We’ve been working on finishing up Achievements and Statistics for 1.5, I ran into some issues with JSON, got frustrated, and added weather instead. Developing new features like that is what I enjoy doing the most, so I ended up covering a lot of ground. There’s periodic downfall (snow in snowy areas, rain in others, nothing in deserts) that make the sky darker, hides the sun, moon and stars, and makes everything wet. Ice grows back in cold regions, and snowfall covers the ground when it’s snowing. During rain/snow, there can be occasional thunderstorms with lightning. I haven’t finished the actual lightning bolt yet, but everything else is fairly done.
Once the stats are done and the weather has been tested through, we’ll release 1.5. I’m guessing this will be next week. The piston mod might get added, but it will not be in time for 1.5.

My house is right next to a vast desert so I'm all good. Rain sounds cool, maybe flooding?

YES RAIN! 

Oh shit, this is awesome.

As someone who has spent dozens of hours screwing with the weathers file in the STALKER games, I can testify to how important the weather is to set the right tone and atmosphere. For a game based on survival, I wanna see some fucking tornadoes, floods, and tsunamis.

And as someone who lives in the infamous "tornado alley", I can also testify to how exciting and terrifying a proper tornado can be. The way the sky goes black is especially gratifying. Shit be real, yo. 

Yeah, this is really going to take MC to a new level!

I really hope the lightning doesn't set my house on fire.

Added a video with the weather effects. It also features the achievements.

Seems like the achievements more serve as a chain of objectives to help guide players along a bit.

Also, shit! The lightning bolt created some fire in the sand when it hit. Wonder if that will be potentially dangerous to a wooden roof.

" I really hope the lightning doesn't set my house on fire. "

Awwwww yeah.

I like the idea of an achievement tree. And weather seems like something that would require an "on/off" switch since some people are afraid of their creations getting wrecked.

" I like the idea of an achievement tree. And weather seems like something that would require an "on/off" switch since some people are afraid of their creations getting wrecked. "

I wonder if metal conducts electricity?

He also said that if lightning hits pigs they turn into pigmen from the nether.

It's looking so cool! I read that the weather is still happening to frequently which makes on and off rain every 5 minutes haha. Still, it will get fixed and be awesome.