Vocabulary for weather in British English
Learn to speak about the weather like a native with this essential vocabulary guide.
I’ll teach you useful vocabulary if you’re a lower level. But I’ll also teach more advanced and informal vocabulary that they didn’t teach you in school!
Let’s get started!
Useful words for weather
You’ll find more advanced vocabulary below, but first let’s check that you know these essential words. Do you have all these weather phenomena in your country?
10 informal weather words/phrases that natives use all the time
(but that your teacher won't teach you!)
1. Chucking it down – raining heavily
Example: It’s chucking it down outside – better grab an umbrella!
2. Spitting – light rain
Example: It’s only spitting – no need for a coat just yet.
3. Nippy – a bit cold
Example: It’s a bit nippy out this morning, isn’t it?
4. Blowing a gale – be very windy
Example: It’s blowing a gale out there! My hat nearly flew off.
5. Scorching – very hot
Example: It’s absolutely scorching today, perfect for a BBQ.
6. Muggy – warm and humid
Example: It’s so muggy, I feel like I’m melting!
8. Brass monkeys – extremely cold
Example: It’s brass monkeys out there — better wear your warmest coat!
7. A bit grim – dull, unpleasant weather
Example: The weather’s a bit grim today, isn’t it? Might stay in.
9. Drizzle – light, steady rain
Example: It’s only drizzle, but it’s enough to make everything wet.
10. Lashing down – another way to say it’s raining heavily
Example: It’s lashing down outside. No chance I’m going for a walk in this!
If there’s anything you don’t understand, write me a comment below and I’ll help you.
The climate in the UK
As you can see from the vocabulary above, we have a LOT of words for rain in the UK!
Hmm, why is that??
Because it rains ALL THE TIME! Oh well, it’s a great country to live in but this is a big disadvantage, I’ll admit.
Do you feel the cold? (This is the expression we use to ask if someone can tolerate the cold. We don’t have a single word for it, like some language.) I really feel the cold. I hate it. But I love hot summer days. I’m living in the perfect country, right?!
If the forecast gave a prediction but it wasn’t accurate, you could say use the phrase “It was supposed to” – for example, “It was supposed to rain but, look, blue sky!” Do you find forecasts generally accurate? They’re not too bad these days, are they?
Have you heard of global weirding? It’s the fact that the weather around the world is getting weirder and weirder (more strange) every year because of global warming.
Have you experienced any weird weather events recently? We just had the wettest September ever in the UK! Lucky us!
British culture
Immerse yourself in British culture (including lots of references to weather!) with my books for learners of English. They have strictly controlled grammar and vocabulary, and definitions of difficult words at the back. This means that you won’t need a dictionary and you can just relax and enjoy the story.
That’s funny! In my country we don’t need so many words for rain but we need a lot for hot weather! It’s too much!!
Lucky you! I love hot weather.