Weather vocabulary includes the words and expressions you need to describe the sky, temperature, rain, snow, wind, and changing conditions. It also helps you understand a forecast, explain how the weather affects your plans, and take part in everyday conversations.
You may already know sunny, rainy, hot, and cold. A wider vocabulary lets you be more precise: drizzle describes very light rain, overcast describes a sky covered with cloud, and a gust is a sudden increase in wind speed. Complete phrases, such as “The rain is easing off” and “It should clear up later,” help you use these words naturally.
This guide moves from essential weather words to more detailed descriptions, forecast language, grammar patterns, and practical conversations. It also explains commonly confused terms, regional differences, and weather idioms. Use the examples to describe conditions where you live, then check your understanding with the exercises and answer key.
Quick Index
Essential Weather Vocabulary | Temperature Vocabulary: From Freezing to Scorching | Sunshine, Clouds, and the Sky | Rain and Wet Weather Vocabulary | Snow, Ice, Frost, and Winter Weather | Wind Vocabulary: Breeze, Gust, Gale, and Storm | Fog, Mist, Haze, and Humidity | Extreme Weather and Its Effects | Understanding a Weather Forecast | Seasons, Climate, and Longer Weather Patterns | Weather Words and Grammar Patterns | Weather Collocations and Phrasal Verbs | Weather Vocabulary in Everyday Conversations | British and American Weather Vocabulary | Weather Idioms and Figurative Expressions | Weather Vocabulary Practice Quiz | Common Questions About Weather Vocabulary | Choose Literal Weather Language or an Idiom | A Short Weather Practice Plan
Essential Weather Vocabulary
Start with these words. The examples show whether you need a noun, an adjective, or a verb. For example, you can talk about the wind, describe a windy day, or say that the wind is blowing.
| Word | Meaning | Natural example |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | The conditions outside at a particular place and time | What’s the weather like today? |
| Forecast | A prediction of future weather | The forecast says it will rain tonight. |
| Temperature | A measurement of how hot or cold something is | The temperature dropped overnight. |
| Sunny | With plenty of sunshine | We had a sunny afternoon. |
| Cloudy | With a lot of cloud in the sky | It’s cloudy, but it isn’t raining. |
| Overcast | With the sky covered by cloud | It stayed overcast all morning. |
| Clear | With little or no cloud | The sky was clear last night. |
| Rain | Water falling from clouds in drops | There was heavy rain during the night. |
| Drizzle | Very light rain with tiny drops | A light drizzle began before lunch. |
| Shower | A period of rain, snow, or hail that starts and stops | We had a short shower on the way home. |
| Snow | Frozen precipitation falling as flakes | Snow covered the garden. |
| Ice | Frozen water | There was ice on the steps. |
| Frost | A thin deposit of ice crystals on a surface | The grass was white with frost. |
| Wind | Moving air | The wind blew the door shut. |
| Breeze | A light wind | A cool breeze came through the window. |
| Gust | A brief increase in wind speed | A gust of wind lifted the papers. |
| Storm | Disturbed weather that may bring strong wind and precipitation | The storm passed during the night. |
| Thunder | The sound associated with lightning | We heard thunder in the distance. |
| Lightning | An electrical discharge visible as a bright flash | A flash of lightning lit up the sky. |
| Fog | Tiny water droplets near the ground that reduce visibility | The road disappeared into thick fog. |
| Humid | Describing air with a relatively high amount of water vapour | It was hot and humid in the city. |
| Dry | Without rain, or with little moisture, depending on context | The afternoon should stay dry. |
| Mild | Not very cold, especially for the season | It has been a mild winter. |
| Chilly | Noticeably or uncomfortably cool | It gets chilly after sunset. |
| Changeable | Changing frequently | The weather is changeable in spring. |
Build from a short description to a fuller one: “It’s cloudy” becomes “It’s cloudy and quite cool, with a chance of rain later.” You do not need an advanced word in every sentence; a few accurate details are more useful than a long list of adjectives.
Temperature Vocabulary: From Freezing to Scorching
Temperature words can describe a measurement, a personal feeling, or the conditions expected for a season. “It’s twelve degrees” gives a measurement. “It feels chilly” gives an impression. “It’s unusually warm for November” compares today with what the speaker expects at that time of year.
| Word or phrase | How to use it | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Freezing | Very cold in everyday speech; also related to the point at which water freezes | It’s freezing outside. I’m glad I brought a coat. |
| Bitterly cold | Extremely and unpleasantly cold | A bitterly cold wind blew across the field. |
| Cold | Having a low temperature | It was a cold morning. |
| Chilly | A little too cool for comfort | It’s a bit chilly in the shade. |
| Cool | Moderately cold, sometimes pleasantly so | The evenings are cool by the sea. |
| Crisp | Pleasantly cool and fresh | We walked through the park on a crisp autumn morning. |
| Mild | Not particularly cold | The weather has been mild for the time of year. |
| Warm | Moderately hot | It should be warm enough to sit outside. |
| Hot | Having a high temperature | The afternoon was too hot for a long walk. |
| Boiling | Informally, feeling extremely hot | I’m boiling in this jacket. |
| Sweltering | Oppressively or uncomfortably hot | We arrived on a sweltering summer afternoon. |
| Scorching | Extremely hot, often used about the sun or a day | The ground was dry after several scorching days. |
Degrees, Celsius, and Fahrenheit
Say “It’s twenty degrees” when the temperature scale is already understood. In an international conversation, add Celsius or Fahrenheit: “It’s twenty degrees Celsius.” Use the singular degree with one and the plural degrees with other numbers: one degree, five degrees, minus three degrees.
Zero degrees Celsius is the freezing point of pure water under ordinary conditions; it corresponds to thirty-two degrees Fahrenheit. Twenty degrees Celsius is sixty-eight degrees Fahrenheit. You do not need to convert every forecast, but identifying the unit prevents confusion.
Below zero and above zero describe a temperature’s position relative to zero on the scale being used. Below freezing refers to the freezing point. In a Celsius conversation these often overlap, but in Fahrenheit they are different: twenty degrees Fahrenheit is above zero and below freezing.
Describe temperatures changing
Temperatures rise, climb, fall, and drop. Rise and fall are neutral; soar and plummet suggest a large or rapid change. “The temperature will rise to eighteen degrees” gives the final value. “It will rise by three degrees” gives the size of the change.
A high is the highest temperature expected during the stated period, usually the day. A low is the lowest, often overnight. “A high of twenty-two and a low of twelve” does not mean that every hour will be either twenty-two or twelve.
Feels like describes an apparent temperature rather than simply repeating the thermometer reading. Wind chill concerns the cooling effect of wind in cold conditions; heat index combines temperature and humidity to describe apparent warmth. In everyday speech, “It feels colder than yesterday” is often enough.
Sunshine, Clouds, and the Sky
Sunny describes sunshine, while clear describes a sky with little or no cloud. A night can be clear, but it cannot normally be sunny. Bright describes plenty of light and does not always mean that the sky is cloudless.
Cloudy, overcast, and grey
A cloudy sky has a noticeable amount of cloud. An overcast sky is covered with cloud. Grey, or gray in American spelling, describes its appearance. “It’s grey and overcast” is natural, but neither word guarantees that rain is falling.
Partly cloudy and mostly cloudy describe different amounts of cloud cover in forecasts. Sunny intervals or sunny spells are periods of sunshine between cloudier conditions. A break in the clouds is an opening that allows you to see clearer sky or sunshine.
“The sun came out just after lunch” describes sunshine appearing. “The sun went behind a cloud” describes it becoming hidden. “The clouds are clearing” suggests that cloud cover is decreasing.
Recognising common cloud names
Cumulus clouds often look like separate white heaps with fairly flat bases. Stratus describes a low, layered cloud, and cirrus clouds appear high in the sky with thin, wispy shapes. Cumulonimbus clouds are associated with thunderstorms. The Met Office cloud guide
explains the main types. These names are useful when reading about weather, but “low cloud” or “large dark clouds” is usually enough for ordinary conversation.
Use cloud as an uncountable noun when discussing cloud cover: “There will be more cloud later.” Use clouds for individual shapes or groups: “A few clouds appeared over the hills.” Both are correct when the meaning fits.
Sunlight, daylight, and shade
Sunlight is light from the sun. Sunshine suggests the sun shining, while daylight is the natural light during the day, even when it is cloudy. Sunrise is when the sun appears above the horizon; sunset is when it disappears below it.
Shade is an area protected from direct sunlight. A shadow is the dark shape made when something blocks light. Say “Let’s sit in the shade” when choosing a cooler place under a tree, and “The tree casts a long shadow” when describing the shape on the ground.
A rainbow can appear when sunlight interacts with water droplets in the air. For an everyday description, “A rainbow appeared after the shower” is a useful complete sentence.
Rain and Wet Weather Vocabulary
Rain words describe intensity, duration, and the effect on the surroundings. Light rain and heavy rain describe intensity. Persistent rain lasts for a long time, while intermittent rain stops and starts. A shower is not necessarily light: a heavy shower can be brief but intense.
| Word or phrase | Meaning or use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Drizzle | Rain made up of very small drops | It’s only drizzling at the moment. |
| Light rain | Rain falling with low intensity | Light rain is expected this evening. |
| Heavy rain | Rain falling intensely | Heavy rain delayed the match. |
| Downpour | A period of very heavy rain | We got caught in a downpour. |
| Shower | A relatively short period of precipitation | There may be showers after lunch. |
| Persistent rain | Rain that continues for a long time | Persistent rain kept us indoors. |
| Intermittent rain | Rain that stops and starts | The forecast mentions intermittent rain. |
| Torrential rain | Extremely heavy rain | Torrential rain fell across the area. |
| Rainfall | Rain considered as an amount over a place or period | Rainfall was higher than usual this month. |
| Puddle | A small pool of water on the ground | There were puddles beside the pavement. |
| Damp | Slightly wet | My sleeves are still damp. |
| Soaked | Very wet | We were soaked by the time we reached the station. |
Everyday ways to describe rain
“It’s pouring” means that it is raining heavily. “It’s pouring with rain” is also natural, especially in British English. “It’s bucketing down” is a more informal British expression with the same general meaning.
“It’s spitting” is an informal expression, especially in British English, for a few drops of rain or very light rain. “It’s coming down hard” describes heavy rain, or sometimes heavy snow when the context is clear.
“We got caught in the rain” means that rain started or continued while we were outside and affected us. “We got drenched” is stronger than “We got a little wet.” You can also say soaking wet: “My shoes are soaking wet.”
Amount and duration
Rainfall is often measured in millimetres or inches. “Ten millimetres of rain” describes an amount, not ten minutes of rain. For duration, say “It rained for two hours” or “The rain lasted all afternoon.”
Rain on and off means intermittent rain: “It rained on and off all day.” Non-stop rain suggests that it continued without a break. A dry spell is a period without rain, and a wet spell is a period of wet weather.
Waterlogged describes ground filled with so much water that it cannot easily absorb more. Muddy describes ground mixed with wet soil. These words explain the effect of rain: “The path was muddy” or “The pitch was waterlogged.”
Snow, Ice, Frost, and Winter Weather
Snow, hail, sleet, freezing rain, and frost refer to different things. Precipitation is the general term for water falling from the atmosphere, including rain and several frozen forms. Frost on a window or grass is not simply another word for falling snow.
Snowfall, flakes, and slush
A snowflake is an individual flake of snow. Snowfall can refer to snow falling or the amount that falls: “Heavy snowfall closed the pass.” Flurries are brief periods of light snow, while a snow shower is a period of snow that begins and ends relatively abruptly.
Snow settles when it stays on the ground rather than melting immediately. Snow accumulates when its amount or depth increases. In American English, “The snow is sticking” is another way to say that it is remaining on the surface.
A snowdrift is a bank or mound of snow piled up by the wind. Slush is a wet mixture of partly melted snow and water. “The snow turned to slush” describes a change in its condition rather than a different kind of cloud.
Hail, sleet, and freezing rain
Hail falls as pieces of ice called hailstones and is associated with storm clouds. Freezing rain falls as liquid and freezes on contact with a sufficiently cold surface. These are different from snowflakes.
Sleet needs a regional note. In British weather usage, it commonly means a mixture of rain and snow. In US weather terminology, it means small ice pellets. The Met Office explanation of sleet
and the National Weather Service glossary
illustrate this difference. When clarity matters, say rain and snow mixed or ice pellets.
Frost, freezing, and thawing
Frost is a deposit of ice crystals on a surface. Frosty can describe a morning or the appearance of the ground: “It was a frosty morning” and “The lawn was frosty.” Icy describes the presence of ice, as in icy steps or an icy road.
Freeze means turn to ice or become frozen. Melt means change from solid to liquid. Thaw refers to becoming unfrozen or to a period of warmer weather that melts snow and ice. “The pond froze overnight” and “The snow began to melt in the afternoon” describe opposite changes.
Black ice is a thin, transparent layer of ice that can be difficult to see against a dark road. A blizzard involves strong winds and blowing or falling snow that greatly reduces visibility; it is more specific than simply “a lot of snow.”
Wind Vocabulary: Breeze, Gust, Gale, and Storm
Wind vocabulary helps you describe strength, sudden changes, and direction. “It’s windy” is a useful general statement. “A strong, gusty wind is blowing from the north” gives more detail.
| Word or phrase | Meaning or use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Calm | With little or no wind | The lake was calm early this morning. |
| Breeze | A light wind | A gentle breeze moved the curtains. |
| Breezy | With a noticeable but not necessarily strong wind | It will be warm and breezy by the coast. |
| Windy | With a lot of wind | It’s too windy to keep these papers outside. |
| Gust | A short-lived increase in wind speed | A sudden gust blew my hat away. |
| Gusty | With repeated sudden increases in wind | Conditions will become gusty this afternoon. |
| Gale | A very strong wind; also a technical strength category | The ferry was delayed by gales. |
| Blustery | With strong, irregular bursts of wind | It was a blustery day on the hills. |
| Headwind | A wind blowing against the direction of travel | Cycling into a headwind was tiring. |
| Tailwind | A wind blowing in the direction of travel | We had a tailwind on the way back. |
Direction and speed
A northerly wind comes from the north. An easterly comes from the east, a southerly from the south, and a westerly from the west. Wind direction describes where the wind comes from, not where it is going.
Wind speed may be given in kilometres per hour, miles per hour, or knots. A forecast can state a general wind speed and a higher gust speed because gusts are temporary increases. “Winds of twenty kilometres per hour, gusting to thirty-five” does not mean that the wind stays at thirty-five throughout the period.
For everyday changes, say “The wind is picking up” when it becomes stronger and “The wind is dying down” when it becomes weaker. Blow is irregular: blow, blew, blown. “The wind blew all night” is the past simple form.
Thunder and lightning
Lightning is the bright electrical flash; thunder is the sound associated with it. A thunderstorm is a storm with thunder and lightning. A rainstorm can involve heavy rain without necessarily being a thunderstorm.
Learn the combinations a flash of lightning, a clap of thunder, and a rumble of thunder. Flash focuses on the light, clap on a sudden loud sound, and rumble on a lower, continuing sound. “We saw lightning and heard thunder” keeps the two ideas clear.
Lightning and lightening are different words. Lightning is the weather phenomenon. Lightening means making or becoming lighter, as in “The sky is lightening as dawn approaches.”
Fog, Mist, Haze, and Humidity
Fog and mist involve tiny water droplets suspended near the ground. Fog reduces visibility more strongly; mist is less dense. In meteorological usage, a visibility distance of one kilometre is commonly used to distinguish them. Haze is associated with tiny dry particles rather than the same cloud of water droplets. The Met Office guide to fog, mist, and haze
explains these distinctions.
Describing what you can see
Visibility is how far you can see clearly. Good visibility means you can see a long distance; poor or reduced visibility means that your view is limited. Thick fog and dense fog are natural combinations.
“Fog is forming in the valley” describes its arrival. “The fog is lifting” means it is clearing or becoming less limiting. “The hills were hidden in mist” describes a scene rather than a forecast.
Smog describes polluted air that makes the atmosphere hazy. It is related to air pollution and should not be used as a general replacement for fog. Dew is moisture that collects as droplets on a cool surface, such as grass; it is not falling rain.
Humid, muggy, damp, and dry
Humidity concerns water vapour in the air. Humid describes moist air and does not, by itself, mean that rain is falling. Muggy is more specific in everyday use: unpleasantly warm and humid. “It’s hot but dry” describes a different feeling from “It’s hot and muggy.”
Damp means slightly wet. It can describe air, clothes, a room, or the ground. Clammy often describes something unpleasantly damp and cool, especially skin or a surface. For a general warm-weather description, humid or muggy is usually clearer.
Relative humidity is expressed as a percentage that depends on both moisture and temperature. A high humidity percentage is not the same as a high probability of rain. The two figures answer different questions: how moist the air is and how likely precipitation is during the forecast period.
Extreme Weather and Its Effects
You may encounter these terms in forecasts, news reports, or travel updates. Some describe a weather event, while others describe its effects. A storm can cause flooding, for example, but storm and flood are not interchangeable.
| Term | Meaning | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|
| Heatwave | A period of unusually hot weather for a location | The heatwave continued into the following week. |
| Cold snap | A short period of unusually cold weather | A cold snap arrived after a mild start to spring. |
| Drought | A prolonged shortage of precipitation that leads to water shortages | The region experienced a long drought. |
| Flood | Water covering land that is normally dry | The flood affected several streets. |
| Flash flood | Flooding that develops rapidly | The report described flash flooding after the storm. |
| Tornado | A rotating column of air extending from a storm cloud to the ground | A tornado was reported outside the town. |
| Blizzard | A snowstorm with strong wind and severely reduced visibility | The blizzard disrupted transport across the area. |
| Tropical cyclone | An organised, rotating storm system originating over tropical or subtropical waters | The tropical cyclone moved across the ocean. |
| Storm surge | An abnormal rise in seawater level caused by a storm | Storm surge caused coastal flooding. |
| Disruption | Interruption to normal activities or services | The snow caused travel disruption. |
Hurricane, typhoon, and cyclone
Hurricane and typhoon are regional names for strong tropical cyclones. Hurricane is used in the Atlantic and the central and eastern North Pacific; typhoon is used in the northwestern Pacific. Tropical cyclone is the broader term. Not every tropical cyclone is strong enough to be a hurricane or typhoon. See NOAA’s explanation of hurricane and typhoon terminology
for the regional distinction.
A tornado is a different kind of phenomenon from a hurricane. Do not use the words as synonyms for any strong wind. Likewise, a tsunami is not a type of weather storm; it is a series of sea waves caused by a large displacement of water, often associated with an undersea earthquake.
Talking about consequences
Common combinations include roads are flooded, trains are delayed, flights are cancelled, and power has been restored. A power cut, or power outage, is a loss of electricity. A road closure means that a road is closed to traffic, while a diversion or detour gives a different route.
Warning, advisory, and watch have specific meanings in different forecasting systems. Do not assume that the same word or colour means the same thing everywhere. In a conversation, ask “What does the warning say?” or “Which area does it cover?” to understand the actual message.
For a delayed journey, the vocabulary becomes practical: “Has the service been cancelled or only delayed?” and “Is there an alternative route?” The travel vocabulary guide
explains these booking and transport terms in more detail.
Understanding a Weather Forecast
A forecast combines conditions, location, timing, and uncertainty. First identify where it applies and the period it covers. Then look at the expected weather, temperatures, and any change during that period.
| Forecast term | What it tells you | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Outlook | A general description of expected conditions over a coming period | The outlook for the weekend is mostly dry. |
| High / low | The highest and lowest temperatures for the stated period | A high of nineteen, with an overnight low of nine. |
| Chance of rain | The likelihood of rain for a specified location and period | There’s a chance of rain this afternoon. |
| Scattered showers | Showers affecting different parts of an area | Scattered showers will develop later. |
| Widespread rain | Rain affecting a large part of an area | Widespread rain will arrive overnight. |
| Isolated | Occurring in relatively few places | There may be isolated thunderstorms. |
| Patchy | Present in some parts of an area rather than evenly throughout it | Patchy fog is expected around dawn. |
| Occasional | Happening from time to time | There will be occasional light showers. |
| Overnight | During the night | Temperatures will fall overnight. |
| By midday | No later than around the middle of the day | The rain should clear by midday. |
| From midday | Starting around the middle of the day | Cloud will increase from midday. |
| Remaining dry | Continuing without precipitation | It will turn cloudy while remaining dry. |
Possible, likely, and expected
May, might, and could express possibility: “It may snow tonight.” Likely and expected usually express greater confidence: “Rain is likely later” and “Temperatures are expected to fall.” A forecaster can use these expressions without promising that the outcome is certain.
A percentage chance of precipitation describes probability for a defined place and period. In a National Weather Service forecast, a forty percent chance does not mean it will rain for forty percent of the day. The NWS explanation of precipitation probability
describes the point-and-time-period meaning. Check the forecast provider’s explanation when interpreting its figures.
Scattered, isolated, and widespread describe spatial coverage. Occasional, persistent, and intermittent describe timing or duration. Heavy and light describe intensity. Keeping these groups separate helps you understand “occasional heavy showers”: the showers do not happen continuously, but can be intense when they occur.
A sample forecast explained
“A chilly start with patchy fog. Becoming brighter by late morning, with sunny intervals in the afternoon. A high of seventeen degrees Celsius. Cloud increasing during the evening, with a chance of light rain overnight.”
The morning begins cool, with fog in some places. The sky becomes lighter before midday, and sunshine appears at intervals in the afternoon. Seventeen degrees is the forecast high, not the temperature for every hour. Cloud increases later, and rain is possible during the night.
This short forecast can become an everyday explanation: “It’ll be chilly first thing, but it should brighten up later. It might rain tonight.” The second version uses simpler words while keeping the timing and uncertainty.
Pressure, fronts, and weather maps
Air pressure is the force exerted by the atmosphere. Weather maps often mark areas of high and low pressure. High pressure is often associated with more settled conditions, while low pressure is often associated with more unsettled weather. These are broad tendencies, not guarantees of a particular local forecast.
A front is a boundary between different air masses. A cold front marks advancing colder air, while a warm front marks advancing warmer air. For everyday reading, recognising that a front can bring a change is more useful than trying to infer every detail from its name.
A meteorologist studies the atmosphere and weather. A weather presenter explains forecast information to an audience. The roles can overlap, but the words do not always describe the same job.
Seasons, Climate, and Longer Weather Patterns
Weather describes conditions at a particular time and place. Climate describes longer-term patterns, including typical temperatures and precipitation. “It is raining today” is about weather; “Summers here are usually hot and dry” describes a climate pattern. NOAA’s weather and climate explanation
gives more context for this distinction.
Talking about seasons
Spring, summer, autumn, and winter are familiar season names. Fall is the usual American alternative to autumn. Use in with a season: “It often rains in autumn.” You can also say “during the winter” when referring to a particular period.
Seasonal weather vocabulary depends on location. Some places are described more naturally in terms of a wet season and a dry season. A monsoon involves a seasonal change in prevailing winds and is often associated with a rainy season in affected regions; it is not simply another name for any heavy shower.
Unseasonably warm means warmer than expected for that time of year. Unseasonably cold means colder than expected. Typical for the season describes conditions that fit expectations. “It’s unusually dry for April” is a useful way to make a specific comparison.
Words for describing a region
A tropical climate is associated with low-latitude regions and generally warm conditions. An arid climate is very dry. Temperate describes climates outside the tropical and polar extremes, though conditions within temperate regions vary considerably.
A coastal location is near the sea; inland is away from the coast. Altitude refers to height above sea level and can affect local conditions. These words help explain differences: “The coast is mild, but it gets much colder at higher altitudes.”
For more descriptions of the natural world, explore nature vocabulary
and the guide to the four seasons in English
.
Weather Words and Grammar Patterns
Knowing a word’s meaning is only part of using it. Weather descriptions often need a particular sentence pattern, and several words have related noun, adjective, and verb forms.
| Noun | Related adjective | Useful sentence pattern |
|---|---|---|
| Sun / sunshine | Sunny | The sun is shining. / It’s sunny. |
| Cloud | Cloudy | There are a few clouds. / It’s cloudy. |
| Rain | Rainy | It’s raining. / It’s a rainy day. |
| Snow | Snowy | It’s snowing. / We had a snowy winter. |
| Wind | Windy | The wind is blowing. / It’s windy. |
| Fog | Foggy | There’s thick fog. / It’s foggy. |
| Mist | Misty | Mist covered the fields. / It was a misty morning. |
| Ice | Icy | There’s ice on the path. / The path is icy. |
| Frost | Frosty | We had frost overnight. / It’s frosty. |
| Storm | Stormy | A storm is approaching. / The weather is stormy. |
| Humidity | Humid | The humidity is high. / It feels humid. |
It is, there is, and there are
Use it as the subject in general weather statements: “It’s cold,” “It’s raining,” and “It was sunny yesterday.” English normally needs this subject, even if your first language does not use an equivalent word.
Use there is before an uncountable or singular noun: “There is fog,” “There is heavy rain,” and “There is a storm approaching.” Use there are before plural nouns: “There are dark clouds over the hills.”
“It is windy” and “There is a strong wind” describe similar conditions with different grammar. Do not combine the patterns into “It is a strong windy.” Decide whether your main word is an adjective or a noun.
Rainy versus raining, and choosing a tense
Rainy is an adjective. Raining is a verb form. “It’s a rainy day” describes the day, while “It’s raining now” says that rain is falling at this moment. The adjective can also describe a period: a rainy week or the rainy season.
Use the present simple for a general pattern: “It often rains in November.” Use the present continuous for what is happening now: “It is raining outside.” For a completed event, use the past simple: “It rained last night.”
For conditions continuing up to now, “It has been raining all morning” is natural. For a prediction, try “It will rain later,” “It’s going to rain,” or “It might rain.” The last version expresses possibility rather than certainty.
Countable and uncountable weather nouns
Weather is normally uncountable: good weather, bad weather, some pleasant weather. Say “We had good weather,” not “We had a good weather.” If you need a countable expression, use “a fine day” or “a spell of good weather.”
Rain, snow, sunshine, thunder, and lightning are normally uncountable in everyday descriptions. Use expressions such as a drop of rain, a snowflake, a ray of sunshine, a clap of thunder, and a flash of lightning to refer to an individual instance or part.
Storm, shower, cloud, and breeze can be countable: a storm, two showers, several clouds, a gentle breeze. Advanced expressions such as “the winter rains” exist, but the basic uncountable patterns are the best starting point.
Pronunciation and spelling to notice
Weather and whether sound the same in many accents. Weather concerns atmospheric conditions; whether introduces uncertainty or alternatives. “We’ll check the weather before deciding whether to go” uses both correctly.
The noun wind, meaning moving air, rhymes with pinned. The verb wind in “wind a clock” rhymes with find. Drought rhymes with out, and breeze rhymes with trees. In lightning, remember that the spelling differs from lightening.
Weather Collocations and Phrasal Verbs
Collocations are words that are commonly used together. Heavy rain, strong wind, thick fog, bright sunshine, and a clear sky sound more natural than direct translations such as “big rain” or “powerful sunshine.” Learn the combination with the noun.
Describing changing conditions
- Clear up:
become clearer or improve. “It should clear up after lunch.” - Brighten up:
become lighter or sunnier. “The sky is brightening up.” - Cloud over:
become covered with cloud. “It clouded over in the afternoon.” - Warm up:
become warmer. “It will warm up towards the weekend.” - Cool down:
become cooler. “It cools down quickly after sunset.” - Ease off:
become less intense. “The rain is easing off.” - Pick up:
become stronger. “The wind picked up during the afternoon.” - Die down:
become weaker. “The wind should die down tonight.” - Set in:
begin and seem likely to continue. “Wet weather set in on Monday.” - Hold off:
not start yet. “The rain held off until we got home.”
The subject helps identify the meaning. “The rain is easing off” describes rainfall becoming lighter. “The wind is easing off” describes weaker wind. “It’s clearing up” may describe the general weather, but “I’m clearing up” could mean that someone is tidying a room.
Common Weather Vocabulary Mistakes
| Avoid | Use instead | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Is cold today. | It is cold today. | Include the subject it. |
| It is rain now. | It is raining now. | Use the verb’s -ing form for an action in progress. |
| We had a bad weather. | We had bad weather. | Weather is normally uncountable. |
| There is big rain. | There is heavy rain. | Heavy rain is the natural combination. |
| It is wind. | It is windy. | Use an adjective after is in this pattern. |
| I heard a lightning. | I saw a flash of lightning. | Lightning is the visible flash; thunder is the sound. |
| Twenty degree Celsius | Twenty degrees Celsius | Use the plural with twenty. |
| The temperature raised overnight. | The temperature rose overnight. | Rise has no direct object; raise normally takes one. |
| The climate is rainy this morning. | The weather is rainy this morning. | One morning describes weather, not a long-term climate pattern. |
| The whether is changing. | The weather is changing. | Weather and whether have different meanings. |
Weather Vocabulary in Everyday Conversations
Weather talk becomes more useful when you connect conditions with a plan, question, or personal experience. Begin with a short observation, respond to the other person, and then add a relevant follow-up.
Starting a conversation
Maya: Lovely day, isn’t it?
Leo: It is. It’s much warmer than yesterday.
Maya: Are you doing anything outside this afternoon?
Leo: We might go for a walk if it stays dry.
Maya: That sounds nice. The forecast looks promising.
Useful openings include “It’s chilly today,” “We’ve had a lot of rain lately,” and “It’s finally brightening up.” A question such as “What’s the weather like where you live?” invites a description. “Do you like this weather?” asks for an opinion instead.
Changing an outdoor plan
Amira: Shall we have lunch in the park tomorrow?
Ben: There’s a chance of heavy showers in the afternoon.
Amira: Would the morning be better?
Ben: It should stay dry until midday.
Amira: Let’s meet earlier, then. We can go to the café if it rains.
Notice the distinction between until midday and in the afternoon. Timing changes the plan. The speakers also use should and a chance of because the forecast is a prediction, not a confirmed event.
Asking what to wear or bring
Elena: What’s the weather like there? Should I bring a coat?
Jon: It’s mild during the day, but it gets chilly after sunset.
Elena: Is it likely to rain?
Jon: There may be a few showers. A waterproof jacket would be useful.
Elena: Thanks. I’ll pack one.
A waterproof jacket is designed to keep water out. Water-resistant means that something resists water to a degree; it does not always offer the same protection as waterproof. Other practical words include umbrella, raincoat, hood, scarf, gloves, sunglasses, and boots.
Wrap up warm means dress warmly, especially in British English. Bundle up is a familiar American expression. Take off a layer means remove one item from a set of clothes worn over each other. “I brought an extra layer because the evenings are cool” is useful travel English.
Explaining a delay
Passenger: Do you know why the train is delayed?
Staff member: There are flooded tracks farther along the route.
Passenger: Has the service been cancelled?
Staff member: Not at the moment. We’re waiting for an update.
Passenger: Thank you. Where will the next announcement appear?
A delay means later than planned; a cancellation means that the planned service will not run as arranged. Explaining the effect of the weather often matters more than knowing the technical name of the event.
Describing yesterday’s weather
Ravi: How was your walk yesterday?
Sofia: It started well, but it clouded over after lunch.
Ravi: Did you get wet?
Sofia: A little. We got caught in a shower, but the rain soon eased off.
Ravi: At least it didn’t last all afternoon.
Practise the sequence with first, then, later, and eventually: “First it was sunny, then the wind picked up, and eventually it started raining.” This creates a clear description of changing conditions rather than a disconnected list of words.
British and American Weather Vocabulary
Most basic weather words are shared. Differences often concern preferred expressions, spelling, units, or a specific technical meaning. Learn to recognise both forms, then use the one that fits your context.
- Autumn / fall:
autumn is usual in British English; fall is usual in American English. - Grey / gray:
grey is the usual British spelling; gray is the usual American spelling. - Rained off / rained out:
an event cancelled or stopped because of rain may be rained off in British English or rained out in American English. - Power cut / power outage:
power cut is especially common in British English; power outage is especially common in American English. - Celsius / Fahrenheit:
Celsius is usual in UK public forecasts, while Fahrenheit is usual in US public forecasts. - Sleet:
commonly a rain-and-snow mixture in British usage, but ice pellets in US meteorological usage.
Regional expressions are not compulsory. “It’s raining heavily” and “The event was cancelled because of rain” are clear across varieties of English. When a term has different meanings, as sleet does, describe the conditions more explicitly.
Weather Idioms and Figurative Expressions
Weather words can describe situations figuratively: under the weather means feeling unwell, while weather the storm means get through a difficult period. These expressions serve a different purpose from literal forecasts. See the dedicated weather idioms guide for meanings, register, dialogues and exercises.
Weather Vocabulary Practice Quiz
Complete these exercises before checking the answer key. They cover meanings, grammar, forecast language, and practical use. The quiz checks this lesson’s vocabulary; it is not a CEFR level assessment.
- Which word describes very light rain: a) drizzle, b) drought, or c) thunder?
- Complete: “It is ___ outside.” Choose rain, rainy, or raining to say that rain is falling now.
- What is the difference between thunder and lightning?
- Choose the natural combination: a) big rain, b) heavy rain, or c) tall rain.
- What does an overcast sky look like?
- Complete: “The temperature rose ___ three degrees, from twelve ___ fifteen.”
- A northerly wind comes from which direction?
- Explain the difference between a steady wind and a gust.
- What do we call partly melted snow mixed with water?
- Which word describes unpleasantly warm, humid weather: a) frosty, b) muggy, or c) crisp?
- Correct this sentence: “We had a bad weather yesterday.”
- Does a forty percent chance of rain mean it will rain for forty percent of the day?
- Complete with weather or whether: “We’ll check the ___ before deciding ___ to leave.”
- What is the difference between “The wind is picking up” and “The wind is dying down”?
- Which sentence describes climate: a) “It is snowing now,” or b) “Winters here are usually cold and wet”?
- What does sleet commonly mean in British usage, and what does it mean in US weather terminology?
- Choose the phrase for a night with little or no cloud: a) a sunny night, b) a clear night, or c) a rainy sunshine.
- Rewrite naturally: “The temperature raised overnight.”
- Reply to a friend who asks about tomorrow’s weather. Mention a chilly morning, sunshine later, and possible evening rain.
- Your friend says “I’m under the weather.” Are they describing their health or the forecast?
Answer Key and Explanations
- a) Drizzle. It is very light rain made up of tiny drops.
- Raining. “It is raining outside” describes rain falling now. Rainy is an adjective, as in “a rainy day.”
- Lightning is the visible electrical flash; thunder is the associated sound. We see lightning and hear thunder.
- b) Heavy rain. It is the natural combination for intense rainfall.
- The sky is covered with cloud. Overcast does not necessarily mean that rain is falling.
- By; to. By gives the amount of the change, while to gives the final temperature.
- The north. Wind direction names where the wind comes from.
- A steady wind remains relatively consistent. A gust is a brief increase in wind speed.
- Slush. “The snow turned to slush” describes partly melted, wet snow.
- b) Muggy. It describes uncomfortably warm and humid conditions.
- “We had bad weather yesterday.” Weather is normally uncountable, so remove a.
- No. It expresses a probability for the defined place and forecast period, not a percentage of the day’s duration.
- Weather; whether. Weather names the conditions, and whether introduces the decision between alternatives.
- Picking up means becoming stronger; dying down means becoming weaker.
- b) “Winters here are usually cold and wet.” It describes a longer-term pattern rather than an event happening now.
- In British usage, sleet commonly means rain and snow mixed. In US weather terminology, it means ice pellets.
- b) A clear night. Clear can describe a sky at night; sunny requires sunshine.
- “The temperature rose overnight.” Rise does not take a direct object in this sentence; its past simple is rose.
- Possible answer: “It’ll be chilly in the morning, but it should brighten up later. There might be rain in the evening.” Other answers work if they preserve the timing and possibility.
- Their health. Under the weather is an informal idiom for feeling unwell.
Speaking and Writing Practice
Describe today’s weather in four sentences. Include the sky, temperature, wind, and any rain or snow. Then explain how the conditions affect one of your plans. A model is: “It’s overcast and quite cool. The wind is picking up. It hasn’t rained yet, but showers are possible later. I’m taking a waterproof jacket for my walk.”
Next, describe a day when the weather changed. Use the past tense and at least two expressions such as clouded over, brightened up, eased off, or died down. Finally, read a forecast and summarise it for a friend without copying every word.
For a short weather diary, write one observation each morning and another in the evening. Compare “It was supposed to stay dry” with “It actually rained after lunch.” This gives you practice with both predictions and real events.
Common Questions About Weather Vocabulary
Which weather words should I learn first?
Start with sunny, cloudy, rainy, windy, snowy, hot, warm, cool, and cold. Learn them in sentences such as “It’s windy” and “It’s a cold day.” Then add more precise words such as drizzle, overcast, chilly, and gust, along with basic forecast phrases.
How do I ask about the weather naturally?
Use “What’s the weather like?” for a general description, “Is it raining?” for a specific condition, and “What’s the forecast for tomorrow?” for a prediction. Add a place or time when needed: “What’s the weather like in London today?”
What is the difference between cool, chilly, and cold?
Cool means moderately cold and can sound pleasant, particularly after a hot day. Chilly often suggests that you would prefer a little more warmth. Cold is a broader and usually stronger description. These are everyday impressions rather than fixed temperature ranges.
Can a shower be heavy?
Yes. Shower describes the character of a relatively short, starting-and-stopping period of precipitation. Heavy describes intensity. A heavy shower and a light shower are both possible, and showers can involve rain, snow, or hail.
Does dry weather mean sunny weather?
No. Dry usually means there is no precipitation during the relevant period. A day can be dry and overcast. Sunny describes sunshine; humid describes moisture in the air. These words describe different aspects of the conditions.
Does “I’m freezing” mean the temperature is below zero?
Not necessarily. In everyday conversation, it is often an exaggerated way to say “I feel very cold.” For an exact statement, give a measurement and unit, such as “It’s minus two degrees Celsius.”
For more terminology, the Met Office weather word list
provides an accessible reference. Continue with our English vocabulary guide
to explore other everyday topics, or check your English level with the Global English Test
to help choose suitable learning materials.
Choose Literal Weather Language or an Idiom
“The weather is getting worse” describes conditions outside. “We are weathering the storm” can describe people managing a difficult period. Choose literal words for forecasts and practical arrangements; choose a figurative expression only when it fits the conversation. Continue with the dedicated weather idioms lesson for context, tone and practice.
A Short Weather Practice Plan
For your first practice session, describe what you can observe: the sky, wind, temperature and any precipitation. For the second, read a forecast and separate its location, timing and uncertainty into three short notes. For the third, explain how the forecast might change a plan. Finish by correcting one grammar mistake from your own sentences, such as leaving out it or adding an article before weather.
