lilapsophobia.
The AMS study also showed that more than 40% of people had a fear of tornadoes and tropical storms. People with this phobia can live like they are constantly under threat.
From fog to flooding, here are 13 of the most common weather phobias:
Anablephobia: Fear of looking at the sky
Nephobphobia: Fear of rain or clouds
Astraphobia: Fear of thunder and lightning
Chionophobia: Fear of snow
Heliophobia: Fear of the sun
Iridophobia: Feat of rainbows
Ancraophobia: Fear of wind
Homichlophobia: Fear of fog
Thermophobia: Fear of heat
Cryophobia: Fear of cold weather
Antlophobia: Fear of flooding
Kalimeraphobia: Fear of climate change
Ombrophobia - an irrational fear of rain
Experts say exposure therapy may help some people gradually become more comfortable around whatever weather causes fear. For example, you might listen to recordings of thunder or look at pictures of thunderstorms. Eventually, practice could help people stay calm during a storm.
Experts also say most people are resilient and, over time, most can bounce back from weather-related trauma. People with these disorders can experience panic, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, trembling and a strong desire to get away, according to MentalHeatlh.gov.
