Helicity is well aware that her name is unusual . . . kind of like Helicity herself. The word helicity means to spin in a corkscrew motion, and for as long as she can remember, Helicity has been fascinated by the weather. Her heroes are not reality TV stars, but meteorologists and storm chases.The weather is Helicity's escape from her own reality-be it school, her father's strict discipline, or her brother's imminent departure for college, where he's all set to play football. One fateful day, Helicity and her horse head out on a long ride to take a break from life at home. Even with her experience studying the atmosphere, Helicity is unprepared for a powerful tornado that wipes out her town. The choices Helicity makes before, during, and after that storm will have a lasting effect on her family and her future.

When Helicity Dunlap flies for Texas to spend time with her best friend Mia she hopes to leave the tragedies of the devastating tornado and flash flood back in Michigan-at least for a little while. Her responsibilities at Mia's Aunt Suze's beachfront bed and breakfast are pretty simple and leave her lots of time to enjoy hunting for sea glass, sunbathing, and exploring a summer romance. But Helicity comes by her name honestly-Helicity means to spin-and her troubles from home follow her south. Her concerns about her older brother Andy intensify-even though he shows up to surprise her in Texas. And if there's one place in the world that has weather to rival Michigan's, it's Texas. She and her friends go out for a day sail and get caught up in a derecho-a line of intense, widespread, and fast-moving windstorms that once again turn her boat-and life-upside down. She'll have to face her fears and muster all her strength and knowledge to fight her way out of the nightmare.