The Weather: English Vocabulary List

the event during which the sun comes up

"The sunrise was beautiful."

"We woke early to watch the sunrise over the mountains."

the event during which the sun goes down

"The sunset was pink."

"They sat quietly and watched the sunset from the beach."

the sun's light and heat

"Enjoy the sunshine."

"We decided to have a picnic in the park to enjoy the beautiful warm sunshine."

the loud crackling noise that is heard from the sky during a storm

"A sudden crash of thunder shook the house."

"The loud clap of thunder was so powerful that it shook the windows of the entire house."

the event during which snow begins to fall from the sky

"The snowfall started early."

"The snowfall covered the streets in a thick white layer."

a heavy rainfall

"The rainstorm was intense."

"The sudden rainstorm caught the hikers without shelter forcing them to take cover under a dense grove of pine trees until the downpour stopped."

a heavy fall of snow with a strong wind

"The snowstorm closed all the schools."

"The snowstorm deposited thirty centimeters of fresh snow overnight causing school closures and dangerous driving conditions on all major highways in the region."

drops of water that have fallen from the sky as rain

"The rainwater filled the bucket."

"They collected rainwater for the garden during the dry season."

a single droplet of water that falls from the sky

"A raindrop fell on the glass."

"A single raindrop seems harmless but billions of them falling over hours can cause flooding erosion and landslides in vulnerable mountainous areas."

(of the climate) having a lot of moisture in the air, causing an uncomfortable and sticky feeling

"The air is humid."

"The humid air made her hair curly and her skin feel sticky and uncomfortable."

slightly wet, particularly in an uncomfortable way

"The towel is damp."

"The damp towel was left on the floor and now it smells bad."

a heavy fall of hail during a storm

"The hailstorm damaged the cars."

"The hailstorm damaged cars and broke windows across the neighborhood with some hailstones growing as large as golf balls before they hit the ground."

so cold that is uncomfortable or harmful

"The road is icy."

"The icy roads made driving very dangerous so the mayor advised everyone to stay home until the salt trucks came."

a prediction or estimate of future events, often related to weather or conditions

"The weather forecast says it will be sunny and warm all week."

"A financial forecast is a projection of a company's future revenues and expenses"

rain containing a great deal of acidic chemicals, caused by air pollution, which can harm the environment

"Acid rain damages forests and lakes."

"Acid rain is precipitation made acidic by atmospheric pollution"

a strong wind, mostly in a desert, that lifts particles of sand and blows them around

"The sandstorm covered everything in dust."

"A sandstorm is a meteorological phenomenon where strong winds lift enormous quantities of sand into the air"

a storm characterized by very strong winds and little or no rain

"The windstorm knocked down power lines."

"The powerful windstorm knocked down trees and power lines leaving thousands of homes without electricity."

an area that becomes darker and cooler because sunlight is blocked by an object

"The tree gives shade."

"We sat in the shade to escape the midday heat."

a bright flash, caused by electricity, in the sky or one that hits the ground from within the clouds

"Lightning flashed across the dark"

"The lightning struck the tall tree and split it into two large pieces that fell to the ground."

the event of rain falling from the sky

"The rainfall was heavy."

"Heavy rainfall caused flooding in several parts of the city."

a brief period of rain or snow

"There was a short shower."

"We experienced a brief but intense shower of rain that quickly cleared up."

a unique small piece of snow fallen from the sky

"A snowflake landed on her coat."

"Each snowflake has a unique crystalline structure shaped by the temperature and humidity conditions in the cloud where it formed during its descent."

to rain heavily and in a large amount

"It pours rain."

"The rain began to pour heavily just as we were leaving the restaurant after dinner."

(of a river) to become filled and overflown with water and spread it onto the surrounding lands

"Heavy rain floods the streets quickly."

"The heavy rainfall caused the river to flood and damage several houses near the bank."

turned into ice because of cold weather

"The lake is frozen."

"The lake was completely frozen over, making it unsafe to walk on its surface."

a period of hot weather, usually hotter and longer than before

"The heat wave lasted two weeks."

"A heat wave is a prolonged period of excessively hot weather"

(of the weather) sunny and clear

"The weather is fine today."

"After a week of rain, the sky finally cleared and the weather turned perfectly fine."

describing the weather when there is no wind or storm

"The sea was calm."

"We enjoyed a peaceful boat trip on the remarkably calm waters of the bay."

so cold that is uncomfortable or harmful

"The road is icy."

"The icy roads made driving very dangerous so the mayor advised everyone to stay home until the salt trucks came."

(of the sun or other celestial objects) to move out of view when going below the horizon

"The sun will set soon."

"As the sun began to set, the entire landscape was bathed in a warm, golden light."

(of the sun) to come up from the horizon

"The sun will rise soon."

"We woke up early to watch the sun rise majestically over the distant mountain peaks."

(of the weather) to be very cold

"It will freeze tonight."

"The temperature is expected to drop significantly, and it will likely freeze by midnight."

(of something in solid form) to turn into liquid form by being subjected to heat

"Ice will melt in the sun."

"The ice cream began to melt quickly under the hot summer sun so they had to eat it fast before it became a liquid mess."

(of the sun) to produce and direct light

"The sun shines brightly during summer."

"The sun began to shine brightly after the storm clouds finally passed away from the area."

(of weather) sunny and without many clouds

"The day was bright."

"The bright sunshine streamed through the window, promising a beautiful and clear day ahead."