Weather Adjectives
Use these adjectives to describe what the weather is like right now.
| English | Meaning / Example |
|---|---|
| sunny | The sky is clear and the sun is shining. It's a sunny day. |
| cloudy | The sky is covered with clouds. It's cloudy this morning. |
| rainy | Rain is falling. It's a rainy afternoon. |
| windy | There is a strong wind. It's very windy today. |
| snowy | Snow is falling. It was snowy all night. |
| foggy | There is fog — visibility is low. Drive carefully, it's foggy. |
| stormy | There is a storm with heavy rain and wind. It's stormy outside. |
| hot | The temperature is very high. It's hot in summer. |
| warm | The temperature is pleasantly high. It's warm and nice today. |
| cold | The temperature is low. It's cold in winter. |
| icy | Ice has formed on surfaces. The roads are icy this morning. |
| humid | The air feels wet and sticky. It's very humid in the tropics. |
Tip Use the structure "It's + adjective" to describe the weather: It's sunny. It's cold. It's windy. You can also say "The weather is + adjective": The weather is lovely today.
Weather Nouns and Events
| English | Meaning / Example |
|---|---|
| rain | Water falling from clouds. We need rain for the garden. |
| snow | White frozen water falling from the sky. Children love snow. |
| thunder | The loud rumbling sound during a storm. I heard thunder last night. |
| lightning | A bright flash of electricity in the sky. Lightning struck the tree. |
| rainbow | An arc of colours appearing after rain. Look at that rainbow! |
| frost | A thin layer of ice on surfaces. There was frost on the grass. |
| hail | Small balls of ice falling from the sky. Hail damaged the car. |
| storm | Severe weather with strong winds and rain. A storm is coming. |
| forecast | A prediction of future weather. The forecast says rain tomorrow. |
| temperature | How hot or cold it is, measured in degrees. The temperature is 20°C. |
| degrees | The unit used to measure temperature. It's 30 degrees Celsius. |
| season | One of the four parts of the year (spring, summer, autumn, winter). |
| umbrella | A device you open to stay dry in rain. Don't forget your umbrella! |
| coat | A warm outer garment for cold weather. Put on your coat — it's cold! |
| boots | Sturdy shoes worn in wet or cold weather. She wore boots in the snow. |
Useful Weather Phrases
| English | Meaning / Example |
|---|---|
| What's the weather like? | Asking about current weather. |
| It's raining. | Rain is happening right now. |
| It's snowing. | Snow is falling right now. |
| It's getting colder. | The temperature is dropping. |
| The weather has changed. | The weather is different from before. |
Note Notice the difference: "It's rainy" (adjective, general) vs "It's raining" (present continuous, happening now). Both are correct but used in slightly different contexts.
Real world: Talking about the weather
"What's the weather like in London today?" — "It's cloudy and a bit cold, around 12 degrees. They say it might rain this afternoon, so I brought my umbrella."
"I love summer! It's warm and sunny, perfect for the beach."
"Be careful driving tonight — the forecast says it will be foggy and icy on the roads."
Practice Problems
How do you ask about the current weather in English?
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What's the weather like?
Which word describes weather with thunder, strong wind, and heavy rain?
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stormy
Fill in: 'It's ___.' — Rain is falling right now.
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It's raining.
Name two items of clothing useful in cold or wet weather.
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umbrella / coat / boots (any two)