Dream symbols: Sun, wind, rain, storms, and other types of weather

The biblical and spiritual symbolism of sun, wind, rain, storms, and other types of weather in dreams; including clouds, hurricanes, tornados, hail, snow.

I approach dream interpretation from a biblical perspective. My belief is that our dreams can come from God, and understanding them is best understood within the context of an ongoing relationship with Him.

Firstly, if you have just come across this post and are new to dream interpretation, it is worth mentioning that dreams are symbolic in nature. You might find it helpful to read the following article: Understand your dreams: A bible-based introduction to dream language. Plus, see my FREE ultimate guide to Interpreting Dreams from God.

Secondly, remember that dreams are personal, so the meanings that I suggest may not apply to your specific dream. But please feel free to use my ideas as a springboard to thinking and praying about dreams yourself. Don’t take my ideas as gospel, but rather let them help you start to think metaphorically.

Introduction to weather in dreams

It is well known that the weather can affect our inner state and wellbeing: A sunny day might boost our morale, and a windy day can leave us feeling unsettled. 

But conversely, in the English language we regularly use different weather patterns to illustrate how we feel or to describe life experiences. Difficult times can be described as ‘stormy’; or a relationally difficult atmosphere might be described as ‘cold’ or ‘frosty’.

 This symbolism can be seen in some of the idioms we use, for example:

• Come rain or shine – No matter what happens.
• Weather the storm – Survive a difficult challenge.
• Walking on sunshine – Feeling very happy.

In general, weather in dreams can be used in a similar way: The external weather conditions are used to symbolise things less tangible such as our feelings and general life experience.

Weather used symbolically in the bible

Metaphorical weather comparisons are common in the bible, in both positive and negative contexts. For example, weather is used to describe life experience/conditions, or the character of people and nations:

• Zephaniah 1:15, NIV That day will be… a day of distress and anguish… a day of clouds and blackness.
• Matthew 13:43, NIV Then the righteous will shine like the sun…

More importantly for understanding our dream life, the bible also uses natural weather patterns to describe what is going on in the spiritual world; this could be as a reflection of the heavenly realms, or to depict God’s character and works:

• Psalm 77:17, NIV The clouds poured down water, the heavens resounded with thunder; your arrows flashed back and forth.
• 2 Samuel 23:4, NIV He is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings grass from the earth.
• John 3:8, NIV The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.

In the same way, weather in dreams often symbolises the spiritual atmosphere in a situation. As we sleep, our spirits become awake (Song of Songs 5:2), and we can receive heavenly insight about the spiritual conditions behind what we are going through – or what we will go through in the future.

Meaning of the sky in dreams

It is also helpful to know that the sky is often used to represent the heavens. So, in this context:

• Coming out of a building (or similar) into the open air would be about coming out from a natural/human perspective into a heavenly setting/perspective.
• Something coming down from the sky would symbolise something being released from heaven.

The rest of this article explores the meaning of specific weather conditions. In addition:

• Consider whether the weather seems positive or negative in your dream and how you feel about it – as this will help you link it to real life situations
• I have written a general guide for understanding dream symbols (10 simple clues for understanding dream symbols), and this article builds on that.

Dream symbols: Sun and sunny weather

This section addresses the sun as a general dream symbol. For dreams relating to sunrise and sunset, see east and west in Dream symbols: North, South, East, West, Up and down.

Sun representing God’s presence

Most commonly in dreams, bright sunny weather indicates the presence of God, or an open heaven. The phrase open heaven is used to mean access to God – and to heaven’s resources such as revelation. In this scenario:

• The sun would represent the presence of God/Jesus.
• The blue sky would represent the heavenly realms or an open heaven.

This symbolism relates to God as light. In our natural world the sun is our source of light, and, biblically, light is associated with God.

• Revelation 21:23, NIV The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp.

This is reflected in our dream language: In terms of weather, the bluer, brighter, and sunnier the sky/background, the more heavenly the atmosphere and the more of God’s presence we are experiencing in that part of the dream.

In dreams, the bluer and sunnier the sky, the more of God and heaven we are experiencing.

If a dream setting is bright and sunny in a positive way, it is a good indicator that God is in the situation we are dreaming about, and that the dream message is from him. This might be important to know, particularly if the things that happen in the dream challenge our expectations.

Sun representing good times

Culturally, sunny weather is often associated with positive times and happiness. This meaning could be relevant in a dream – particularly if that was the overriding feeling in the dream.

In dreams, I have found that a positive context of the sun mostly reflects spiritual wellbeing, which might not be the same as feeling happy or going through ‘good’ times humanly speaking. This makes sense, because God is good, and spiritual ‘happiness’ is linked to his presence. True happiness could manifest as joy from the Holy Spirit, having peace, or being blessed – despite what we are going through.

• Isaiah 58:11, NIV The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

So, although dreams about sunny weather might be about our human feelings of happiness and good times, it is worth digging a little deeper, and considering whether the dream is addressing our spiritual condition.

Sun representing difficult times

The sun can sometimes appear in dreams in a negative context. This is usually related to hard work (things being hard going) and struggling/sweating under the heat.

• Ecclesiastes 2:18, NIV I hated all the things I had toiled for under the sun…

In a dream, this might appear as being too hot – and needing water or protection from the sun. In this scenario, God would represent the cool shade or a refreshing drink, rather than the sun.

• Isaiah 49:10, NIV …nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them. He… will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.
• Psalm 121:5, NIV The Lord is your shade at your right hand.

A hot desert dream setting might also be about going through a desert/wilderness time or a difficult situation.

We need to take careful note of the atmosphere, feeling and context though, to make sure this is the real meaning of the sunny weather, and to check we are not trying to hide from God’s presence!

Sun representing people and leaders

In the bible, the sun, moon, and stars can be used to symbolise people – and particularly rulers, and leaders. When these are metaphorically depicted as being shaken, darkening, or falling, this can be about the removal of them and their ‘kingdoms’.

We have a great dream example of this in the Old Testament: Joseph had a dream about the sun, moon, and stars. In that scenario the sun and moon represented his father (Jacob) and mother, and the stars were his brothers.

• Genesis 37:9, NIV “I had another dream, and this time the sun and moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me.”

I have never come across this meaning of the sun in a dream personally, but it is worth bearing in mind, particularly if the sun appears out of its normal context in your dream.

Real dream examples: Sun

DREAM	INTERPRETATION	NOTES
I dreamed I saw a place sinking down and destroyed, and I was going to Canada instead. It was all bright and sunny.	Something I was involved with would come to an end, but God was in it and something new and good would start.	This might have seemed negative, but the sunny atmosphere told me God was in this event.
I dreamed I had been cycling in the hot sun for a long time. I had no sunshade, and it was too hard on my bike. I got off.	I had been serving under difficult conditions for a long time; the dream was telling me things would change in the future, giving me hope.	This was part of a longer destiny dream. The sun was negative; the bicycle was my old way of doing things, which would need to change.
I dreamed a group of us were looking at a map, getting ready for a walk. I commented how blue the sky was, with only a few wisps of clouds.	This dream came at a difficult time, bringing hope that I was in a preparation phase and things would change in the future.	A map is usually about guidance and direction. The blue sky indicated heavenly insight, better times, and God’s presence with me.

Dream symbols: Clouds and cloudy weather

In dreams, clouds can contribute to the general light, brightness, and background atmosphere of the dream, as previously discussed for sunny weather.

In general, the more dull, grey, and cloudy the atmosphere, the less of God’s felt presence is in the situation that the dream is depicting.

Clouds representing the heavens

Clouds are in the sky, so in a metaphorical sense they can generally point to activity in the heavenly realms. God, Jesus, and angels are sometimes depicted as riding on the clouds – to describe what they are doing behind the scenes.

• Psalm 104:3, NIV He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind.
• Revelation 14:14, NIV …seated on the cloud was one like a son of man…

Clouds can also represent the glory of God – which is his presence. They could even be a glory cloud, in which case the cloud might appear in a place other than the sky. Even dark clouds can be God’s presence:

• Exodus 40:34, NIV The cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
• 1 Kings 8:12, NIV The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud.

Clouds representing difficult times

In a negative context, cloudy or stormy weather can generally represent difficult times, or times when God’s presence feels far away (the sun is obscured). This might appear in a dream as dark clouds, threatening clouds, or storm clouds.

• Joel 2:2, NIV …a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness.

Clouds gathering can carry a sense of a situation brewing, or heaven preparing to act in some way. This could be positive or negative, depending on the dream context and atmosphere. Black clouds or storm clouds gathering normally carries a sense of a difficult situation brewing, such as judgment or something else.

• Luke 12:54, NIV When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, ‘It’s going to rain,’ and it does.

Other meanings of clouds in dreams

Clouds as ideas: Clouds can symbolise our ideas or thinking; we even draw ‘thought bubbles’ as clouds, and our thoughts can drift along, or come and go like the clouds!

Clouds as lack of understanding: Clouds can obscure our view. So, dreaming of clouds in this context (such as driving along in thick clouds) might be about a lack of spiritual sight/understanding or lack of direction.

Clouds as people: In the bible, clouds can symbolise groups of people, like armies (Ezekiel 38:9) or the cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1).

Real dream examples: Clouds

DREAM	INTERPRETATION	NOTES
I dreamed I was floating down a river, and suddenly saw I was in Canada. I hadn’t realised before because the weather had been cloudy and dull like at home.	I would suddenly find that God’s Spirit had been guiding me in a situation, and that I had done the right thing, even though it felt like he was far away, and I had been uncertain.	Canada often represents the heavenly realms for me. The cloudy weather symbolised uncertainty and God feeling far away – but in fact he wasn’t. The river was the Holy Spirit.
I dreamed I was in a valley with others. A strange cloud came along and carried us on a journey, which ended up being bright and beautiful!	God’s presence was going to break into a difficult situation I was in, and take us in a new, heavenly direction that would seem strange at first.	The cloud was a glory cloud of God’s presence. The atmosphere and context were positive, even though the cloud seemed strange.
I dreamed I saw a dark mushroom cloud in the distance, and new there was no way to escape the fallout. Other people seemed unaware.	I had perceived a difficult situation arising because of something that had happened; this dream was affirming that what I felt was true.	The dark cloud was negative, representing a difficult situation. The dream was to prepare me so I would be OK and could help others through it.

Dream symbols: Wind and windy weather

Wind, by definition, is something that we cannot see; but we can feel it – and we can see the evidence of its activity. Therefore, it can be used in dreams to represent any activity of a spiritual nature that we cannot see in the natural but has an impact on our lives. This could be positive or negative.

In particular, the bible uses this characteristic describe the activity of the Holy Spirit.

• John 3:8, NIV The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.
• Acts 2:2, NIV Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.

In a dream, I would always start by assuming that the wind symbolises the activity of God’s Holy Spirit and work back from there. It nearly always is – and God often uses this in my dreams to challenge my thinking about a situation and what he is doing.

Real dream examples: Wind

DREAM	INTERPRETATION	NOTES
I dreamed I looked out the window and saw the trees blowing and bending in the wind.	This was reassuring me that the God was working in a leadership situation I was in, even though I couldn’t see it.	Trees are often leaders; the window was spiritual vision, and the wind was the Holy Spirit moving.
I dreaming I was walking with a red flag in bright daylight, but the wind resistance was making it hard going. Then I went to the toilet.	This was alerting me that I was going against the direction of the God’s Spirit and needed to rethink what I was doing.	A red flag can be an alert or warning. The toilet was about changing thinking. The bright daylight colours in the dream confirmed that this wind was of God.

Dream symbols: Rain, hail, and snow

Rain, snow, and hail all come down from the sky, so in dreams they commonly symbolise things being released from heaven.

Rain and rainy weather in dreams

In dreams, rain is usually something being released from heaven (the sky). Water is a common symbol for the Holy Spirit, so this would normally be something that God is in.

In a positive context (such as life-giving or refreshing rain) this could be God’s word, revelation, refreshing, blessing, his presence, or anything else being released for us to receive/experience.

• Deuteronomy 32:2, NIV Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.
• Isaiah 45:8, NIV You heavens above, rain down my righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness flourish with it.
• Hosea 6:3, NIV The Lord… will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.

Sometimes, rain can be in a negative context, such as in driving rain or floods, but this might still be from God! For example, is the rain obscuring our vision so we can’t drive? That might be God intervening and stopping us from continuing. Or are we hiding from the rain? This might mean we are avoiding what God is saying to us.

The dream context is important for discerning the meaning and what our response should be. (See storms below for more on this).

Rainbows in dreams

Rainbows are well known for their connection to Noah and the sign of God’s covenant with the earth. They usually symbolise hope, and carry a confirmation that he is a covenant-keeping God and will keep his promise/covenant to us in the area that the dream is about.

• Genesis 9:13, NIV I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

Rainbows are also used in the bible as a best attempt to describe the appearance of the glory of God, and other heavenly beings.

• Ezekiel 1:28, NIV As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was… the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD.
• Revelation 10:1, NIV Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven. He was robed in a cloud, with a rainbow above his head; his face was like the sun…

Real dream examples: Rain and rainbows

DREAM	INTERPRETATION	NOTES
I dreamed I was walking with a group outside, and it was raining hard. One woman was pregnant and going into labour. It felt a bit like the story of the birth of Jesus!	I was about to go through a time of walking under an open heaven and receiving revelation. This would be preparation for the start of something new.	The rain represented revelation from heaven. The woman reflected me, and being pregnant is about something new being birthed from Jesus/the Holy Spirit.
Years ago, I dreamed I was driving in bright daylight, but the rain made it impossible to see – so I eventually stopped. An angel asked me if I wanted to get out and I said yes!	This dream explained why I was experiencing a hard time in church leadership, where I couldn’t see what to do next. God was allowing it so I’d be open to a different approach.	The rain seemed negative, but daylight was a clue that it was God intervening, to get me to stop and listen to him. Later I made a bold decision about the direction of the church.
I dreamed I was walking along a dark road at night, and it was raining so I couldn’t see. Then someone helped/pushed me along to help me get through.	This was encouraging me that although I couldn’t understand what I was going through, heavenly help was assigned to guide me the right way.	The general atmosphere of dark and rain reflected my general life experience of difficult times and not knowing what to do. But God was still in it!
I dreamed someone jumped forward in time to where a group of us were eating breakfast. Colours of the rainbow come down bringing different promises to people.	This was a prophetic dream about our church situation, giving me a promise to hold onto: After a difficult time, everyone would receive what God had promised them.	This dream fulfilment is still in the future! The rainbow symbolised God keeping his promises. Breakfast points to morning, as in coming out of a difficult (night) time.

Snow and snowy weather in dreams

Snowy weather can be positive or negative in a dream: Is it a peaceful snowfall – covering the world in a beautiful white blanket, or is it a snowstorm – making progress difficult?

Some of the meanings of snow relate to the colour white.

In a positive context, snow can represent cleansing and purity, and things being released from heaven such as forgiveness, peace, or God’s word. Snow falls gently and builds up over time. So, for example, it could represent heavenly revelation being continually released until it settles – i.e., we eventually realise what God is saying.

In a negative context, snowy weather can represent a religious spirit/atmosphere, religious thinking, or difficult circumstances.

I have written in more detail about snow in Dream symbols: Snow and ice and what they mean, with real dream examples.

Hail and hailstorms in dreams

Hail is like rain in that it comes from the sky (heaven), but it is harder hitting and more destructive. In the bible, it was used alongside lightning and storms to depict dramatic heavenly intervention in situations.

• Revelation 11:19 Then God’s temple in heaven was opened…. And there came flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, an earthquake and a severe hailstorm.
• Isaiah 28:2 Like a hailstorm and a destructive wind, like a driving rain and a flooding downpour, he will throw it forcefully to the ground.

In dreams, hail could symbolise something of big impact being released from heaven – such as mindset-shifting revelation, or some kind of heavenly intervention.

Dream symbols: Storms, hurricanes, and tornados

A storm is an extreme weather condition, and often includes other elements we have talked about, like high winds, torrential rain, thunder, and lightning. They are commonly used in a metaphorical sense to depict an extreme or difficult situation, or hard times.

• Proverbs 1:27, NIV …calamity overtakes you like a storm, …disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind.

Hurricanes and tornados are more extreme storms, and usually cause more destruction. In dreams these can be used to draw our attention to something impactful that is coming.

In the bible, storms are used to convey a sense of power– whether from God, the enemy, or human activity. The presence of God is sometimes described as being in a whirlwind (Ezekiel 1:4).

• Nahum 1:3, NIV The Lord is slow to anger but great in power… His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet.
• Ezekiel 38:9, NIV You and all your troops… will go up, advancing like a storm.
• Isaiah 25:4, NIV For the breath of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall.
• Psalm 107:29 He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.

The thing to consider about storms in a dream, are:

• Is the storm positive or negative? A bright/coloured storm might be from God, but a dark/oppressive storm might be from the enemy.
• What is the main feature of the storm and what does that element normally symbolise? Is it wind (like a tornado or whirlwind), rain, or some other feature? See the relevant sections above.

Also, ask what the dream is showing us about how we should respond to the storm. This is one of the most useful purposes of dreams: advising us how to respond to these circumstances and giving understanding of God’s perspective on them. For example:

• Can we prevent or stop the storm, such as when Jesus calmed the storm? (Luke 8:24)
• Do we need God’s help to protect us from the storm or to endure the storm? (Isaiah 25:4)
• Is the storm being sent or allowed by God for a purpose, such as refining/testing our faith or some other reason? (Proverbs 10:25)

Thunder and lightning in dreams

Thunder is closely linked to storms. Specifically, in the bible, thunder is often used to represent God’s powerful voice, for example when it cannot be ignored or he suddenly breaks into a situation.

• 2 Samuel 22:14, NIV The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.
• Joel 2:11, NIV The Lord thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number…

Lightning is linked to thunder, but is more suggestive of a flash of revelation or sudden clarity. We talk about ‘a bolt out of the blue’ to describe a time when sudden realisation hits.

• Psalm 29:7, NIV The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning.

Real dream examples: Storms

DREAM	INTERPRETATION	NOTES
I dreamed I was about to cross a bridge, when someone shouted, ‘there’s a storm coming’. I knew it was big and black, so we all ran to shelter in a nearby hangar.	I was about to try and attempt to help in a situation, but this dream was advising me to hang on and wait it out because it was going to get very difficult.	Crossing a bridge was about wanting to help relationally. The storm was negative, but couldn’t be avoided; so the correct response was to hang on, i.e going in the hangar.
I dreamed I found a man’s head buried in the garden. Then I saw a series of coloured tornados coming towards the house. They were bright and coloured.	This was a destiny dream. God wanted to shift my thinking in an area, and after that some big things were going to get stirred up by his Spirit in several areas.	The dream was light and the tornadoes were bright and coloured, so they represented God’s Spirit moving in a way that would shake everything up.

Conclusion

We have seen how weather conditions in dreams generally symbolise unseen emotions and circumstances, plus the spiritual atmosphere behind those situations. In particular:

• Sunny weather can represent the presence of God, good times, and an open heaven. In a negative context it can symbolise hard going times or desert times.
• Clouds can reflect heavenly activity – and can even be a glory cloud of the presence of God. They can also symbolise thoughts and ideas. In a negative context they can represent difficult (stormy) times, or lack of vision or clarity.
• Wind in dreams usually indicates activity of the Holy Spirit.
• Rain, snow, and hail can be things released from heaven: Rain could be revelation or refreshing; hail would be something of bigger impact; snow could be more gentle revelation. Rainbows speak of God keeping his promises.
• Storms usually represent difficult times and situations. Thunder is often God’s powerful voice, and lightning can be sudden clarity or revelation. The key is to look for wisdom in the dream as to how we should respond to the storm.

Here are a few closing thoughts:

• Different types of weather in dreams could represent any number of things. The above ideas should give you a good starting point. 
• I believe only God can tell us what different weather means in a specific dream, so you could try asking Him!
• Consider the atmosphere and context of the dream to see whether the weather is being used in a positive or negative sense.
• In addition to the meanings that I have shared, remember that it could mean something personal or culturally significant to you, that isn’t mentioned here.

God can speak through real-life weather conditions too, particularly when they are unusual or impact us in some way. They can be signs which point to a spiritual reality, either present or future, just like in dreams – so pay attention to those things.

And finally… have fun exploring the weather-related symbols in your dreams!