WEATHER AND EARTHLY PHENOMENON THESAURUS

FLOOD



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HELPFUL TIP:

Don’t be afraid to pair weather conditions with your setting choice to contrast or reinforce a character’s emotions. Hopelessness might be mirrored in the relentless drizzle of rain and the resulting heavy drag of one’s clothes; alternatively, this feeling can stand out in stark contrast to sunlight dancing over fresh snow. Can weather also provide symbolism, thereby enriching the reader’s experience? Think about your goal for the scene and the mood you are trying to create, and then layer your description with meaningful choices.
SIGHTS:
Ponds overflowing their banks
Creeks widening and loosening soil around nearby tree roots
Swollen rivers churning up silt and eroding the banks
Flowing water that overtakes low or weak points (such as roads, berms, and walking trails)
Sewers backing up into the streets
Cars that are trapped on roadways and half-filled with water
Flooded homes, with furniture and personal items floating in deep, muddy water
Volunteers filling and stacking sandbags to protect homes and businesses
Cranes and dump trucks shifting blocks and creating blockades to steer the water's flow
Debris being carried in the current (trees, park benches, power poles, lawn furniture, dog houses, etc.)
Sheds or trailers being pulled into raging waterways and slammed against bridges
Emergency services manning rescue boats and equipment
People sitting on rooftops or on cars waiting for help
Rising waters
Heavy rainfall
Flooded railway crossings
Water that laps the undersides of bridges
Sump pumps and hoses draining water from houses
Trapped animals swimming to safety or clinging to higher ground

SMELLS:
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TASTES:
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TEXTURES AND SENSATIONS:
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SOUNDS:
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REINFORCING A MOOD:
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SYMBOLISM:
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COMMON CLICHÉS:
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WEATHER NOTES:
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SCENARIOS FOR ADDING CONFLICT OR TENSION:
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