Weather & Climate Vocabulary

Types of Skies

• 

  clear sky

• 

  cloudy

• 

  partly cloudy

Weather Phenomena

• 

  breezy

• 

  cyclone

• 

  drought

• 

  flood

• 

  heat wave

• 

  humid

• 

  hurricane

• 

  lightning

• 

  rainbow

• 

  thunder

• 

  tornado

• 

  tsunami

• 

  typhoon

• 

  wind

• 

  windy

Precipitation

• 

  blizzard

• 

  drizzle

• 

  no precipitation

• 

  dry

• 

  flurries

• 

  foggy

• 

  fog

• 

  freezing rain

• 

  hail

• 

  rain

• 

  snow

Temperature

• 

  cold

• 

  cool

• 

  chilly

• 

  hot

• 

  warm

• downpour

  A very heavy, sudden and intense rainfall.

• shower

  A short period of rain.

• drizzle

  Very light rain with tiny, fine drops that look like a mist.

• snowfall

  The amount of snow that falls during a specific period of time.

• flurry

  A very light and brief snowfall.

• icy rain

  Rain that falls as liquid but freezes instantly when it hits a cold surface. Also called “freezing rain.”

• freezing rain

  Rain that falls as liquid but freezes instantly when it hits a cold surface. Also called “icy rain.”

• sleet

  A mixture of rain and snow or rain that freezes into small ice pellets before it hits the ground.

• smog

  A thick, dirty type of air pollution that looks like a mixture of smoke and fog.

• breeze

  A gentle, light and refreshing wind.

• gale

  A very strong, powerful wind.

• temperature

  A measurement of how hot or cold the air is.

• humidity

  The amount of water vapour in the air.

• pressure

  The weight of the air pressing down on the Earth. It is measured with a barometer.

• precipitations

  Any form of water—liquid or solid—that falls from the sky. This includes rain, snow, sleet and hail.

• spring thaw

  The period in spring when the snow and ice finally melt because the temperature stays above 0°C.

• summer solstice

  The day of the year with the most hours of daylight and the shortest night. Around June 20 or 21.

• autumn foliage

  A season when the leaves on trees and plants change colour and fall off.

• winter freeze

  The period of time when the temperature stays below 0°C.

• light (rain, wind, snow)

  Small in amount, force or intensity. It is the opposite of "heavy" or "strong."

• strong (wind, storm)

  Having a lot of power, force or intensity. It is the opposite of "light."

• heavy (rain, wind, snow)

  Great in amount, force or density. It is the opposite of "light."

• gentle (rain, wind)

  Light and not strong.

• clear

  A sky with no clouds, fog or smoke.

• overcast

  A sky covered in clouds.

• partly cloudy

  A sky with some clouds and some blue sky.

• below zero

  The temperature is colder than 0°C.

• minus

  To indicate the temperature is below 0°C. (Ex: minus 10°C.)

• negative

  To indicate the temperature is below 0°C. (Ex: negative 10°C.)

• mild

  Weather that is not too cold and not too hot. Weather that feels comfortable.

• chilly

  Cool, but not freezing weather. You definitely need a sweater or a light jacket to stay comfortable.

• cool

  Slightly cold in a pleasant and refreshing way.

• warm

  A comfortable temperature that is between "cool" and "hot."

• to clear up

  When the clouds, rain or fog go away and the sun begins to show.

• to brighten up

  When the sky becomes lighter because the sun is starting to shine through the clouds.

• to cloud over

  When the sky becomes covered with clouds, hiding the sun and blue sky.

• to pour down

  To rain very heavily and continuously.

• to freeze up

  When something (rivers, lakes, machinery) becomes solid, stuck, or covered in ice so that it can no longer move or work properly.

• to freeze over

  When the entire surface of a body of water (like a lake, pond or river) becomes covered with a layer of ice.

• to blow over

  When a storm or bad weather passes by or finishes without becoming serious.

• snowed in

  When so much snow falls that you cannot leave your home or town.

• cold spell

  A sudden, short period of time when the weather is much colder than normal. Shorter than a cold wave.

• cold wave

  A weather phenomenon where the air temperature drops very rapidly and stays extremely cold over a large area for several days.

• freezing cold

  Extremely cold.

• scorching

  Extremely hot.

• heatwave

  A period of several days when the weather is much hotter than normal.

• dry spell

  A period of time (usually several weeks) with very little or no rain.

• raining cats and dogs

  To rain very heavily and continuously. A synonym of “pour down.”

• tropical

  A climate that is hot all year round, with no winter season.

• temperate

  A climate that is mild and moderate, with no extreme heat or extreme cold for long periods.

• arid

  A climate or land that is extremely dry because it receives very little rain or snow.

• polar

  A climate that is extremely cold all year, with very short, cool summers and long, dark winters.

• mediterranean

  A climate characterized by hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters.

• continental

  A climate characterized by extreme differences between a very cold winter and a hot summer.

• polar

  A climate characterized by extremely cold temperatures, ice-covered waters and treeless land.

• alpine

  A climate zone found at high altitudes (on mountains), characterized by cold temperatures, thin air and a lack of trees.

• oceanic

  A climate influenced by the ocean, characterized by cool summers and mild winters, with rain spread throughout the year.

• global warming

  The slow and steady increase in the average temperature of the Earth’s atmosphere and oceans.

• greenhouse effect

  A process where the Earth's atmosphere traps some of the Sun's energy to keep the planet warm enough for life.

• sea level rise

  The increase in the average level of the world's oceans.

• flood

  An overflow of a large amount of water onto land that is normally dry.

• drought

  A long period of time (months or even years) with very little or no rain or snow, leading to a severe shortage of water.

• thermometer

  An instrument or tool used to measure how hot or cold it is.

• barometer

  An instrument used to measure the air pressure (also called atmospheric pressure”).

• hygrometer

  An instrument used to measure the amount of humidity (water vapour) in the air.

• anemometer

  An instrument used to measure the speed and direction of the wind.

• rain gauge

  A tool used to measure the amount of rain received.

• snow gauge

  A tool used to measure the amount of snow received.

• Celsius

  The metric scale (°C) used to measure temperature, where water freezes at 0° and boils at 100°.

• Fahrenheit

  A scale (°F) for measuring temperature where water freezes at 32° and boils at 212°.

• wind chill factor

  A measure of how much colder the air feels on your skin because of the wind.