1. I concur on the weather/mechanical delay advice. I have been the beneficiary of this in the past. Go ahead and check your flight's on time record now, especially if you are on a regional jet. To do this, just make a dummy booking of the same itinerary and click on the flight's duration. You may be surprised by how often the flight is canceled.

2. I also concur on checking your credit card. If it was any kind of fancy beyond the basic stripped down bank card, there is a very good chance it includes some kind of travel insurance.

3. If the above don't get it done, definitely call and plead your case. Be friendly but clear about how bummed you are. I have had airline phone agents be amazingly nice to me in the past. A Jet Blue agent changed a name on a ticket for me when a student had to cancel (saved us about $900). An American agent charged me no award redeposit fees when I canceled an award flight for my father-in-law, who was too ill to fly. United agents have repeatedly voided change and other fees for me over the years. You can't count on anything, but they really may be sympathetic and helpful given your situation. I wouldn't expect a refund, but full credit + a note indicating exemption from change fees really could be a thing.