When it comes to the topic of weather in English, most learners often think of basic words like sunny, rain, hot, or cold. To boost your confidence and improve your score in the IELTS Speaking or Writing test, check out this comprehensive list of weather vocabulary to impress the examiners.
1. Common Weather Vocabulary for IELTS
Weather-related vocabulary in English is typically categorized into weather conditions, precipitation, temperature, and weather phenomena. To effectively memorize these words, review their meanings along with sample sentences to better connect them with ideas for your answers.
1.1 Weather Conditions Vocabulary
Vocabulary | Meaning | Example Sentence |
Breeze | Light wind | It was like a deliciously cool breeze on a warm day |
Cloudy | Cloud-filled sky | I couldn't tell who it was; my eyes were far too cloudy |
Dry | No humidity | Come in out of the rain and dry off |
Wet | Soaked | I made the floor all wet |
Foggy | With fog | A dark and foggy night |
Gloomy | Dull or depressing | She feels so gloomy, yet she does not know why |
Mild or Calm | Pleasant and warm | Spring brings mild weather after the cold winter |
Frost | Icy weather | There was a hard frost last night |
Haze | Thin mist or fog | The sun now had a faint golden haze around it |
Overcast | Cloudy and dark | The sky was overcast and the team needed artificial light |
Unpredictable weather | Changeable conditions | The weather there can be unpredictable |
1.2 Rainfall Vocabulary
Vocabulary | Meaning | Example Sentence |
Downpour | Heavy rain | We got caught in a torrential downpour |
Rainfall | Rain amount | Heavy rainfall in the mountains caused the floods |
Torrential rain | Intense rain | A torrential rain soaked the festival |
1.3 Temperature Vocabulary
Vocabulary | Meaning | Example Sentence |
Baking hot | Extremely hot | We waited for hours in the baking hot |
Fahrenheit | Temperature in °F | Temperatures tomorrow will rise to around seventy degrees Fahrenheit |
Celsius | Temperature in °C | It will be a mild night, around nine degrees Celsius |
Thermometer | Temperature device | Use a meat thermometer to monitor the temperature |
Frosty | Icy or frosty | It’s frosty outside |
Balmy | Mild and pleasant | The balmy days of late summer |
1.4 Weather Phenomena Vocabulary
Vocabulary | Meaning | Example Sentence |
Rainbow | Colored arc in the sky | Look There is a rainbow |
Tornado | Violent wind storm | The tornado ripped along the coastline |
Whirlwind | Spinning wind | A whirlwind blew through the town |
Blustery wind | Strong gusts of wind | It's a cold night with rain showers and a blustery wind |
Drizzle | Light rain | Boston will be cloudy with patchy drizzle |
Lightning | Bright flashes | She's afraid of the flashes of lightning |
Snowstorm | Heavy snowstorm | The plumbing froze in the heaviest snowstorm of the year |
Hurricane | Violent tropical storm | A powerful hurricane hit the Florida coast |
Lousy or Dreadful weather | Bad weather | Dreadful weather affected the rehearsals |
Unbroken sunshine | Continuous sun | We've had ten days of almost unbroken sunshine |
Harsh or Severe weather | Extreme weather | Most equipment was not suitable for the severe weather |
A let up in the rain | Rain pause | When the rain lets up we'll go for a walk |
2. Common Weather Idioms
Idiom | Meaning |
|---|---|
It’s raining cats and dogs | It is raining very heavily |
Every cloud has a silver lining | Good things come after bad times |
Sunshine and showers | Mixture of sun and light rain |
Calm before the storm | Peace before chaos |
3. Common Phrases for Talking About the Weather
Here are several frequently used phrases for weather discussions:
What’s the weather like
It’s forecast to rain
There’s not a cloud in the sky
Temperatures are in the mid 20s
It’s sunny or raining
It’s not a very nice day
What a beautiful day
What’s the forecast
We had a lot of heavy rain this morning
It’s pouring outside
The sun’s shining
What’s the forecast like
It’s hot
What’s the temperature
Boost Your IELTS Score with IDP
This article has provided a comprehensive list of vocabulary, idioms, and sample phrases to help you confidently talk about the weather in your IELTS test. Be sure to take notes and practice regularly to remember these terms.
With years of experience helping candidates prepare for the IELTS exam, IDP offers you free access to a wide range of learning resources including expert-led tips, video lessons, and sample answers.
You can also register for a free mock test at IDP’s IELTS test centers or join IELTS workshops led by IDP experts to understand common mistakes, explore practice questions, and receive guided training videos.
Register for your IELTS test with IDP today