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American Sign Language:  "storm"

There are different signs for STORM to go along with the different kinds of storms.

 



The general sign for "storm" is a modified version of the sign "WIND."



 

 


 


Lightening Storm:
In this sign the flicking out of the index fingers indicates lightening strikes coming down from the sky.  Later on this page I'll show you another sign for lightening.


 

 

 


 


Rainstorm:


 

 


 


Wind driven rainstorm:
Notice the angle of the rain.  This indicates that the rain is being blown by the wind.


 

 


 


Snowstorm:
In this next variation notice that the fingers are "fluttering." The fluttering of the fingers helps establish that we are talking about "snow."  It is also likely that the context of the conversation has already established the concept of "snow."


 

 


 



"Last night the thunder and lightening was very loud and noisy!"
Note: If you ask ten different people to sign this sentence for you you will invariably get ten different answers.

How do I know?  I've asked many dozens of people to sign it.  For what it is worth, here is my variation:


 


Notes:  I sign "PAST / before" to mean "last" in this sentence.
For THUNDER, I point to the ear then I use a firm converse double movement with both hands using "handshape: 5."

For LIGHTENING, I make a downward  zigzagging movement with index fingers.
For "very" I did the sign "OOH" which uses an intense facial expression and the dominant hand in a claw shape making shaking movement in front of the lower face.

For LOUD, I point to the ear then I use a firm converse double movement with two hands using "handshape: S" on each hand.

For NOISY, I point to the ear then I use a simultaneous twisting movement of both hands using "handshape: 5."
 

If you wanted, you could have a lot of fun and/or get into a lot of heated arguments over the "right way" to do the sentence:  "Last night the thunder and lightening was very loud and noisy!" Realistically though, there is no one right way -- just a lot of varying ways. What I've shown you above are some "good ways" that should fill your need until you find a "better way."
Good luck  :)

 


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