In what ways would the plot in Kate Chopin's "The Storm" be tied in with her use of local color?

It is clear that the biggest relationship between the plot
of this excellent short story and the "local colour," as you put it, is the way that the
storm is actually a symbol of the far bigger and more dangerous storm of passion that
occurs between Calixta and Alcee during the story. Note how their passionate union
occurs during the storm:

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They did not heed the crashing torrents, and the
roar of the elements made her laugh as she lay in his arms. She was a revelation in that
dim, mysterious chamber; as white as the couch she lay
upon.

Under the cover of the
storm, they are both free to indulge in a long-standing infatuation and finally satisfy
their desires, in spite of their mutual marriages. The very last line indicates the
importance of the storm as a symbol for the entire short
story:

So the
storm passed and every one was
happy.

Having given free
reign to their desires, both Alcee and Calixta appear to be able to return and enjoy
their marriages. Thus the local colour of the storm and the weather is inextricably
intertwined with the desires of the two central characters and how they meet those
desires.