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How to describe the weather in English

Weather is always one of those topics that interest us in our everyday life. Whether you’re planning a trip or just want to know what to dress for tomorrow, knowing English terms related to the weather is extremely useful. Let’s look at frequent weather conditions in English.

Sunny Weather

Sunny (ˈsʌni) – having bright sunlight; clear skies

The sun is shining. It is sunny.

When the sky is clear, and the sun is shining, we can say it’s sunny.

Rainy Weather

Raining (ˈreɪnɪŋ) – precipitation in the form of water droplets falling from clouds

Small drops of water fall from clouds in the sky. It is raining. (Tiny water droplets are falling from the clouds in the sky. It is raining.)

When drops of water fall from the sky, it means it’s raining.

Stormy Weather

Thunderstorm (ˈθʌndərstɔrm) – a weather condition characterized by thunder, lightning, heavy rain, and strong winds

The storm with lightning is a thunderstorm. (A weather condition with lightning is called a thunderstorm.) Thunder (ˈθʌndər) – the loud sound that follows a flash of lightning

Thunder often accompanies a thunderstorm, along with lightning (a sudden flash of light in the sky).

Rainbow

Rainbow (ˈreɪnboʊ) – a meteorological phenomenon that is a large, circular arc of different colors in the sky, caused by the refraction, dispersion, and reflection of sunlight in water droplets

A rainbow is a large curve of different colors in the sky that is caused by the sun shining through rain.

Other Terms

Foggy (ˈfɔɡi) – weather characterized by thick fog, reducing visibility

There is a thick cloudy air near ground, which is difficult to see through. It is foggy.

Cloudy (ˈklaʊdi) – weather characterized by a sky covered with clouds

Cloudy weather is dark or grey because the sky is full of clouds.

Misty (ˈmɪsti) – weather with visibility reduced by fine water droplets suspended in the air

There is a layer of cloud close to the ground that makes it difficult to see very far. It is misty.

Snow (snoʊ) – atmospheric precipitation in the form of white ice crystals, frozen from water vapor

Snow is soft white pieces of frozen water that fall like rain in cold weather.

Dull (dʌl) – lacking brightness or shine

When it is dull, it is not bright or shiny.

Windy (ˈwɪndi) – characterized by strong winds or a significant amount of wind

It is windy today.

Clear (klɪr) – having no clouds or obstacles; unobstructed

The sky is clear and blue.

Seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn

Winter

Winter (ˈwɪntər) – the coldest season of the year, occurring between autumn and spring, typically characterized by cold temperatures, shorter daylight hours, and the possibility of snow and ice.

The season which includes December, January, February is winter.

Spring

Spring (sprɪŋ) – the season between winter and summer, characterized by the blossoming of flowers and the return of warmer weather.

The season which includes March, April, May is spring.

In spring, nature awakens from its winter slumber, and you can see flowers blooming, trees budding, and the weather becoming milder.

Summer

Summer (ˈsʌmər) – the warmest season of the year, occurring between spring and autumn, characterized by longer daylight hours and higher temperatures.

The season which includes June, July, August is summer.

Summer is the perfect time for outdoor activities, vacations, and enjoying the sun. Days are long, and the weather is typically hot.

Autumn

Autumn (ˈɔtəm) – the season between summer and winter, characterized by falling leaves, cooler temperatures, and shorter daylight hours; also known as “fall.”

The season which includes September, October, November is autumn.

Autumn is a transitional season when leaves change color and fall from trees. It’s a time of cozy sweaters, pumpkin spice, and harvest festivals.

Now that you are familiar with these basic terms, you will be better able to understand weather forecasts and communicate about the weather in English. Before starting the test, familiarize yourself with the key words about weather in English that you can find in the questions and answers of the test.

Table with popular words about weather in English

Word	Transcription	Example sentence
sunny	ˈsʌni	The sun is shining. It is sunny.
raining	ˈreɪnɪŋ	Small drops of water fall from clouds in the sky. It is raining.
thunder	ˈθʌndər	The storm with lightning is a thunderstorm.
rainbow	ˈreɪnboʊ	A rainbow is a large curve of different colors in the sky that is caused by the sun shining through rain.
bright	braɪt	It is shining strongly and full of light. It is bright.
winter	ˈwɪntər	The season which includes December, January, February is winter.
spring	sprɪŋ	The season which includes March, April, May is spring.
summer	ˈsʌmər	The season which includes June, July, August is summer.
autumn	ˈɔtəm	The season which includes September, October, November is autumn.
foggy	ˈfɔɡi	There is a thick cloudy air near the ground, which is difficult to see through. It is foggy.
cloudy	ˈklaʊdi	Cloudy weather is dark or grey because the sky is full of clouds.
misty	ˈmɪsti	There is a layer of cloud close to the ground that makes it difficult to see very far. It is misty.
snow	snoʊ	Snow is soft white pieces of frozen water that fall like rain in cold weather.
dull	dʌl	When it is dull, it is not bright or shiny.
windy	ˈwɪndi	It is windy today.
clear	klɪr	The sky is clear and blue.
snowing	ˈsnoʊɪŋ	It is snowing heavily outside.
stormy	ˈstɔrmi	The weather is stormy with strong winds and heavy rain.
wind	wɪnd	The wind is blowing strongly today.
thunderstorm	ˈθʌndərstɔrm	A thunderstorm is a storm with lightning and thunder.
lightning	ˈlaɪtnɪŋ	Lightning is a sudden flash of light in the sky during a storm.
storm	stɔrm	The ship faced a severe storm in the open sea.

Exercise (test) in English on the topic: weather

Interrupt your knowledge in practice, based on the material studied above.

Learn more words about weather in the article “Weather – words in English”, and learn phrases and words about the weather in the article “Weather forecast”

All about the weather in English and test your knowledge