WEATHER VOCABULARY

W EATHER S YNONYMS AND R ELATING W ORDS

sweltering, searing, boiling, blistering, scorching, oppressive,
VERY hot
baking

very humid close, muggy, stifling, clammy, sticky, stuffy, sultry

cold frosty, bitter, raw, sub-zero, plummeting, crisp, chilly, freezing

snow slushy, powdery, blizzard, sleet

heavy rain torrential, downpour, tropical, deluge

light rain fine, drizzle, spitting, patchy

wind gusty, gale force, blustery, gentle, stiff, light, biting, howling

C OMMONLY U SED P HRASES

snowed in to be unable to go anywhere because of heavy snow

snowed under to have a lot of work and other things to do

rained off (Brit) a sports event or other outside activity does not happen due to
rained out (US) heavy rain

under the weather to be or feel ill

WEATHER VOCABULARY
N ATURAL D ISASTERS
a rotating column of air ranging in width from a few metres to
tornado more than a kilometre and spinning at destructively high
speeds

a long period of dry weather that has an adverse effect on

drought
crops and animals

blizzard a violent snowstorm with high winds

flood water overflowing into land that is normally dry

the fast downward movement of rock and earth on a slope as

landslide
the ground collapses

a severe, rotating tropical storm with heavy rains and strong

winds. Hurricanes occur in the Atlantic Ocean, if they occur in
hurricane the Pacific or Indian Ocean, they are called cyclones. They are
clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere, and anti-
clockwise/counter-clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.

a large, destructive sea wave produced by a submarine

tsunami
earthquake or volcanic eruption

tidal wave large waves caused by tides, wind and storms

a shaking of the crust of the earth caused by underground

earthquake volcanic forces or by the breaking and moving of rock beneath
the surface

heatwave a period of unusually hot weather

an opening in the earth's crust through which molten lava, ash

volcano
and gases are released

avalanche rapidly descending large mass of snow, ice, soil and rock
WEATHER VOCABULARY
W EATHER I DIOMS
once in a blue moon very rarely

a bolt from the blue a complete surprise

come rain or shine whatever happens

cloud nine to be extremely happy and excited

a time which seems very quiet, but is about to be followed by a

the lull before the storm
difficult or busy time

it never rains but it pours when something goes wrong, normally lots of things go wrong

a storm in a teacup a lot of unnecessary fuss about something that is unimportant

to make hay while the

to do something while the situation and conditions are good
sun shines

to know which way the

to fully understand a situation
wind blows

the tide has turned there has been a complete reversal in circumstances