In the early 21st century, the Earth suffers from a giant hurricane spawned by the release of clathrate compounds, as the result of a nuclear explosion. While the hurricane spawns hundreds of progeny, which, by novel's end, kill at least 1 billion people, two massively computer augmented human intelligences, both of whom witness their organic bodies die, race to corral a comet from beyond Pluto's orbit. They use the ice from the comet to reduce the Earth's surface temperatures, and quell the mother of storms.

The clathrate gun hypothesis is the basis for the origin of the hurricane.

• 1995 – Locus Poll Award, Best Science Fiction Novel nominee
• 1995 – Arthur C. Clarke Award, shortlist
• 1995 – Hugo Award, Best Novel nominee
• 1996 – Nebula Award, Best Novel nominee

• French
  • La Mère des Tempêtes, translated by Jean-Daniel Brèque. Le Livre de Poche (2001), ISBN 2-253-07235-4
• Romanian
  • Uraganele, translated by Gabriel Stoian. Editura Nemira (1999)

• Mother of Storms title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
• Mother of Storms at Macmillan Publishers website