When the Sky Turns Dark: Facing Storm Anxiety with Resilience and Calm

Springtime in Oklahoma is beautiful—but let’s be honest, it can also be scary. Have you ever wondered if you may have storm anxiety?

If you’ve lived here long, you know what I mean. The sky changes color, the clouds look spooky, and your phone lights up with weather alerts. Sirens wail. You gather the pets and head to the shelter or safe room while your neighbors sit in lawn chairs out on their lawn. Even if the tornado doesn’t touch down near you, just waiting it out can feel like holding your breath for hours.

And afterward? The sun comes back out, birds sing again, but your heart might still be racing. You might notice your shoulders are tight, or you’re unusually tired. Maybe you find yourself checking the forecast ten times a day. Maybe you don’t want to leave the house at all. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone—and you’re not “too sensitive.” You’re human.

As a therapist who’s worked with many people experiencing storm anxiety, and as someone who has felt that unease myself, I want to offer some understanding, support, and hope. Because anxiety doesn’t mean something is wrong with you—it means something mattered to you. And with the right tools, there is a path toward healing, balance, and even growth.

Why Tornado Anxiety is So Common—And So Valid

Let’s start with this: anxiety about severe weather is a normal response. Tornadoes are unpredictable. They happen fast. And for many of us in Oklahoma, they’ve caused real harm or close calls.

Maybe you’ve experienced a storm that damaged your home or community. Maybe you’ve seen friends or neighbors lose everything. Even if your own experiences were less direct, our bodies remember that sense of danger. And sometimes, even just the possibility of a storm is enough to bring back those feelings.

Storm anxiety can show up in different ways:

• Trouble sleeping during storm season
• Feeling panicked or frozen when sirens go off
• Replaying past storm experiences
• Worrying days in advance when bad weather is forecast
• Avoiding travel, errands, or social events during spring months

If any of this sounds familiar, it’s okay. Your brain and body are trying to protect you. The good news is, you can teach them a new way.

Understanding What’s Happening in Your Brain

When the brain senses danger, it flips on the “fight or flight” system. This is useful in a real emergency—but sometimes, the alarm stays on too long. For example, your brain might treat the sound of thunder or the smell of rain as a threat, even if you’re totally safe at the moment.

This is especially true if you’ve been through something traumatic, like a close call with a tornado or a frightening evacuation. The brain creates strong connections between that event and certain cues—like dark skies or wind. These connections are called “triggers.”

Understanding that your body is trying to protect you can help you feel more empowered—not broken. From that place of understanding, we can begin the process of healing.

Tools to Calm the Storm Inside

The goal isn’t to never feel fear. The goal is to feel balanced and supported—even when the sky is unpredictable. Here are some tools that can help:

1. Create a Plan

Knowing what to do in a storm gives your brain a job. When we have a plan, we feel less helpless. Prepare a storm kit, know your shelter location, and practice your plan with your family. Then, write it down. This is a form of resilience—taking action, even when you feel afraid.

2. Practice Grounding Techniques

When anxiety starts rising, try to bring your awareness back to the present moment. Here’s one exercise I love:

The 5-4-3-2-1 Technique

• Name 5 things you can see
• Name 4 things you can feel
• Name 3 things you can hear
• Name 2 things you can smell
• Name 1 thing you can taste

This helps remind your body that it’s safe right now.

3. Breathe On Purpose

In a storm, we tend to hold our breath or breathe shallowly. Try this simple breathing pattern:

Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4, exhale for 6.
Repeat for one minute. Longer exhales tell your nervous system, “It’s okay to calm down.”

4. Limit Over-Checking the Weather

It’s tempting to keep checking radar apps or listening to every alert or watching Travis and his Storm Chasers. But too much information can actually increase anxiety. Set specific times to check the forecast (like once in the morning and once in the evening) and choose a trusted source. Balance awareness with peace.

5. Talk About It

Whether with a friend, a therapist, or in a journal—talking about your fears helps them feel more manageable. You don’t have to carry them alone. In fact, healing happens best in connection.

A Gentle Word About Trauma

Sometimes, storm anxiety goes deeper than fear—it feels like a deep sense of dread or powerlessness. You might notice flashbacks, nightmares, or a constant sense of being “on edge.” If this sounds familiar, you may be experiencing trauma. That doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means your body went through something too big to process at the time.

Therapies like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) or parts work can be especially helpful for healing storm-related trauma. These tools help your brain and body complete the stress cycle—so you don’t stay stuck in the alarm state. And they can help you build internal resilience for future storms, too.

Spring Can Be a Season of Growth—Even with Storms

While we can’t control the weather, we can learn to weather it with more balance and peace. Storm anxiety doesn’t have to control your life. You’re allowed to feel afraid and brave. You’re allowed to want safety and still live fully.

Each spring gives us a chance to grow. As trees bud and wildflowers bloom, they remind us: storms might shake things up, but they also make space for new life.

If anxiety about storms is something you struggle with, I want you to know—there is support. There are ways through. And there is hope.

Take care of your nervous system. Give yourself compassion. Ask for help when you need it.

You don’t have to do this alone. Healing is possible. Balance is possible. And you? You are resilient.