So, how is the weather? Do you know any good English weather idioms?
Talking about the weather is a good example of “small talk”. Weather-related phrases are also important to know because, well, weather can affect your plans. You don’t want to wear a sweater on a hot summer day or forget your umbrella when there’s a chance of rain.
Aside from knowing how to ask and answer weather-related questions, it’s also important to learn common English weather idioms.
Idioms are phrases that have a different, hidden meaning that might be different from what they initially seem to be saying. Native English speakers will use idioms in their daily speech and understand what they mean right away, but if you are just learning English you could end up confused.
One way to avoid this possible confusion is to learn and memorize some English weather idioms and their meanings. Check out the following weather-related idioms below, there are some really interesting and fun ones that you are bound to hear from your English speaking friends.
20 English Weather Idioms You Can Use In Any Situation
The following English weather idioms are great examples of how the English language contains phrases that have a deeper, different meaning from their literal translation. Check them out and memorize what they mean because you’re sure to hear them in conversation.
1. Come rain or shine
Meaning: Whatever the situation
2. Chase rainbows
Meaning: Go after an impossible or impractical dream
3. Dry spell
Meaning: A period of bad luck or being unsuccessful
4. Under the weather
Meaning: Ill or in low spirits
5. I don’t have the foggiest
Meaning: I don’t have a clue
6. Break the ice
Meaning: Start a conversation
7. Fair-weather friend
Meaning: Fickle, can’t be counted on when things are bad
8. Steal someone’s thunder
Meaning: Take the credit, take the attention away from someone
9. A breath of fresh air
Meaning: Something or someone new
10. Bolt from the blue
Meaning: Something unexpected, a good idea out of nowhere
11. Brainstorm
Meaning: Getting together to talk about ideas or make a plan
12. In a fog
Meaning: Dazed and confused
13. Once in a blue moon
Meaning: A rare occurrence
14. Catch lightning in a bottle
Meaning: To succeed unexpectedly, to manage a feat that is not easily repeated
15. Bone dry
Meaning: Without moisture
16. Come hell or high water
Meaning: No matter what, determination
17. Lighting never strikes twice
Meaning: A bad event is not likely to occur again
18. Face like thunder
Meaning: Looking like they are extremely angry or upset
19. Lightning fast
Meaning: Very fast
20. Tip of the iceberg
Meaning: Only a small part of the problem, not seeing the whole picture
15 English Weather Idioms for Sunny Weather
Here comes the sun! And here are some of the most common English weather idioms that are used to talk about the joy of sunny days.
1. Brighten up
Meaning: Cheer up
2. Take a shine to
Meaning: Starting to like, be attracted to
3. Ray of hope
Meaning: To see a chance or an opportunity that might improve your situation
4. Life isn’t all rainbows and sunshine
Meaning: Bad things happen to everyone
5. Place in the sun
Meaning: Being comfortable in your life, feeling at home or like you belong
6. Moment in the sun
Meaning: Someone has done something amazing, someone is being recognized
7. Time to shine
Meaning: An opportunity to show off, a chance to be recognized
8. Nothing new under the sun
Meaning: Unimpressed, not a new idea
9. Tried everything under the sun
Meaning: Did everything possible
10. Thinks the sun rises and sets around someone
Meaning: Thinking that someone is very special or important, admiring them very much
11. Catch some rays
Meaning: Sunbath, go out and enjoy a sunny day
12. Dog days of summer
Meaning: Very warm weather, the hottest day of summer
13. A hot one
Meaning: Hot weather is expected
14. Scorcher
Meaning: A very hot day
15. Heat wave
Meaning: Experiencing several consecutive days of hot weather
12 English Weather Idioms That Are Related to Rain
Rain and rainy days may not be everyone’s favorite times, but these English idioms referring to rain are bound to become some of your favorites. There are just so many creative rain related idioms in English!
1. Raining cats and dogs
Meaning: Heavy rain
2. Raining buckets
Meaning: Heavy rain
3. Save for a rainy day
Meaning: Put something aside for the future or in case of emergency
5. Right as rain
Meaning: Fit, feeling okay
6. Rain check
Meaning: Put off for now
7. Into each life some rain must fall
Meaning: Everyone experiences bad luck sometimes
8. It never rains but it pours
Meaning: Bad luck or bad events happened one after another
9. Rain on your parade
Meaning: Spoil someone’s plans or good mood
10. Heavens open
Meaning: When it unexpectedly rains, rains hard
11. Rained in
Meaning: Had to change plans because of bad weather
12. Come in out of the rain
Meaning: Rejoin a group after an argument or disagreement, see the situation as it is
13 English Idioms That Refer to the Wind
Idioms about the wind can cover a variety of situations. The idioms that we list below all reference windy weather, but they often talk about much more than just the wind.
1. Know which way the wind blows
Meaning: Recognize that things can change in an instance and being ready to cope with possible changes
2. Throw caution to the winds
Meaning: Take a risk, be daring
3. Windfall
Meaning: An unexpected sum of money
4. Shoot the breeze
Meaning: Talk casually
5. Get wind of something
Meaning: Heard a rumor
6. Something in the wind
Meaning: Rumors are circulating
7. Sail close to the wind
Meaning: Cutting it close, unacceptable or risky behavior
8. It will be a breeze
Meaning: It will be easy
9. Run like the wind
Meaning: Run very fast or move quickly
10. Scattered to the four winds
Meaning: A previously close group has now gone their separate words
11. Blow hot and cold
Meaning: A moody or indecisive person
12. Spit in the wind
Meaning: Realize the futility of your actions, doing something unwise that will backfire on you
13. Three sheets to the wind
Meaning: Drunk
13 English Idioms That Refer to Clouds, Storms, and Bad Weather
The following English idioms talk about cloudy or stormy weather. While clouds or storms usually mean that bad weather is on the horizon, not all idioms about bad weather actually talk about a bad situation.
Learn the meanings of these idioms in order to understand that, talking about bad weather isn’t always a bad thing.
1. Not a cloud in the sky
Meaning: Good weather, you are in a good mood, no problems
2. Every cloud has a silver lining
Meaning: You may be in a bad situation but there is hope
3. Cloud nine
Meaning: A state of euphoria or great happiness
4. Have your head in the clouds
Meaning: Full of unrealistic ideas, daydreamer
5. Calm before the storm
Meaning: Time of peace before troubles occur or before an event that you know will be difficult
6. A storm is brewing
Meaning: When you can see that a situation is going to go bad
7. Storm on the horizon
Meaning: Problems approaching
8. Cook up a storm
Meaning: Creating something big, cooking a lot or a big meal
9. Storm off
Meaning: Leave in a hurry because they were angry
10. Storm out
Meaning: Leave in a hurry because they were angry
11. Weather the storm
Meaning: Get through a difficult period, endure a difficult task
12. A perfect storm
Meaning: Several small, unlikely things have happened that have brought about a bad situation
13. Stormy relationship
Meaning: Complicated or volatile relationship
19 English Cold Weather Idioms
The following English idioms either make reference to winter or cold weather or use cold weather imagery to express an emotion or describe a situation.
1. Old Man Winter
Meaning: Winter season
2. Dead of winter
Meaning: Very cold, the coldest and darkest time of the year
3. Cold as ice
Meaning: Unfriendly, acting like you are unwelcome
4. Give them the cold shoulder
Meaning: To ignore or snub
5. Snowed under
Meaning: Overwhelmed with work or by the circumstances
6. Put on ice
Meaning: Postpone
7. Keep on ice
Meaning: Postpone
8. Leave them out in the cold
Meaning: Refuse to include
9. Snowed in
Meaning: Unable to go outside because of cold or snowy weather
10. Snow job
Meaning: An elaborate lie, someone who is putting a lot of effort in covering up the truth
11. On thin ice
Meaning: In a dangerous situation, making someone lose patience or close to losing their temper
12. Snowball
Meaning: Gotten out of control, a small problem that is growing larger
13. Cold day in hell
Meaning: Not going to happen
14. A snowball’s chance in hell
Meaning: No chance
15. It’s nippy
Meaning: It’s cold
16. It’s chilly
Meaning: It’s cold
17. It’s frosty
Meaning: It’s cold
18. It’s freezing
Meaning: It’s cold
19. Winter is coming
Meaning: Be ready, be prepared for a difficult situation
12 Obscure English Idioms About the Weather
The following English idioms that reference the weather are no longer commonly used. You are more likely to hear them from older generations of English speakers or else read them in an English language book or other reading material.
1. Make hay when the sun shines
Meaning: Make the most of an opportunity
2. Wait for a raindrop in the drought
Meaning: Hoping for something that has little chance of happening
3. Storm in a teacup
Meaning: Blowing a small problem out of proportion
4. A tempest in a teapot
Meaning: Blowing a small problem out of proportion
5. Keep a weather eye
Meaning: Keep a close watch on someone or the situation, to be wary
6. Pot of gold at the end of the rainbow
Meaning: Something that is out of reach or impossible
7. Snow on the roof
Meaning: Someone who has white hair, someone who has dandruff
8. Any port in a storm
Meaning: Taking help where you can get it, don’t be picky
9. Pure as driven snow
Meaning: Innocent or wholesome, unaware
10. A cold day in July
Meaning: Something is never going to happen
11. Blood and thunder
Meaning: Spectacular or dramatic
12. Raining pitchforks
Meaning: Raining hard
Conclusion
To gain fluency in English, it is important to learn English idioms. Native English speakers will use English weather idioms and more in casual daily conversations so, if you want to keep up, you need to memorize and learn common English idioms.
We also suggest that you take this list of English weather idioms and go through them with a native English speaking online tutor. They can give you a better explanation of what they mean and also coach you on the proper times and places to drop these idioms into the conversation.
Don’t forget to ask your tutor and any English speaking friends about their favorite English weather idioms! That’s actually a fun and interesting ice breaker!
If you’re interested in expanding your English vocabulary even further, consider these excellent online learning resources: Kick off your journey with Babbel, offering user-friendly, engaging lessons tailored to fit seamlessly into your daily schedule. If you want something more in-depth, there's a great English course on Coursera that covers everything from the basics to more advanced topics. For a more personalized learning experience, connect with native English tutors on Preply, enhancing your speaking and comprehension skills. Take advantage of a 50% discount on your first Preply session by using this link.
Why are English weather idioms important for conversations?
English weather idioms make conversations more interesting by adding colorful expressions related to weather.
What's the meaning of "making hay when the sun shines" as an English idiom?
It means taking advantage of opportunities when they come.
What does it mean if someone has "snow on the roof" in English idioms?
It means they have white hair, usually because they're getting older. It's a playful way to talk about someone's age using a weather-related phrase.
