Weather Vocabulary in English

15 essential weather words with meanings, example sentences, and free interactive games — ideal for A1–B1 learners.

Weather is one of the most universal topics of conversation in English. From casual small talk ("Lovely day, isn't it?") to detailed weather forecasts on the news, weather vocabulary appears constantly in everyday English. For learners in the UK especially, where weather is a cultural obsession, knowing weather words is an essential social skill.

This page covers 15 of the most important weather vocabulary words in English, from basic adjectives like sunny and cloudy to more advanced nouns like forecast and humidity. Each word includes its meaning and a natural example sentence to show it in context.

Weather vocabulary is also important for English exams. IELTS Listening often features weather forecasts as dictation exercises. Reading passages may discuss climate change, seasonal variations, or the economic impact of extreme weather. In IELTS Speaking Part 2, candidates are sometimes asked to describe a place or a journey where the weather played an important role.

After studying these weather words, explore Travel vocabulary (weather and travel are closely connected) and Animals (many wild animals are associated with specific weather conditions and environments).

Word List

WordMeaningExample Sentence
sunnybright with sunshine; no cloudsIt was a sunny afternoon, perfect for a walk.
cloudycovered with clouds; little sunshineThe morning was cloudy, but the sun came out later.
rainyhaving a lot of rainBring an umbrella — it is going to be a rainy day.
windywith a lot of wind blowingIt is too windy to go sailing today.
snowywith snow falling or covered in snowThe children loved the snowy winter morning.
foggywith thick mist that reduces visibilityThe foggy conditions caused several road accidents.
stormywith strong winds, rain, thunder, and lightningThey stayed indoors during the stormy weather.
temperaturethe degree of heat or cold measured in degreesThe temperature is expected to reach 30 degrees this weekend.
forecasta prediction of future weather conditionsAccording to the forecast, it will rain on Thursday.
humiditythe amount of water vapour in the airThe high humidity made the heat feel even more intense.
drizzlelight, fine rainThere was a light drizzle throughout the morning.
thunderthe loud noise heard during a stormWe could hear thunder in the distance.
lightninga sudden flash of bright light during a stormThe lightning lit up the whole sky.
frosta thin layer of ice that forms on cold surfaces overnightThere was frost on the car windscreen this morning.
heatwavea prolonged period of unusually hot weatherThe heatwave caused temperatures to rise above 40 degrees.

Practice with These Exercises

Flash Cards

Review weather words with spaced repetition

Wordsearch

Find weather words hidden in the grid

Matching Pairs

Match weather words to their meanings

Complete the Sentence

Complete sentences with the right weather word

Practice What You've Learned

LexFizz has 30 free interactive exercises — no sign-up needed.

Browse All Exercises →

Related Vocabulary Topics

All Topics Travel Animals Sports

Frequently Asked Questions

What weather vocabulary should beginners learn first?
Beginners should start with the most common weather adjectives: sunny, cloudy, rainy, windy, and snowy. These words appear in almost every weather conversation and are straightforward to visualise. At A2 level, add stormy, foggy, temperature, and forecast. By B1, learn humidity, drizzle, frost, and heatwave.
How do you talk about the weather in English?
Common weather phrases: 'What is the weather like today?', 'It is raining heavily.', 'It is quite chilly today.', 'The forecast says it will be sunny this weekend.', 'It looks like rain.' Small talk about weather uses contractions and casual language: 'Lovely day, isn't it?', 'Dreadful weather, isn't it?' The tag question ('isn't it?') is very common in British English weather small talk.
What is the difference between 'weather' and 'climate'?
'Weather' refers to day-to-day atmospheric conditions: 'The weather today is sunny.' 'Climate' refers to the average weather patterns of a region over a long period: 'The UK has a temperate maritime climate.' Climate describes what you expect; weather describes what you get. In English conversations, 'weather' is far more common in everyday talk, while 'climate' is used in academic and environmental contexts.
How do you describe extreme weather in English?
For extreme heat: scorching, sweltering, baking hot, a heatwave. For extreme cold: freezing, arctic, bitter cold, sub-zero temperatures. For extreme rain: pouring, torrential rain, flooding. For extreme wind: gale-force winds, a blizzard (snow + wind), a hurricane (tropical storm). For general bad weather: miserable, dreadful, awful. These descriptive adjectives are useful in IELTS Writing Task 1 (describing graphs about climate data).
What is the difference between 'drizzle', 'rain', and 'pour'?
'Drizzle' is very light, fine rain: 'There was a light drizzle this morning.' 'Rain' is the general word: 'It rained all day.' 'Pour' (it is pouring) means it is raining very heavily: 'We got completely soaked — it was pouring.' 'Shower' is a short period of rain: 'A few showers expected in the afternoon.' These distinctions are important for precise weather description in IELTS Writing.
How is weather vocabulary used in IELTS Listening?
IELTS Listening Section 2 often features a weather forecast as a form-completion or note-taking task. Key vocabulary tested includes temperature (degrees Celsius), conditions (sunny, overcast, heavy rain), geographical terms (north, south-east, coastal areas), and time expressions (throughout the morning, by late evening). Practising with the Complete the Sentence exercise on LexFizz helps you prepare for this task type.
What are common weather idioms in English?
Weather idioms include: 'under the weather' (feeling ill: 'I'm feeling a bit under the weather today'), 'every cloud has a silver lining' (something positive in every bad situation), 'a storm in a teacup' (a big fuss about something small), 'brainstorm' (generate ideas), 'steal someone's thunder' (take attention away from someone). These idioms are common in IELTS Reading and everyday conversation.
How do you talk about seasons and weather together?
Connect seasons and weather: Spring — mild, showery, fresh, blossom. Summer — hot, sunny, humid, dry. Autumn — cool, overcast, windy, foggy. Winter — cold, frosty, snowy, dark. In IELTS Speaking Part 1, you may be asked about your favourite season — link the season to its typical weather and activities to give a fuller answer.
What does 'overcast' mean and how is it different from 'cloudy'?
'Cloudy' means there are clouds in the sky, but there may still be some patches of blue sky or sunshine. 'Overcast' means the sky is completely covered by cloud with no sunlight — the sky looks grey. 'Overcast' is slightly more formal and is the word typically used in weather forecasts. You might say: 'It started cloudy but became overcast by afternoon.'
How can I practise weather vocabulary in real life?
Listen to English weather forecasts (BBC Weather is ideal) every day. Try to understand the temperature, conditions, and regional differences mentioned. Keep a weather diary in English: write one sentence every day about the weather. Use the vocabulary in small talk when practising with language exchange partners. Watch nature documentaries in English — they use a wide range of weather and climate vocabulary.