descriptive essay about bad weather

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Describe a bad weather experience you have had

You should say:

• what sort of bad weather it was
• when it happened
• where you were when it happened

and explain how it affected you

Sample Answer:

Well, I am from England, and in England, we love to talk about the weather! It changes all the time, and so it’s actually quite hard to think of one specific example of bad weather that I have experienced there. Even so, I can recall one particularly extraordinary day, when bad weather brought my city of Sheffield to a standstill. I am going to tell you what the weather was like, where I was when it happened and how it affected me I still shiver as I recall it

The bad weather was snow. It does snow in parts of the United Kingdom every year, and where I live in Sheffield we do always get some snow in the winter months, especially on the higher ground. I quite like snow, it can be cold and a bit inconvenient if you get a heavy snowfall, as then public transport stops and everything grinds to a halt. However, it is also really beautiful how a snowfall can turn everything white. It is fun to build snowmen, make snow angel shapes in the newly fallen snow, to go sledging in the hills and even to have a sneaky snowball fight if you are brave enough to find someone to take on. So on the whole, I like snow, I enjoy the novelty of it, and as long as you are dressed appropriately (hat, gloves, scarf, waterproof trousers and thick winter coat) it isn’t too bad. The day I’m thinking of, though was rather different

I woke up on a December morning about four years ago and the first thing I noticed was that it was really really quiet. It is hard to describe if you have never experienced it, but after a thick snowfall, everything sounds different. The sounds that you normally hear are changed by the muffling effect of the snow, but also there was no sound of traffic. The snow had fallen so deeply, that cars were stuck in driveways and buses in their depots, the only way to get about that day would be on foot. I was lucky because I only lived about two miles from work, so I could still get in. I pulled on my wellington boots, and waterproof clothes and headed off into town. I quickly discovered that this was not like any normal snowfall. The snow had fallen feet deep onto the ice, it was really treacherous even trying to walk in these conditions. Where I live in Sheffield, it is incredibly hilly. Snow ploughs had cleared the major roads, but this had exposed dangerous thick black ice underneath which was impossible to walk across. The combination of ice and steep slopes meant that I was sliding around everywhere and so was everyone else. Although at first, it was quite comical, watching people skidding about and falling over, after a while I started to be quite anxious, it was dangerous, you couldn’t even stand upright. I got to one road crossing at the top of a hill, and the road was so slippery the only way to get over it was to literally crawl across on my hands and knees. The other side of the road a complete stranger was lying down and reaching out to pull people across safely. It was so bizarre, I have never seen anything like it before or since. The roads were thick ice, but the pavements were piled high with drifts of snow up to three feet deep, I thought I’d never make it to the office that day let alone home again by nightfall

My normal walk to work would have taken me perhaps 30 minutes, but on this day it took over three times that long as I had to negotiate the tricky roads and paths. When I got there, I found only a couple of other people had made it in as well. Most people had looked out of their windows and decided it was far too dangerous to attempt the journey. I think they were right! My manager had made it in, but he quickly decided it was silly to stay, we all still had to get home safely somehow, and it was still snowing outside. I was working at a university at the time, and for the first time in its history it was declared closed, it was ridiculous to expect staff and students to make the trek in – I should have stayed in bed! We stayed at work long enough to phone people to cancel appointments and confirm we were shut, and then I had the same long trek home in the snow again. I was exhausted by the time I got back

It was quite an experience, it made me appreciate how much we should respect the elements. I felt safe at first because it was an urban environment, and usually, we don’t get much disruption due to bad weather there, but really the snow and ice made it unnavigable for the next few days. I suppose in countries where they always get a lot of snow and ice they are better prepared for it when it comes. We were certainly taken by surprise. That was my most memorable bad weather adventure. It was fun in a way, but I wouldn’t welcome that every year, plus it was freezing. It’s hard to keep smiling when you are so cold!I still love the snow – but I respect it a lot more than I used to

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Master List for Describing Weather

A lot of writers struggle with describing settings. I’ve written before about how to describe settings and why it matters , but a few people have told me they’d like me to do some of my master lists for writers to help them out!

I have a weird love for creating lists like this, so I’m happy to do it. “How to describe weather” seemed like a good place to start. This way, you won’t get stuck trying to figure out how to describe nice weather, or thinking up ways to describe rain. Hopefully, this will make your writing go faster.

I always include simple as well as more creative ways to describe or write about weather. Sometimes, the simple word is the one you want! I included dryness and humidity in a few of the categories because it felt weird for them to get their own.

As always, this is not a comprehensive list, and I might add to it. My list will probably make you think of other possibilities, too. Bookmark or pin it for future writing reference!

HOT WEATHER 

blazing sunshine

glaring sun

baking in the sun

sun-drenched

scorching heat

extravagant heat

relentless sun

like a suana

dense tropical heat

radiating heat

blistering heat

oppressive heat

insufferable heat

suffocating heat

heat pressing down

searing sun

shimmering heat

like an oven

like a furnace

WARM / PLEASANT WEATHER

(“Pleasant” is a matter of opinion, of course.)

a beautiful day

a clear day

a temperate day

a golden day

a glorious day

heavenly weather

bright and sunny

a gorgeous spring day

a dazzling summer day

a brilliant autumn day

a vivid blue sky

a cloudless sky

fluffy white clouds

gentle sunshine

lazy sunshine

kind sunshine

filtered sunlight

dappled sunlight

welcome warmth

one of those rare, perfect days

the kind of day that made people forget to worry

the kind of day that lifted people’s moods

COOL WEATHER

refreshing air

stimulating cool air

invigorating cool air

bracing cool air

a nip in the air

a brisk day

a chilly day

weak sunshine

GRAY / OVERCAST WEATHER

(Most people don’t like gray days, so most of these descriptions are negative. I love them, so I had to add a few positive descriptions.)

colorless sky

a soft gray sky

a dove-gray sky

a gray day made for books and tea

steel-gray sky

granite sky

cement-gray sky

threatening clouds

foreboding clouds

COLD WEATHER

glacial air

bitter cold

brutal cold

bone-chilling cold

penetrating cold

devastating cold

numbing cold

punishing cold

dangerous cold

unforgiving cold

too cold to talk

so cold it burned one’s lungs

so cold it took one’s breath away

like a blast from a hair dryer

a gust of wind

insistent winds

heavy winds

strong winds

cutting wind

whipping winds

biting wind

wintry squall

violent gale

howling wind

shifting winds

restless wind

fresh breeze

soft breeze

balmy breeze

perfumed breeze

slight breeze

hint of a breeze

stirring breeze

wind rustling through the trees

fine drizzle

gray drizzle

pebbles of falling rain

spitting rain

stinging rain

steady rain

rain falling in torrents

cascades of rain

rain beating down

shower of rain

sheets of rain

hard-driving rain

pelting rain

lashing rain

slashing rain

THUNDER AND LIGHTNING

rumbling in the distance

a roll of distant thunder

crash of thunder

crackle of thunder

crack of thunder

clap of thunder

bang of thunder

booming thunder

rattled with thunder

earth-shaking thunder

tempestuous

a furious storm

flash of lightning

streaks of lightning

SNOW AND ICE

flurries of snow

dancing flakes

snowflakes floating down

snowflakes wafting down

swirling snow

falling thick and fast

big flakes falling like petals

blinding snowstorm

raging blizzard

sparkling expanses

blankets of white

caked with snow

boulders of snow

branches coated in ice

glittering ice

crystallized by frost

silvered with frost

clouds of mist

swirling mist

billowing fog

cloaked in mist

cocooned in fog

shrouded in fog

enveloped by fog

smothered by fog

made mysterious by fog

the fog rolled in

the fog was burning off

the fog was lifting

the fog was clearing

the fog was dissipating

I have many lists like this in my book  Master Lists for Writers: Thesauruses, Plots, Character Traits, Names, and More . Check it out!

Do you describe weather conditions in your writing? Do you have a favorite example of a weather description? Let me know in the comments! Thanks for reading, and happy writing!

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21 thoughts on “ master list for describing weather ”.

In my current WIP, weather is a crucial element. Not only is the woman in the romance a professional photographer — of weather — but it is a weather phenomenon, namely a tornado, that brings them together. So the description of the sky and the weather is quite detailed in places (specially as the supercell storm roars down on them).

On another angle, the phrase “gloriously sunny” is one that despite having that horrible “ly” adverb (shudder) is so evocative of the type of weather and the POV character’s attitude (and possibly even the type of weather that has gone before), that it’s powerful. It says a huge amount with only two words.

Hi Chris! Oh, wow…that’s a lot more detailed than most of us ever get in writing about the weather. It sounds like a great premise!

I will need this list as I begin edits next month on my WIP. I currently live in Hawaii, but am writing a story at Christmas time in Vermont. 🙂 Thank you!

Aw, nice! That’s some very different weather from what you’re used to. 🙂

It really is! And traveling to the climate I need isn’t ideal right now. So, off to the freezer I go! 🙂

Wow! This is fantastic. Thanks. You ARE a master at this.

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This is comprehensive! It’s bookmarked for future use. Thanks!

Thanks, Steve, I’m glad you liked it!

Amazing list that goes beyond the words that I struggle with – especially describing the rain-painted setting of Snowdonia.

Love your lists. You don’t have one for beaches by any chance? Would this, including the weather be another book by any chance??

Hi, Nicole! It’s funny you should ask. 🙂 I am going to release a second, more expanded version of MASTER LISTS FOR WRITERS . It’s going to have several setting descriptions in there (including a whole list for beaches!), and the weather list will be in there, too! I’m hoping to get it done before November of this year, but we’ll see. Thanks for asking!

That’s awesome and look forward to it’s release.

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I am in Chinan. I happened to enter this web-link and want to learn more about writing, I wonder if there are any descriptive passages. I can only find some words and expressions…

That was really useful. Thank you!

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This list is fabulous. Thank you for sharing it. I will be consulting it when incorporating weather elements into writing my next picture book.

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How to Describe a Storm in Writing

Whether they're ruthless tornadoes or torrential hurricanes, storms can add atmosphere and conflict to a personal narrative or story. The use of vivid description is a crucial tool for bringing these weather phenomena to life on paper and moving your plot forward. Using figurative language and active verbs can help you place readers right in the middle of the rain, wind and thunder.

Mighty Metaphors and Storm Similes

A simile is a type of description that makes an explicit comparison between two things using the words "like" or "as." A metaphor, by contrast, is a direct comparison that does not use these words. You can use these devices to create surprising descriptions of your storm. If you're describing a hailstorm, for example, you might use a simile to write, "The hailstones clattered to the ground like marbles spilled from a box." To use a metaphor, you might write, "An avalanche of hailstones fell from the sky."

The Sound of Storms

In real life, the sounds of nature are often key indicators of approaching storms. You can bring these sound effects to your descriptions by using onomatopoeia, a device where words mimic the sounds of their meaning. For example, if a thunderstorm figures prominently in your story, the thunder could "rumble" or "boom," rain could "patter" against the windows" and wind could "rush" across a field. Try making a list of all the sounds the storm in your narrative might involve and brainstorm onomatopoeic words to describe them.

The Character of Storms

If a storm is central to your story's conflict, you might consider having the weather literally take on a life of its own. Personification occurs when a writer gives human characteristics, such as actions and emotions, to an inanimate object. If your characters are trapped in open water during a hurricane, you might write, "The angry waves smacked against the side of the boat." Although water can't feel anger, the description of the waves as "angry" adds emotional texture and characterization to the storm.

Vivid Verbs

Because bad weather can often get out of control, describing a storm is not the time to skimp on verb usage. Weak verbs, such as "was" or "were," drain your descriptions of energy rather than infuse them with detail. Using specific, active verbs for the storm's motion gives readers a more detailed image of the story's events. For example, the sentence, "The dark sky was lit up by lightning," is a good start, but revising it to include an active verb can make the description even more forceful: "Lightning flashed across the sky."

• Western Michigan University: Basics of Metaphor and Simile
• Read Write Think: Onomatopoeia
• Universal Design for Learning: Literary Devices: Personification
• Writing Commons: Avoid Unnecessary "To Be" Verbs"

Kori Morgan holds a Bachelor of Arts in professional writing and a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing and has been crafting online and print educational materials since 2006. She taught creative writing and composition at West Virginia University and the University of Akron and her fiction, poetry and essays have appeared in numerous literary journals.

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How Have You Experienced Extreme Weather?

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By Callie Holtermann

It was “ a summer of disasters .”

As the planet warms, extreme weather events such as wildfires, heat waves, hurricanes, droughts and floods are becoming more common. What extreme weather did you hear about during the summer? Did you experience any yourself?

How do you feel about the dangerous weather occurring around the world? What do these events tell you about where we are in the fight against climate change — and how we should move forward?

In “ Overlapping Disasters Expose Harsh Climate Reality: The U.S. Is Not Ready ,” Christopher Flavelle, Anne Barnard, Brad Plumer and Michael Kimmelman write:

In Louisiana and Mississippi, nearly one million people lack electricity and drinking water after a hurricane obliterated power lines. In California, wildfire menaces Lake Tahoe, forcing tens of thousands to flee. In Tennessee, flash floods killed at least 20; hundreds more perished in a heat wave in the Northwest. And in New York City, 7 inches of rain fell in just hours Wednesday, drowning people in their basements. Disasters cascading across the country this summer have exposed a harsh reality: The United States is not ready for the extreme weather that is now becoming frequent as a result of a warming planet. “These events tell us we’re not prepared,” said Alice Hill, who oversaw planning for climate risks on the National Security Council during the Obama administration. “We have built our cities, our communities, to a climate that no longer exists.” In remarks Thursday, President Biden acknowledged the challenge ahead. “And to the country, the past few days of Hurricane Ida and the wildfires in the West and the unprecedented flash floods in New York and New Jersey is yet another reminder that these extreme storms and the climate crisis are here,” said Mr. Biden, who noted that a $1 trillion infrastructure bill pending in Congress includes some money to gird communities against disasters. “We need to do — be better prepared. We need to act.”

The article continues:

Damage from extreme weather, and threats to human life, will only increase as the planet warms. For every 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit of global warming, the atmosphere holds about 7 percent more moisture, scientists have found . That means much heavier rainfall when storms do occur. Across the continental United States, the heaviest downpours have become more frequent and severe, according to the federal government’s National Climate Assessment . The Northeast has seen 50 percent more rainfall during the heaviest storms compared with the first half of the 20th century.

Students, read the entire article , then tell us:

Have you experienced extreme weather where you live? If so, what was it like? How has it affected your life and the lives of those in your community?

How do you feel about the increase in frequency of extreme weather around the world, and the intensifying effects of climate change? Is it something you discuss with your peers or parents? Why or why not?

What do you know about how climate change affects your area? You can answer based on your observations, or consult this map of climate risks around the world, or this map of precipitation in the United States. What questions do you still have?

What do you think of President Biden’s response, which is summarized in the article? If you do not live in the United States, how have your country’s leaders responded to extreme weather? Do you think that these events will encourage global leaders to take more drastic action? What kind of actions would you most like to see?

What do you know about how climate disasters affect communities that are already marginalized? Have you witnessed this firsthand?

“Young people like us have been sounding this alarm for years,” write four young climate activists in this guest essay . Do you feel like you and your generation are more concerned about climate change than older generations? Have members of older generations been receptive to your concerns?

Have you engaged in climate activism? If so, how? What changes are you pushing for?

Students 13 and older are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public. You can find all our Student Opinion questions here.

Callie Holtermann joined The Learning Network as a senior news assistant in 2020. More about Callie Holtermann

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Ielts cue card sample 36 - describe a bad weather experience you have had, describe a bad weather experience you have had..

• what sort of bad weather it was
• when it happened
• where you were then
• What are the main seasons in your country?
• What environmental changes have you noticed in your country?
• What should we do to protect the environmental pollutions?

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Describe The Weather In Writing With Better Vocabulary

When you describe the weather in writing, you set the scene for your story or a part of your story.

It’s an opportunity to show readers the setting rather than tell them about the weather using a couple of quick adjectives.

Using highly descriptive or figurative language and a variety of grammar structures helps you paint the picture vividly in a reader’s mind.

In almost every story, both fiction and nonfiction, there is usually at least one reference to the weather.

In This Article

How to describe the weather in writing

We all know this famous opening line from Edward Bulwer-Lytton’s 1830 novel, Paul Clifford.

It was a dark and stormy night.

Many have criticized the phrase, and Writer’s Digest went as far as to call it the literary poster child for bad story starters.

The main issue is that it uses two very weak adjectives: dark and stormy. Neither of them is usefully descriptive.

The second problem with the phrase is that it starts with a grammatical expletive .

When writing about the weather, using it was,  or there was is a common writing fault. It’s because we so often refer to the weather as it.

But few people take into account what follows Bulwer-Lytton’s famous clause. It’s a pity because the complete sentence is a wonderful example of how to describe the weather in writing.

It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents—except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets (for it is in London that our scene lies), rattling along the housetops, and fiercely agitating the scanty flame of the lamps that struggled against the darkness.

He uses descriptive noun phrases , strong verbs, and powerful adjectives.

The combination of these three elements paints a vivid picture for readers.

Choosing your vocabulary

You can find many lists of common and unusual words to describe the weather, so you have plenty of choices.

But you should avoid words that are too simplistic. It was hot, cold, windy, or rainy are all very weak expressions.

But if you describe the heat, the cold, the wind, or the rain with noun phrases, you can improve these easily.

The sun started baking early across the plains, delivering a scorching promise for the day ahead.

The cruel icy wind cut like a knife across her cheeks.

Rain, as always, arrived too little, too late to save the crops.

Words that are not widely understood are also worth avoiding. While it’s interesting to find new words, not all of them are useful.

A good example is petrichor. It is the smell or scent of rain arriving after a period of dry weather.

But it is difficult to use, and it might send readers hunting for a dictionary.

The petrichor gave a hint of hope to the farmers.

It would be better to use a descriptive phrase.

The sweet far off scent of rain on dying grass gave hope to the farmers.

Brontide is another, meaning the sound of distant thunder or rumblings of an earth tremor. Again, it’s a great word to know, but with very limited use in writing.

Try this simple formula

Anytime you need to write about the weather, keep this little trick in mind.

Start with a noun phrase, use a strong verb , then add a descriptive clause .

You also need to describe the noun and verb with adjectives and adverbs.

Here’s a quick example.

The heavy dark clouds rolled slowly and low across the parched pastures, but they were heartbreakers, as not a drop of rain fell before the cruel wind carried them away.

It’s an easy way to make sure you avoid the grammatical expletive and weak adjectives.

You can also experiment with similes or metaphors . For example, raining cats and dogs.

Use verbs that sound like the weather

Onomatopoeic verbs and words are perfect for describing the weather because they make a sound.

Here are a few examples to illustrate sound words.

The pitter-patter of raindrops.

Thunder rumbled overhead.

Light hail pinged on the window pane.

With each step, the fresh snow crunched underfoot.

A bolt of lightning cracked across the night sky.

A cold north wind hissed through the trees.

A sudden boom of thunder forewarned us of the approaching storm.

Verbs and words like these are extremely useful because they are action words and highly descriptive.

This article is not a lesson or lecture on how to describe the weather in writing.

It’s purely a reminder that you can always improve.

I have listed a few ideas above, but there are many more ways you can make the weather more interesting.

All it takes is to remember that the setting for a scene or a story needs careful thought and imagination.

But if there are two key takeaways from my article, they are these.

1. Avoid using the grammatical expletive when referencing the weather.

2. Use noun phrases and strong verbs.

If you do those two things, the rest of your weather scene setting will come very easily.

Related reading: Words To Avoid In Writing That Say Nothing

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Derek Haines

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Let it snow: 6 of the best descriptions of winter weather in literature.

Oh, the weather outside is frightful! But the reading is so delightful… Weather (sorry) or not you love the snow—blanketing your driveway, stalling your subway lines—it’s hard to deny that there have been some pretty darn good descriptions of it in literature, the kind that make you want to curl up by the fire (or, in my case, the space heater). Personally, I think I like winter weather best when it’s on the page and not the thing standing between me and the closest bar or the corner bodega when I’m out of popcorn. In an attempt to reframe the cold months ahead for myself, I have assembled some of the most beautiful/relatable descriptions of snow I could find in fiction. Perhaps now I will think of it as one of these instead of being irrationally irritated by Mother Nature’s cruel attempts to curb my snacking and my social life. So, here we go: let it snow! Sit down with these delightfully icy passages, and keep the hot cocoa coming.

From Leo Tolstoy’s  Anna Karenina :

At first she was unable to read. To begin with she was bothered by the bustle and movement; then, when the train started moving, she could not help listening to the noises; then the snow that beat against the left-hand window and stuck to the glass, and the sight of the conductor passing by, all bundled up and covered with snow on one side, and the talk about the terrible blizzard outside, distracted her attention. Further on it was all the same; the same jolting and knocking, the same snow on the window, the same quick transitions from steaming heat to cold and back to heat, the same flashing of the same faces in the semi-darkness, and the same voices, and Anna began to read and understand what she was reading.

From Italo Calvino’s   If on a winter’s night a traveler :

So here I am walking along this empty surface that is the world. There is a wind grazing the ground, dragging with flurries of fine snow the last residue of the vanished world: a bunch of ripe grapes which seems just picked from the vine, an infant’s woolen bootee, a well-oiled hinge, a page that seems torn from a novel written in Spanish, with a woman’s name: Amaranta. Was it a few seconds ago that everything ceased to exist, or many centuries? I’ve already lost any sense of time.

From Ali Smith’s  Winter :

And here instead’s another version of what was happening that morning, as if from a novel in which Sophia is the kind of character she’d choose to be, prefer to be, a character in a much more classic sort of story, perfectly honed and comforting, about how sombre yet bright the major-symphony of winter is and how beautiful everything looks under a high frost, how every grassblade is enhanced and silvered into individual beauty by it, how even the dull tarmac of the roads, the paving under our feet, shines when the weather’s been cold enough and how something at the heart of us, at the heart of all our cold and frozen states, melts when we encounter a time of peace on earth, goodwill to all men; a story in which there is no room for severed heads; a work in which Sophia’s perfectly honed minor-symphony modesty and narrative decorum complement the story she’s in with the right kind of quiet wisdom-from-experience ageing-female status, making it a story that’s thoughtful, dignified, conventional in structure thank God, the kind of quality literary fiction where the slow drift of snow across the landscape is merciful, has a perfect muffling decorum of its own, snow falling to whiten, soften, blur and prettify even further a landscape where there are no heads divided from bodies hanging around in the air or anywhere, either new ones, from new atrocities or murders or terrorisms, or old ones, left over from old historic atrocities and murders and terrorisms and bequeathed to the future as if in old French Revolution baskets, their wickerwork brown with the old dried blood, placed on the doorsteps of the neat and central-heating-interactive houses of now with notes tied to the handles saying please look after this head thank you […]

From Donna Tartt’s  The Secret History : 

The snow in the mountains was melting and Bunny had been dead for several weeks before we came to understand the gravity of our situation.

From Kelly Link’s  Stranger Things Happen :

The next day it was snowing and he went out for a pack of cigarettes and never came back. You sat on the patio drinking something warm and alcoholic, with nutmeg in it, and the snow fell on your shoulders. You were wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt; you were pretending that you weren’t cold, and that your lover would be back soon. You put your finger on the ground and then stuck it in your mouth. The snow looked like sugar, but it tasted like nothing at all.

From Charles Dickens’  A Christmas Carol :

Holly, mistletoe, red berries, ivy, turkeys, geese, game, poultry, brawn, meat, pigs, sausages, oysters, pies, puddings, fruit, and punch, all vanished instantly. So did the room, the fire, the ruddy glow, the hour of night, and they stood in the city streets on Christmas morning where (for the weather was severe) the people made a rough, but brisk and not unpleasant kind of music, in scraping the snow from the pavement in front of their dwellings, and from the tops of their houses, whence it was mad delight to the boys to see it come plumping down into the road below, and splitting into artificial little snow-storms.

The house fronts looked black enough, and the windows blacker, contrasting with the smooth white sheet of snow upon the roofs, and with the dirtier snow upon the ground; which last deposit had been ploughed up in deep furrows by the heavy wheels of carts and wagons; furrows that crossed and re-crossed each other hundreds of times where the great streets branched off; and made intricate channels, hard to trace, in the thick yellow mud and icy water. The sky was gloomy, and the shortest streets were choked up with a dingy mist, half thawed, half frozen, whose heavier particles descended in a shower of sooty atoms, as if all the chimneys in Great Britain had, by one consent, caught fire, and were blazing way to their dear hearts’ content. There was nothing very cheerful in the climate of the town, and yet was there an air of cheerfulness abroad that the clearest summer air and brightest summer sun might have endeavoured to diffuse in vain.

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101 Words To Describe Weather

Writers know that using the weather in their descriptions is a great way to make stories more relatable. Use this comprehensive list of words that describe weather  when you write.

Writers Write is a resource for writers and we have written about words that describe taste , smell , sound , and touch  in previous posts. (We even have one for words that describe colours .) In this post, I have included words that describe weather.

Weather is a wonderful tool for writers. We can use it to foreshadow , create a mood , complicate a plot , show a character , and increase or decrease the pace of a story. We can even use it as a motif .

A setting without the weather is like a character without a wardrobe.

Remember that we need to describe weather through our characters’ interactions with their environments. We should not describe it like a weather report. You could show how cold it is by the clothes they choose to wear or mention the weather in dialogue.

Whatever you do, don’t leave it out. There are unintended consequences to a lack of setting , including a static character, a lack of atmosphere, an inability for the reader to relate to the place and time in the story, and a lack of details.

What Is Weather?

According to Oxford it is ‘the state of the atmosphere at a particular place and time as regards heat, cloudiness, dryness, sunshine, wind, rain, etc.’

Words To Describe Weather

General words describing weather.

• climate – the type of weather that a country or region has
• climate change – changes in the earth’s weather, including changes in temperature, wind patterns and rainfall, especially the increase in the temperature of the earth’s atmosphere that is caused by the increase of particular gases, especially carbon dioxide
• meteorology – the scientific study of weather
• seasonal – suitable or typical of the time of year it is now
• spell – a period when there is a particular type of weather
• weather forecast  – a report on likely weather conditions for a period of time in the future
• zone – one of the large areas that the world is divided into according to its temperature

Words Describing Warm Weather

• balmy – warm and pleasant
• blistering – extremely hot in a way that is uncomfortable
• dog days – the hottest days of the year
• heatwave – a continuous period of very hot weather, especially when this is unusual
• Indian summer – a period of warm weather in autumn
• scorcher – an extremely hot day
• sunny – not stormy or cloudy
• thaw – ice and snow turns into water
• the heat – very hot weather
• tropical – like weather near the equator, climate that is frost-free

Words Describing Cold Weather

• bleak – very cold and grey
• biting – so cold that it makes you feel uncomfortable
• brisk – fairly cold and a fairly strong wind is blowing
• crisp – cold and dry
• fresh – fairly cold and the wind is blowing
• frosty – cold enough to produce frost
• hard – a very cold winter
• harsh – extremely cold and unpleasant
• icy – very cold, like ice
• raw – cold and unpleasant
• snowy – covered with snow

Words Describing Pleasant Weather

• calm – very little wind
• clear – no clouds, rain, etc.
• clement – pleasant because it is neither very hot nor very cold
• cloudless – no clouds in the sky
• equable – does not change very much
• fair – pleasant and not raining
• fine – sunny and not raining
• pleasant – dry and neither very hot nor very cold
• still – without wind
• temperate – a temperate climate or region is never extremely hot or extremely cold
• windless – without any wind

Words To Describe Unpleasant Weather

• bone-dry – completely without water or moisture
• fierce – very strong or severe
• foul – unpleasant, with rain, snow, or wind
• gale-force – an extremely strong wind
• gusty – the wind blowing in gusts
• humid – hot and wet in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable
• muggy –  warm in an unpleasant way because the air feels wet
• murky – dark and unpleasant because of fog, clouds, etc.
• severe – extremely unpleasant and likely to cause harm or damage
• sultry – the air is hot and slightly wet
• threatening – clouds, skies, or seas show that the weather is likely to be bad
• torrential – rain falling in large amounts
• unseasonable – not the type of weather that you expect in a particular season
• windy – with a lot of wind

Words To Describe Wet & Cloudy Weather

• bank – a large mass of cloud or fog
• billow – a cloud that rises and moves in a large mass
• blizzard – a snowstorm with very strong winds
• cirrocumulus – small round clouds that form lines high in the sky
• cirrostratus – a thin layer of cloud found very high in the sky
• cirrus – a type of thin cloud found very high in the sky
• cloudy – full of clouds
• column – something that rises up into the air in a straight line
• cumulonimbus – a mass of very tall thick cloud that usually brings rain and sometimes thunder
• cumulus – a large low white cloud that is round at the top and flat at the bottom
• dull – when there are a lot of clouds and it is rather dark
• fog – a thick cloud that forms close to the ground or to water and is difficult to see through (fog is thicker than mist)
• fogbound – not able to operate normally because of thick fog
• foggy – full of fog or covered with fog
• gather – if clouds gather, they start to appear and cover part of the sky
• grey – when it is not very bright, because there is a lot of cloud
• hurricane – a violent storm with very strong winds
• inclement – unpleasantly cold or wet
• lower – if clouds lower, they are very dark, as if a storm is coming
• mist – small drops of liquid in the air
• misty – lots of mist in the air
• nimbus – a dark grey rain cloud
• overcast – a sky completely full of clouds
• pall – cloud that covers an area and makes it darker
• pea souper – thick low cloud that prevents you from seeing anything
• scud – clouds moving quickly
• sea mist – a thin low cloud that comes onto the land from the sea
• steam- the wet substance that forms on windows and mirrors when wet air suddenly becomes hot or cold
• storm cloud – a very dark cloud
• squall – a sudden violent gust of wind or localized storm, especially one bringing rain, snow, or sleet.
• thundercloud – a storm cloud producing thunder
• tsunami – an extremely large wave in the sea
• typhoon – a violent tropical storm with very strong winds
• vapour – very small drops of water or other liquids in the air that make the air feel wet
• vog – smog that contains dust and gas from volcanoes

Words To Describe Changes In Weather

• break – if the weather breaks, it changes unexpectedly, and usually becomes worse
• break through – if the sun breaks through the clouds, it appears from behind them
• brighten up – if the weather brightens up, it becomes sunnier
• clear up – if the weather clears up, the clouds or rain go away
• close in – if the weather closes in, it becomes unpleasant
• cloud – to become darker because grey clouds are forming in the sky
• ease – if bad weather such as wind or rain eases, it becomes less strong
• fickle – weather that is fickle changes often and unexpectedly
• lift – if something such as cloud or fog lifts, the weather improves and you can see clearly again
• melt away – if ice or snow melts away, it changes into water as it gets warmer
• thaw – if the weather thaws, it becomes warmer and causes ice or snow to change into liquid
• track – if weather tracks in a particular direction, it moves in that direction

The Last Word

I hope these words that describe weather help you with your writing.

If you’re looking for help with describing setting, buy our Setting Up The Setting Workbook .

More Posts Like This One:

• 155 Words To Describe An Author’s Tone
• 140 Words To Describe Mood In Fiction
• 75 Words That Describe Smells
• 20 Words Used To Describe Specific Tastes And Flavours
• 209 Words To Describe Touch
• 204 Words That Describe Colours
• 106 Ways To Describe Sounds
• Cheat Sheets for Writing Body Language
• 350 Character Traits

If you liked this blogger’s writing, you may enjoy:

• How To Tell If You’re Writing About The Wrong Character
• The Unintended Consequences Of A Lack Of Setting
• Why Memoirists Are Their Own Worst Enemies
• Why Writers Should Create A Setting Like A Character
• The Ultimate Memoirist’s Checklist
• 40 Ways To Write About Empathy
• How To Choose Your Genre
• What Is An Analogy & How Do I Write One?
• 5 Ways To Write About Real People In Memoirs

Sources: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com https://www.macmillandictionary.com/thesaurus-category/british/general-words-for-climate-and-the-weather https://www.macmillandictionary.com/thesaurus-category/british/warm-and-hot-weather https://www.macmillandictionary.com/thesaurus-category/british/words-used-to-describe-cold-weather https://www.macmillandictionary.com/thesaurus-category/british/words-used-to-describe-calm-and-pleasant-weather https://www.macmillandictionary.com/thesaurus-category/british/words-used-to-describe-unpleasant-weather https://www.macmillandictionary.com/thesaurus-category/british/moisture-in-the-air-clouds-and-cloudy-weather https://www.macmillandictionary.com/thesaurus-category/british/changes-in-the-weather

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• Description , Featured Post , Writing Resource , Writing Tips from Amanda Patterson

1 thought on “101 Words To Describe Weather”

And nowadays there’s also Pyrocumulonimbus.

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Essay on Rainy days for Students and Children

500+ words essay on rainy days.

Essay on Rainy Days – Rainy days are different from any other day. They hold great importance for everyone differently. People have different reasons to wait for the Rainy Season eagerly. After all, it brings a sigh relief for everyone. No matter what the weather may be, a rainy day relaxes and soothes our soul. There is no age limit to enjoy rainy days people of almost every age enjoy it equally. Thus, rainy days are very important for a number of reasons.

Importance of Rainy Days

As stated earlier, rainy days are enjoyed by people of all ages. The kids are probably the most excited lot of all. Rainy days bring pleasant weather and uplift the moods of kids. Moreover, it gives them a chance to step out and play in the rain, jump in the puddles and make paper boats.

Similarly, for students, a rainy day means a break from school. It gives them a break from their monotonous routine as the school declares a holiday. The joy of going to school on a rainy day enjoying the weather and then realizing the school is closed is one of a kind experience. The students become relaxed and spend their day doing other activities like going out with friends and more.

If we look at rainy days from the perspective of a common man, we see how it brings them relief from the heat. It changes their mood and also their dull routine. In other words, rainy days give them a chance for rejuvenation amidst the stress.

Most importantly, we see rainy days are of utmost importance for farmers. It is quite essential for the production of crops. It provides them with adequate water to make their crops flourish which will eventually benefit them.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

My Rainy Day Experience

When I think of rainy days, it brings back very special memories for me. However, one memory is such which is the closest to my heart. I remember our teacher scheduled a test for us when it started raining heavily.

I woke up in the morning with the fear of taking the test for which I was not prepared. I prayed to God for the cancellation of the test. As I was getting ready, it started raining heavily. I got dressed up and went to school with my father, and to my surprise, we came to know the school was closed that day due to a rainy day.

I was on top of the world when I came to know about it. I returned with my father and came back then undressed. Immediately, I changed into my home clothes to go f\and bathe in the rain on my terrace. I played with my siblings a lot in the rain; we made paper boats as well. After we were done, we saw that my mother was making onion fritters. She served them burning hot with chili chutney. We relished the fritters as we watched the rainfall. It was truly one of the most memorable rainy days of mine.

{ “@context”: “https://schema.org”, “@type”: “FAQPage”, “mainEntity”: [{ “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “How do rainy days benefit farmers?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “Rainy days benefit farmers the most. They bring a sigh of relief for them. As it waters their crops free of cost and helps them flourish. They give them good produce which, in turn, benefits them eventually.” } }, { “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “How can one enjoy rainy days?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”:”There are various ways to enjoy their rainy days. You can sit in your balcony and sip on tea while enjoying the weather. Moreover, you may go out in the garden or terrace and bathe in it. Make paper boats and take a long drive on the road as well.”} }] }

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Igcse first language english descriptive composition essay bank.

Welcome to the best Descriptive Composition Bank for the IGCSE First Language English exam on the internet.

Some of the essays were written by students who are working with me or have worked with me in the past.

Generally, a site membership (premium) is required for you to view this Composition essay bank in entirety, and it will give you access to all essays for exams across 2021 till 2023, written to the highest specifications.

Feel free to view the samples below! (A Free membership is required).

October/November

• Describe a theme park or attraction when it is open and when it is closed.
• Describe a group of people meeting to rehearse or practise.
• Describe an object that has been broken for a long time.
• Write a description with the title ‘A special building – inside and outside’.
• Describe the people waiting for an important visitor to arrive.
• Describe the contents of a drawer or cupboard.
• Describe a shop you remember visiting in the past.
• Describe the experience of seeing an animal.
• Describe a room before and after being decorated or renovated.
• Write a description with the title, ‘The performer’.
• Describe a set of new clothes.
• Describe the people in a park at different times of the year.
• Describe walking or riding along a path or track you have not explored before.
• Write a description with the title, ‘Getting busier and busier’.
• Describe a flying object or creature as it takes off, moves through the air and then lands again.
• Write a description with the title, ‘A moment of stillness’.
• Describe a journey through, on or over water.
• Describe a group of people celebrating a special occasion.
• Write a description with the title, ‘The nest’.
• Describe the preparations you make for an important journey.
• Describe an outdoor event which is ruined by bad weather.
• Describe a group of people who are on holiday.
• Describe a group of people meeting for the first time after a long separation.
• Describe a city street in very bad weather.

2021 and beyond:

• Describe the inside of an interesting shop.
• Write a description of a place where animals are kept in captivity, such as a zoo, wildlife park or sea-life centr e.
• Describe a wild place.
• Write a description with the title, ‘An unexpected meeting’.
• Describe a busy workplace.
• Write a description with the title, ‘The beach by night’.
• Describe an object you find hidden somewhere outdoors.
• Describe the moment you receive some welcome news.
• Describe trying to sleep before an important day.
• Write a description with the title, ‘The view from the other side’.
• Describe a group of tourists outside an attraction.
• Write a description with the title, ‘Floating’.

Sample Essays

Describe an outdoor event which is ruined by bad weather. (Essay #1) – Free membership required.

Summer 2022, Paper 2 Variant 2.

Describe an outdoor event which is ruined by bad weather. (Essay #2)

victortanws

2 thoughts on “ igcse first language english descriptive composition essay bank ”.

September 12, 2023 1:11 am

Hi. I have my igcse exams in 2025. I am really nervous about my descriptive writing and response to reading tasks. Please share some tips.

February 23, 2024 7:18 pm

Definitely practice a lot, and do lots of past papers – make sure you are sure about how much time you have and make sure to get to the level of being able to consistently finish a piece of work you’re satisfied with 🙂

Of course, getting lots of good examples is also helpful! The Descriptive and Narrative essay bank is pretty useful for that, and if you’d like full access, feel free to sign up for a premium membership!

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Beginning A Composition With Weather Descriptions

• Sunday, Sep 9th, 2018
• By: BIG IDEAZ
• Composition Framework
• Writing Techniques

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Weather description is one of the easiest ways for young writers (6 to 8 years old) to begin their compositions. This is also usually the first story starter that they are being taught in school.

For children who are weak in the language, writing a good weather description can be an easy and effective way to get them started in their composition.

However, most teachers do not encourage flowery weather descriptions such as these:

“White fluffy clouds dotted the azure blue sky as the sun beamed beatifically, casting a golden glow upon the earth.”

“The sky was an expanse of sapphire blue, dotted with feathery white clouds as the radiant rays of the sun shone brightly in the azure blue sky.”

You get the picture.

Proper Use of Weather Descriptions in English Compositions

Weather descriptions is an easy way for young writers to begin their stories. Primary 1 and 2 students can start their compositions with weather descriptions, if weather plays a part in the plot.

There is no need to memorise a hugh chunk of bombastic weather descriptions.

Simple words can sometimes be more effective than bombastic ones.

These are some of the weather descriptions written by our P1 and P2 students:

“It was a cool and breezy evening. A strong gust of wind blew against my face.” 

“It was a bright and sunny morning. White, fluffy clouds drifted across the sky.”

“Lightning flashed across the sky. A storm was coming.”

Short. Simple. Readable.

The kids came up with these weather descriptions themselves, without memorising any bombastic phrases.

Most importantly, they are natural, something which children can understand, remember and apply in their writing.

Get this set of PSLE Model Compositions with writing techniques highlighted.

So, how can children be taught to write weather descriptions?

For children who are really weak in the language, even writing a simple sentence to describe a sunny day can be difficult. These children often resort to starting their compositions with “One day, we went…” or “One fine day, Peter was …” or “Last Sunday, my family and I …”.

Such story beginnings can be boring and not captivating.

Students can learn to write effective weather descriptions.  In our classes, we get our students to do brainstorming.

1. Brainstorm and make a list of all kinds of weather that you can think of.

• cold and rainy
• cool and breezy
• bright and sunny
• scorching hot

2. For each weather type, imagine how the sky, sun, clouds and other weather elements look like.

Describe each element in simple, readable English .

Weather Type: BRIGHT AND SUNNY

Describe the sun: – shines brilliantly – bright – like a fire ball

Describe the sky: – clear, blue sky

Describe the clouds: – white, fluffy clouds – sunlit clouds

3. Form sentences using some of these descriptions.

It was a  bright and sunny  day. The  sun shone brilliantly  in the  clear, blue sky .

It was a  bright and sunny  day.  White, fluffy clouds  drifted across the  clear, blue sky .

The above 3 steps are effective in teaching young children (Primary 1 to 3) to come up with weather descriptions that sound natural. Most children are able to come up with beautiful weather descriptions without resorting to the method of memorising huge chunks of unreadable flowery language.  

Download the FREE Brainstorming Sheet for Weather Description

Use Weather Descriptions Appropriately 

Some students have the habit of starting every composition with weather descriptions, regardless of topic or setting. Remember to use weather descriptions only if weather plays a part in your story. For example, if a rainy weather contributes to the plot of the story, it is a good idea to describe the weather, especially the rain and the coldness.  If a story is set outdoors, it is fine to describe the weather too.

However, many students fell into the trap of starting their compositions with describing the sun, the clouds and the sky when their story is set indoors! This is a huge mistake, which should be stopped.

Other Types of Story Beginnings

For stories which are not set outdoors or not affected by the weather, there are other types of story beginnings that can be used.

Students can begin their compositions with speech , which is also a common way of beginning a primary school composition.

Another effective way is to begin with a captivating statement or an intriguing question. Such a beginning hooks readers immediately to read on. When used correctly, it piques a reader’s curiosity and make them want to continue reading to find out what happens next.

Upper primary students can begin their stories with character descriptions . This is useful to show a change in the character at the end of the story. For example, a timid person who became courageous, or a bully regretting his actions and turning over a new leaf.

Beginning with an action is great if you want to move the story along quickly. Students can use suitable vivid verbs to clearly describe a character’s actions at the beginning of the story.

Get our FREE pack of 300 vocabulary cards that your child can use in his or her compositions.

Writing is a skill that improves with practice.

Enrol in our highly popular Writing Academy or Junior Writing Academy , our online courses that support primary school students in developing their English composition writing skills.

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Author: BIG IDEAZ

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