Weather (JKR the non-conformist)

[GulPlum]

No: HPFGUIDX 57626

I don't really have much to say on the original topic, as in some ways I 
don't actually agree with its thesis. However, I'd like to add one thought...

The Admiring Skeptic wrote:

>Narratives have been using the weather as mood-setter forever. JKR 
>reverse-parodies this in the above quote, when she writes (again approx.), 
>"there was nothing in the gray, dreary skies to cause anyone to suspect 
>that strange and unusual things were about to happen." All through the 
>series, she persistently paints weather portraits that have nothing 
>whatsoever to do with the mood, though they often help the plot.

Whilst in some ways I disagree with you (usually, on dreary days, Harry 
feels down in the dumps) I have an observation on weather in the HP books 
which I don't think I've ever seen mentioned before and could (I hope, but 
I doubt it!) :-) be entirely novel. No conclusions, just an observation.

Note the journeys to/arrival at Hogwarts (references to UK editions):

PS/SS: the train sped past "fields full of cows and sheep" (p. 76); 
Hogwarts is seen "under a deep-purple sky" and the lake was "smooth as 
glass" (p. 83). (I draw the implication that it was a fine day if the 
animals were out and there was a bright sunset).

CoS: "... the sky a bright, endless blue under the blinding white sun..." 
(p. 57; nevertheless, the boys drive the car through various clouds, so JKR 
isn't being entirely consistent here); Harry notices the "smooth, black, 
glassy" lake (p. 58)

PoA: "the clouds overhead thickened" (p. 62), "... just as it started to 
rain..." (p. 63), "the rain thickened..." (p. 64), "it was freezing on the 
tiny platform; rain was driving down in icy sheets" (p. 68)

GoF: "The thick rain splattering the windows made it very difficult to see 
out of them" (p. 146-147), "the rain became heavier and heavier..." (p. 
148), "As the train doors opened, there was a rumble of thunder overhead", 
"... it was as though buckets of ice-cold water were being emptied 
repeatedly over their heads" (p. 151), "...fast becoming a gale", "lighting 
flashed across the sky..." (p. 152), "Hagrid was fighting his way across 
the lake" (p. 155).

As I said above, no conclusions, just a series of observations... :-)

--
GulPlum AKA Richard, who will be playing close attention to weather 
conditions during the journey to Hogwarts in OoP.