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Weather

Weather
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Most countries, including Canada, use Celcius to measure temperature.
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a weather forecast
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If you travel to the US, you'll see temperatures in Fahrenheit.
Understanding weather terms is useful for deciding what to wear, planning what to do, and, of course, making small talk.


The English word for le temps is weather, and the primary verb used to talk about the weather is to be. The English equivalent of: Quel temps fait-il ? is How's the weather? or What is the weather like?


The weather report and forecast are what we see on TV, hear on the radio, or read on the internet.


NOTE: that these expressions might be slightly different depending on the region, but if you know the basics, you'll be able to make yourself understood.

Seasons, weather and clothes

Adjectives to Describe the Weather

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breezy

It's very breezy today by the river.
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bright

They got married on a bright, sunny day in September.
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clear

It is a beautiful clear day to take a bike ride. There isn't a cloud in the sky.
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cloudy

Some people prefer to hike when it's cloudy because it's not too hot.
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damp

When it is cold and damp, you'll often see condensation on your windows.
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drizzly

It's rather drizzly outside today. You should take a rain jacket or an umbrella.
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dry

Next week will be hot and dry in Australia.
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foggy

Be careful walking on a foggy day. It could be dangerous if a car cannot see you.
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hazy

It's hot and hazy today. I can barely see the buildings through the haze.
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rainy

It's a rainy day today. You should wear your rainboots.
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snowy

What a lovely, snowy day it is today!
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stormy

Canada has many different types of stormy weather. Thunderstorms are probably the most common.
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sunny

I prefer a sunny day at the beach, but cold days can also be sunny.
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wet

It's really wet outside. Make sure the kids wear their boots and rain jackets.
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slushy

When the snow starts to melt, the sidewalks become slushy and dangerous.

Nouns

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breeze

Her scarf is blowing in the breeze.
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cloud

Clouds can help you understand the weather.
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drizzle

When will this drizzle stop?
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fog

There's a thick fog on the St. Lawrence River this morning.
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hail (hailstone)

The hail is falling in Saskatoon today.
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haze

The haze in the air is very thick today because of the fires in Alberta.
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lightning

The bolt of lightning knocked out power to over 125,000 customers in St. John last night.

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rain

Toronto is expecting over 6 cm of rain tonight.


Sometimes after it rains, there is a rainbow.

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raindrop

The raindrop is dripping from the pine tree.
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showers

Showers, also known as rain showers, have a shorter duration than rain. They tend to be quick and come in bursts.
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snow

She is unhappy because she is shovelling snow.
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snowfall

The snowfall will continue all night. We are expecting almost a meter of snow.
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snowflake

Did you know that every snowflake is unique?
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storm

The federal government is working on mobilizing the Armed Forces to help Newfoundland and Labrador dig out from the monster blizzard that paralyzed eastern regions of the province with record-breaking amounts of snow.
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sun

In the spring, with Daylight Saving Time, we lose an hour of sleep but at least the sun sets later.

Daylight Saving Time

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sunshine

She loves the feel of sunshine on her face.
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thunder

The loud thunder that came with the lightning scared my dog.
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wind

The wind is blowing so hard that it broke Sasha's umbrella.

Temperatures

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chilly

It's very chilly this morning. It's chiller than I thought.
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cold

When it's really cold, you should wear mittens or gloves to keep your hands warm.
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freezing

It's -25 degrees today. It's freezing!
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mild

We go jogging without a coat when it's mild out.
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warm

Outdoor dining is very popular in the warm weather.
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hot

It is important to stay hydrated in hot weather.
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scorching

During a heatwave, the weather is scorching!
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humid

Their hair gets very frizzy when it's hot and humid.
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damp

When it is cold and damp, Sammy just wants to stay home and curl up under a blanket.

Weather Idioms

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as right as rain

I feel as right as rain today!


everything is going well

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to be a breeze

Don't worry about the test. It will be a breeze!


to be easy

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to break the ice

Nina broke the ice by introducing herself to Paul.


to begin a conversation

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to be on cloud nine

Mouad was on cloud nine after he got his dream job.


to be extremely happy or ecstatic

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the calm before the storm

It's very quiet tonight at the hospital. I hope it's not the calm before the storm.


a period of unusual quiet before something bad happens

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when it rains, it pours

The team not only lost the game but three of its best players were injured.


when something bad happens other bad things usually happen at the same time

Extreme Weather and Natural Disasters

cold spell = une vague de froid

cyclone = un cyclone

downpour = un déluge
sudden downpour = une giboulée

heat wave= la canicule

hurricane category 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 = un ouragan de catégorie 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

storm =un orage/ une tempête

stormy = orageux

tornado = une tornade

tropical storm = un cyclone tropical/ un orage tropical

typhoon = un typhon

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Anglais pré-collégial © 2023 by Rebecca Peters, Cégep Édouard-Montpetit/Entente Canada-Québec is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/