Weather Words: Astraphobia

If your anxiety level increases when you hear of the possibility of stormy weather, then you might have astraphobia: the extreme fear of thunder and lightning. A study published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society found that about 85% of respondents reported having some degree of severe weather fear. While the number of people with extreme fear of severe weather is less, it’s still a true fear that impacts people from young to old.

Many times these fears are triggered by a life experience. If you have lived through a powerful tornado or hurricane, you are more likely to have astraphobia. However, sometimes this fear could come from genetics or brain chemistry. According to the Cleveland Clinic, it’s most often children who have astraphobia, and they can many times outgrow the fear.

Some signs that you might have astraphobia include::

• Avoidance of thunder and lightning, even in movies or pictures.
• Extreme fear or panic when you see lightning or thunder.
• Immediate dread or distress when you know a thunderstorm is in the weather forecast.
• Panic that interferes with your life, even when you know you are safe.

The National Weather Service also offers some helpful tips if you or a loved one is dealing with some sort of weather-related fear or anxiety.

Jennifer Gray is a weather and climate writer for weather.com. She has been covering some of the world's biggest weather and climate stories for the last two decades.