10 Horror Movies Where Weather Is Your Worst Enemy

One of the most famous films of all time, Stanley Kubrick's tale of one man's descent into madness remains a quintessential watch in terms of weather-related horror. Based on Stephen King's novel, The Shining explores how extreme solitude can amplify the most dormant needs of the human condition. Jack Nicholson's depiction of Jack Torrance, a struggling writer and family man who agrees to take over as winter caretaker at the remote Overlook Hotel, is nothing short of captivating.

Yes, while a large part of the film is the supernatural happenings that take place, the weather itself is also a major factor. There's snow – a LOT of it, that makes venturing outside the confines of the resort near impossible. Those freezing conditions also play a major role in the overall outcome of the story, making this a must-see in terms of snowbound horror stories. 

Continuing with the snowy theme is this 2007 vampiric story of carnage, where the dark of night aids in the overall debauchery of unsuspecting citizens. Set in the real-life town of Barrow, Alaska (now Utqiaġvik), this explores vampires visiting a small city where the sun doesn't rise for over a month.

What better location for creatures who are averse to natural sunlight to visit than a place that doesn't see the light of day for an extended period of time? Once an unrelenting blizzard sets in, the situation goes from bad to worse, as residents have to fight against foes, both natural and otherworldly. 

Yet another cinematic rendition of a Stephen King novel, Misery is the ultimate tale of seclusion gone wrong. Renowned author Paul Sheldon (played by James Caan) is not having a good day. His writing career is beginning to feel stale, and with a last-ditch effort to revitalize his brand, he's headed to his agent's office in New York.

Unfortunately, the surroundings have something else in mind, and during whiteout conditions, he crashes his car. Thankfully, nurse Annie Wilkes (portrayed by the phenomenal Kathy Bates), who also happens to be his number one fan, comes across the wreckage and offers to rehabilitate him. At first, the circumstances seem ideal – with Annie taking meticulous care of Paul while fawning over his talent and repertoire.

Not soon after, however, matters take a disturbing turn, and with Paul injured and at the mercy of the icy environment outside the confines of his bed, he's forced to fight for his life not only against a maniacal psychopath but against the elements just outside his window.  

Is there any setting more eerie than fog? It's the ultimate goth-like, ethereal backdrop and has played a significant role in ghostly tales for decades. John Carpenter's The Fog, makes this aspect a major plot piece by playing into weather's most limiting aspects. The small Northern California town of Antonio Bay holds a conspiratorial, dark secret.

One hundred years before, a leprosy-laden clipper ship was purposely wrecked along the rocky shores to prevent the disease from spreading and ensure the collected wealth could be spread amongst the town. Now, a century later, the ghostly crew is out for revenge. As the title suggests, this story revolves around the thick blanket of mist that covers Antonio Bay, leading to an absolutely perfect, ethereal tale of atmospheric horror. 

While there are those who prefer the gloomy solitude of a rainy day, there are just as many who find those circumstances to be too all-encompassing. For those fellow downpour aficionados, we present to you Identity.

Paying homage to such whodunnit classics such as Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, Identity examines the lives of ten strangers who seek refuge at a rundown motel during a torrential storm, only to be picked off one by one by an unseen threat.

There are twists and turns galore, which help play into the overall storminess of the plot, but the torrential tempest outside helps to impede and torment the temporary residents of this ramshackle roadside inn. 

Arguably one of the iciest entries on this list, John Carpenter's The Thing may be the ultimate in solitary terror. Set in an Antarctic research outpost, this offers up a jarring opening scene of a helicopter tracking down a frantic dog attempting to escape.

Most people with a heart would say, “Wait a minute, why would anyone go after a helpless canine?!“ Well…this film explores that reason in unsettling ways. At the edge of the world is an alien lifeform that is capable of imitating its host, therefore making those around it completely unaware and subsequently paranoid about who they can and can't trust.

Once the alien entity begins to run amok, all hope begins to be lost as these scientists fight for their lives at the ends of the earth, where frigid temps and blinding snow make refuge impossible. 

It's time to heat things up a bit. If you thought that horror was secluded only to the chilliest of surroundings – you're dead wrong (pun intended).  Temps in the upward trend can also play a major role in stamina and tolerance while you're doing your best to stay alive.

Case in point – Tobe Hooper's The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Yes, this movie is set in the countryside of Texas, and yes, it's during the inhospitable summer, but you don't need those facts force fed to you to feel the sheer, suffocating heat that radiates off the screen.

Every person in this film looks perpetually sweaty, grimy, and overtaken by the oppressive climate they find themselves in. The brutal atmosphere gives way to the utter despondence that these teenage characters feel, where there is literally no escape from the insipid residents of the “farm“ they stumble across. 

Snowstorms and heat waves might be distressing, but there's no getting away from the fact that hurricanes can be downright horrific. Know what else is scary? Alligators in any setting.

2019's Crawl sets up the scenario of a daughter (Kaya Scodelario) and her father (Barry Pepper) who are trapped in their home as flood waters rise during a Category 5 hurricane in Florida. If that wasn't enough, they're also under the constant threat and attack of massive alligators.

While other movies on this list may have covered storms in chilly (or even freezing) circumstances, Crawl focuses on the sheer inescapable risk of flooding, torrential rain, and man-eating monsters. 

No, this isn't the Disney adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale. This Frozen is a much more sinister and grim scenario. Taking survival horror to the extreme, this 2010 piece focuses on three friends whose ski trip turns into a desperate attempt to ride out an inhospitable snowstorm while trapped on a ski lift.

Under the constant peril of the worsening weather, the precariousness of where they are, and the ravenous wolves below them, this makes for a heart-stopping, intense watch. 

While the mist in this film isn't necessarily an example of a naturally occurring weather event, it still focuses on an element that plays a major role. Based on Stephen King's short story, this 2007 film, directed by Frank Darabont, explores the more insidious aspects of fantastical fright.

A mysterious mist descends upon a quaint Maine town and, with it, brings insipid and horrific creatures that attack the townspeople and confine them to a nearby grocery store.

While this bizarre mist is unexplainable by both residents and professionals alike, that makes it all the more terrifying. By the time you get to that shocking, heartbreaking ending, you've inundated yourself to what The Mist is, and isn't…which is what makes this rendition so captivating.