Words About the Weather

Hot / Warm

When we say it’s hot, we’re referring to very high temperatures.

 

When it’s warm, temperature is fairly high but bearable.

 

When the weather is warm, I prefer light clothing like t-shirts.

 

Today is so hot that I’ve been sitting under the fan all day.

 

 

Cold / Cool

Cold refers to very low temperatures, close to freezing.

 

With cool, however, we’re talking about fairly low, spring-like temperatures when you may only need to wear a sweater out.

 

On cool days like today, you should be fine with a light sweater.

 

Don’t forget your coat; it’s cold outside.

 

 

Sunny / Rainy

Sunny weather means there’s a lot of sunshine.

 

Its opposite is rainy weather, which means a lot of rain.

 

On sunny days, I like to take the kids to the beach.

 

Rainy days are the best time to stay home and read a book.

 

 

Clear / Cloudy

A clear day is bright with no signs of bad weather.

A cloudy day means the skies are filled with clouds with little or no sun.

 

Isn’t it great that we’re having such clear days this week?

 

It looks cloudy; you should bring an umbrella in case it rains.

 

 

Dry / Humid 

When it’s dry, there’s no rain or moisture in the air.

But when it’s humid, the air is moist and contains a large amount of water vapour. Humid weather usually makes us sweat more.

 

Bush fires are common around here when the weather is dry.

The weather’s been so humid lately it’s impossible to go outside without breaking a sweat.

 

Foggy / Misty

These two adjectives refer to hazy conditions caused by small droplets of water in the air that make it difficult to see.

 

 Fog forms closer to the ground and is thicker and more difficult to see through. 

 

Mist usually forms on hills and mountains and isn’t as thick.

 

Be sure to turn on your headlights when driving through foggy areas.

It’s misty up in the mountains in the mornings.

 

Gusty / Windy

These words describe the wind. 

Gusty suggests a sudden brief burst of wind while windy refers to a stronger than usual wind blowing.

 

It’s been gusty all afternoon and my umbrella was blown away.

As we were walking along the beach, it started to get windy.

 

Thunder / Lightning why

These two words are often used together when referring to storms. 

Thunder is the loud booming sound which usually follows a flash of lightning in the sky.

Whenever there’s thunder and lightning, my dog rushes into the house in fear.