a spinning column of water and spray formed when a tornado or whirlwind occurs over water
A waterspout spun briefly across the bay.
a brief period of very cold weather
An unexpected cold snap froze the pipes overnight.
Both describe a sudden onset of very cold weather, but cold wave is the meteorological term emphasizing the size and speed of the temperature drop (and often the regional weather system behind it), while cold snap is a more everyday, casual term emphasizing how brief the cold spell is.
Homophone: reign, rein. 'Rain check' = postpone an offer. 'Right as rain' = perfectly fine.
water that falls from clouds in drops
The rain lasted all afternoon.
a large quantity of things falling
A rain of bullets hit the wall.
Distinct from snow or sleet. Hailstones can be golf-ball-sized or larger in severe storms.
pellets of frozen rain that fall in showers
The hail damaged the car's roof.
Largest recorded hailstone: about 8 inches in diameter (Vivian, South Dakota, 2010).
a pellet of hail
Hailstones the size of golf balls fell from the sky.
Plural: tornados or tornadoes. "Tornado Alley" = the central US plains where tornados are most common.
a mobile, destructive vortex of violently rotating winds appearing as a funnel cloud
The tornado destroyed several homes.
Both are rotating columns of air, but a whirlwind is small and relatively harmless, while a tornado is a large, violent, and highly destructive storm.
Distinct from snow, hail, freezing rain: though boundaries are fuzzy and definitions vary by region.
a mixture of rain and snow, or rain that freezes as it falls
The forecast called for sleet later in the day.
Pronounced "drowt", not "drot". Often used metaphorically: "a drought of new ideas".
a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall
The region suffered a severe drought.
Same phenomenon called "hurricane" (Atlantic/E. Pacific), "typhoon" (W. Pacific), or "cyclone" (Indian Ocean). Categorized 1-5 on Saffir-Simpson scale. Famous: Katrina (2005), Sandy (2012).
a violent storm with very strong winds, especially in the Atlantic
Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans.
From Latin humidus (moist). "Hot and humid": common weather complaint, especially in tropical climates.
having a high level of moisture in the air
Summers in Tokyo are very humid.
the amount of water vapor in the air
The humidity made the heat unbearable.
"Jack Frost": personification of frost in folklore. "Frost": Robert Frost, famous American poet.
a thin layer of ice on a cold surface
There was frost on the windshield.
Used both literally (frosty morning) and figuratively (frosty reception = unfriendly).
very cold; covered with frost
It's a frosty morning.
Not the same word as "lightening" (making lighter). "Lightning never strikes the same place twice": myth (actually it does). "Lightning-fast": very quick.
a flash of bright light during a thunderstorm
Lightning struck the tree.
Lighter than rain. Cooking: "drizzle olive oil" = pour in a thin stream. "Lemon drizzle cake": UK classic.
light fine rain
A cold drizzle fell all afternoon.
Caused by rapidly expanding air heated by lightning. "Thunderstorm". "Steal someone's thunder": take credit for their work.
the loud sound after a flash of lightning
Thunder rumbled in the distance.
"Shoot the breeze" = chat casually. "Breeze through" = do easily. "A breeze" (informal) = something easy.
a light gentle wind
A cool breeze blew off the sea.
"Weather the storm" = endure difficulty. "Calm before the storm": peaceful period before trouble. "Storm in a teacup" = much ado about nothing.
a violent atmospheric disturbance
A storm rolled in from the sea.
a storm with heavy snow and strong wind
The snowstorm closed every school in the county.
a storm with very strong winds but little rain
The windstorm knocked down power lines across the region.
having strong winds and heavy rain
It was a dark and stormy night.
Officially defined by sustained wind speed + visibility + duration. "Blizzard" (game studio): World of Warcraft, Diablo. Dairy Queen "Blizzard": soft-serve dessert.
a severe snowstorm with strong winds
The blizzard closed all the roads.
Same storm, different names by region: "cyclone" (Indian Ocean, South Pacific), "hurricane" (Atlantic, NE Pacific), "typhoon" (NW Pacific).
a large violent rotating storm
The cyclone devastated the coast.
From Chinese "taifeng" (great wind) or Greek "typhon" (whirlwind). Famous: Typhoon Haiyan (2013, Philippines, 6,300+ dead).
a tropical cyclone in the western Pacific
Typhoon Hagibis hit Japan in 2019.
From Arabic 'mawsim' (season).
a seasonal wind of South Asia, and the very heavy rains it brings in summer
The monsoon flooded the streets of Mumbai.