I mean, like hurricanes, meteors, volcanic eruptions, etc.? Perhaps the protection of Hogwarts can withstand strong wind (I'm not sure) but what about volcanoes? And what about meteors?
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1Related: What happens if a Muggle tries to get into Hogwarts? – Edlothiad Mar 12 '17 at 18:43
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10Scotland has surpringly few active volcanoes. Almost none, in fact, if memory serves. – Valorum Mar 12 '17 at 18:44
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2Same goes for hurricanes - and meteors haven't been particularly reaching the surface of our planet since 4000000000 BC (give or take 1 billion years) – Gallifreyan Mar 12 '17 at 18:45
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Yes, but what if an eruption or a meteor strike occur? – Mar 12 '17 at 18:46
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6Then everyone dies. – Valorum Mar 12 '17 at 18:46
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1@Valorum Strong winds, on the other hand... – The Dark Lord Mar 12 '17 at 21:54
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4@TheDarkLord - Pfft. Ye call that a breeze? When I was a wee lad we had winds that'd strip the skin off yer fish. – Valorum Mar 12 '17 at 22:03
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If yes, why else (apart from other obvious reasons) would Hogwarts hide in Platform 9 3/4 ? – Mr Pie Feb 26 '18 at 14:00
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Scotland has no active volcanoes (though Arthur's Seat is a dead one), but that doesn't lend immunity from Iceland's volcanoes. They have spewed enough ash in recent years to make it necessary to restrict air travel in northern Europe, and the eruption of Hekla about 1000 BC apparently cooled the entire Northern Hemisphere for a few years thereafter. – Invisible Trihedron Dec 04 '19 at 20:19
1 Answers
Signs point to “no”
I don’t think we can reach any conclusions with complete certainty, but the evidence suggests not:
Hogwarts is not protected against natural low temperatures:
The skies and the ceiling of the Great Hall turned a pale, pearly gray, the mountains around Hogwarts became snowcapped, and the temperature in the castle dropped so far that many students wore their thick protective dragon skin gloves in the corridors between lessons.
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
It doesn’t appear to be safe from breezes, either:
The start of December brought wind and sleet to Hogwarts. Drafty though the castle always was in winter, Harry was glad of its fires and thick walls every time he passed the Durmstrang ship on the lake, which was pitching in the high winds, its black sails billowing against the dark skies.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
That the castle is “drafty” suggests that cold air is coming in from the outside.
It would seem that the only protection Hogwarts has from ordinary atmospheric conditions is that which is normal for a building of its size and materials.
It’s also perhaps worth noting that the protections around the castle put up no resistance to having a large object (Hagrid) hurled through a window:
Lost in desperate speculation, Harry turned a corner, but he had taken only a few steps down the new corridor when the window to his left broke open with a deafening, shattering crash. As he leapt aside, a gigantic body flew in through the window and hit the opposite wall. Something large and furry detached itself, whimpering, from the new arrival and flung itself at Harry.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Now, is it possible that Hogwarts is protected from more violent natural phenomena (as opposed to magical attacks)? Is it possible, for example, that while the protections would not prevent Hagrid from being thrown through a window, they would deflect a meteor? Is it possible that while they did not protect against winter weather, they would repel the heat of lava?
Certainly, but I don’t believe we’ve seen any evidence to suggest this is the case.
It’s also worth noting that:
Meteor strikes, though they can occur in Scotland as much as anywhere else, are very rare events (per area).
Hurricanes (or at least winds of similar strength) have occurred in Scotland in the past, but are not at all common. Besides, such conditions hardly present much of a threat to individuals capable of Apparition, since they tend to come on gradually.
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Maybe a worry about meteor strikes is the reason they spend so much time looking at the stars, given that there's no other obvious reason. – Valorum Mar 12 '17 at 22:04