Winslow Homer was an American landscape painter who lived from 1836-1910. He called this painting Cloud Shadows. Do you see the shadows that the clouds made on the beach? The clouds look like stratocumulus clouds.
Public domain/Wikipedia

Arts and Culture about Clouds, Weather, and Climate

Whether it is how an artist paints the shapes of clouds or how a poet describes a gloomy weather day, there are many ways to connect the arts and culture with clouds, weather, and climate. In this section of Windows to the Universe you will find art, poetry, and mythology that connect to the science of our planet. 

Clouds in Art
Landscape artists have been painting clouds for centuries. And there are so many different types of clouds in the sky to paint. Explore the Clouds in Art interactive and gallery to identify cloud types from landscape paintings. An educator guide is provided for teachers.

Our Poetic Planet
What’s the weather like? Ask a poet! Giving a sense of the environment with their words, poets describe the planet in interesting ways. Explore how various poets have described the world around them.

Weather Poetry and Pictures
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But just what words are those? Write your own poem about this month's featured weather picture. Your poem will be posted online. And check back next month to write a poem about a new weather picture.

Weather Mythology
Cultures around the world have often credited wild weather events to mythological figures.  Whether it is wielding thunder and lightning or creating storms at sea with anger, gods from many cultures have power over the weather. Read about some of these gods and their special skills.

Last modified November 7, 2008 by Lisa Gardiner.

You might also be interested in:

Traveling Nitrogen Classroom Activity Kit

Check out our online store - minerals, fossils, books, activities, jewelry, and household items!...more

Clouds in Art

Landscape painters have been representing clouds in their art for centuries. Different artists with different styles have painted clouds differently. What's more, there are many different types of clouds...more

Our Poetic Planet: Poems that Describe the Earth

What’s the weather like? Ask a poet! Poetry about weather and other aspects of Earth can be very descriptive. Giving a sense of the environment through their words, poets describe the planet in interesting...more

Water, a poem by Pablo Neruda

Water Everything on the earth bristled, the bramble pricked and the green thread nibbled away, the petal fell, falling until the only flower was the falling itself. Water is another matter, has no direction...more

When The Sun Come After Rain, a poem by Robert Louis Stevenson

When The Sun Come After Rain When the sun comes after rain And the bird is in the blue, The girls go down the lane Two by two. When the sun comes after shadow And the singing of the showers, The girls...more

The Sky is Low, The Clouds Are Mean, a poem by Emily Dickinson

The Sky Is Low, The Clouds Are Mean The sky is low, the clouds are mean, A travelling flake of snow Across a barn or through a rut Debates if it will go. A narrow wind complains all day How some one treated...more

Tonenili, Navajo God of Water

Tonenili, who is also known as the Water Sprinkler, is the Navaho God of Water.  He is responsible for rain, sleet, and snow. He also causes thunder and lightning. Tonenili is a very mischievous guy. ...more

March, a poem by Bayard Taylor

March With rushing winds and gloomy skies The dark and stubborn Winter dies; Far-off, unseen Spring faintly cries; Bidding her earliest child arise; March! - by Bayard Taylor (1825-1878, American poet)...more

Windows to the Universe, a project of the National Earth Science Teachers Association, is sponsored in part is sponsored in part through grants from federal agencies (NASA and NOAA), and partnerships with affiliated organizations, including the American Geophysical Union, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the Earth System Information Partnership, the American Meteorological Society, the National Center for Science Education, and TERC. The American Geophysical Union and the American Geosciences Institute are Windows to the Universe Founding Partners. NESTA welcomes new Institutional Affiliates in support of our ongoing programs, as well as collaborations on new projects. Contact NESTA for more information. NASA ESIP NCSE HHMI AGU AGI AMS NOAA