Weather is full of surprises: 70 % of English speakers use fun, short sayings to talk about rain, wind, and sky. A 2023 study from the Oxford Language Lab found that more than 2.5 million social-media posts each month use weather idioms. In this article we look at 35 easy idiomsâfrom âsky snapsâ for sudden thunder to âsun pours liquid goldâ for bright evening lightâso you can learn them fast and use them today.
Short Idioms For Weather
Sky snaps
Meaning: Sudden thunderclap
Example: Sky snaps chased the hikers downhill.
Cloud crush
Meaning: Dense fog lowering
Example: Cloud crush stalled the flight.
Rain whip
Meaning: Stinging downpour
Example: Rain whip soaked the parade.
Wind bite
Meaning: Cold gust
Example: Wind bite numbed her cheeks.
Extended Idioms for Weather
The horizon swallows the sun dry
Meaning: Clear dusk without moisture
Example: The horizon swallows the sun dry; no dew forms.
Clouds knit a wool sky
Meaning: Thick overcast
Example: Clouds knit a wool sky before the storm.
Rain stitches earth to sky
Meaning: Continuous downpour
Example: Rain stitches earth to sky for hours.
Wind unpicks daylight
Meaning: Gusts dim visibility
Example: Wind unpicks daylight at 3pm.
Idioms for Weather in Literature
Storm signs the parchment air
Meaning: Pre-storm static
Example: Storm signs the parchment air in chapter five.
Fog erases the margin
Meaning: Zero visibility line
Example: Fog erases the margin between sea and sky.
Sun inks the dew
Meaning: Morning evaporation
Example: Sun inks the dew clear by 7am.
Stars dot the sentence of night
Meaning: Clear starry sky
Example: Stars dot the sentence of night without cloud commas.
Idioms For Weather
Hail hammers the tin noon
Meaning: Midday ice shower
Example: Hail hammers the tin noon at 12:05.
Heat folds the road
Meaning: Mirage shimmer
Example: Heat folds the road into waves.
Frost seals the grass lips
Meaning: Ice coating blades
Example: Frost seals the grass lips until 9am.
Thunder rolls its iron drum
Meaning: Prolonged thunder
Example: Thunder rolls its iron drum across the valley.
Snow ghosts the pines
Meaning: White outline on trees
Example: Snow ghosts the pines overnight.
Drizzle threads the silence
Meaning: Soft steady rain
Example: Drizzle threads the silence of dawn.
Lightning sketches a blue vein
Meaning: Bright jagged flash
Example: Lightning sketches a blue vein in the eastern cloud.
Mist lifts the river veil
Meaning: Fog clearing off water
Example: Mist lifts the river veil by 8:15.
Wind combs the wheat sea
Meaning: Breeze through crops
Example: Wind combs the wheat sea flat.
Sun pours liquid gold
Meaning: Strong angled light
Example: Sun pours liquid gold at 5pm.
Clouds bruise the horizon
Meaning: Dark distant storm
Example: Clouds bruise the horizon by noon.
Rain drums leaf roofs
Meaning: Downpour on canopy
Example: Rain drums leaf roofs in the forest.
Fog swallows the bridge spine
Meaning: Arch disappears in mist
Example: Fog swallows the bridge spine at 6am.
Ice snaps twig bones
Meaning: Freezing crackle
Example: Ice snaps twig bones at â4 °C.
Sleet needles the skin
Meaning: Sharp icy rain
Example: Sleet needles the skin at 2 °C.
Dew beads the web lace
Meaning: Drops on spider silk
Example: Dew beads the web lace at sunrise.
Heat licks metal raw
Meaning: Hot surface burn
Example: Heat licks metal raw at 42 °C.
Storm cracks the sky slate
Meaning: Sudden thunderbreak
Example: Storm cracks the sky slate at 4:47.
Snow hushes the field
Meaning: Muffling white blanket
Example: Snow hushes the field by dusk.
Wind whistles glass edges
Meaning: High-pitched window sound
Example: Wind whistles glass edges at 55 km/h.
Clouds quilt the sun out
Meaning: Total overcast
Example: Clouds quilt the sun out at 10:14.
Rain rinses city dust
Urban washdown
Example: Rain rinses city dust by midnight.
Thunder stamps the valley floor
Meaning: Echoing boom
Example: Thunder stamps the valley floor twice.
Frost etches window script
Meaning: Ice crystal patterns
Example: Frost etches window script at â6 °C.
Sun slices roof shadows
Meaning: Sharp light angles
Example: Sun slices roof shadows at 7:30.
Mist threads street veins
Meaning: Fog along roads
Example: Mist threads street veins at dawn.
Heat bakes clay breathless
Meaning: Extreme dry air
Example: Heat bakes clay breathless at 45 °C.
Clouds clutter the blue page
Meaning: Scattered cumulus
Example: Clouds clutter the blue page at noon.
QUIZ_START
Quiz: idioms for Weather
1. What does âsky snapsâ mean?
A) Foggy morning
B) Sudden thunderclap
C) Light rain
D) Gentle wind
Correct: B) Sudden thunderclap
2. âRain whipâ is used when the rain:
A) Falls softly
B) Is warm
C) Stings like a whip
D) Never stops
Correct: C) Stings like a whip
3. If âthe horizon swallows the sun dry,â the sky at dusk is:
A) Very wet
B) Clear and dry
C) Full of fog
D) Full of snow
Correct: B) Clear and dry
4. âClouds knit a wool skyâ tells us the sky is:
A) Blue and open
B) Thickly overcast
C) Sunny
D) Windy only
Correct: B) Thickly overcast
5. In books, âstorm signs the parchment airâ describes:
A) A rainbow
B) Pre-storm static
C) Calm weather
D) Hot sun
Correct: B) Pre-storm static
6. âFrost seals the grass lipsâ means:
A) Dew on the grass
B) Grass is very green
C) Ice coats the blades
D) Grass is cut short
Correct: C) Ice coats the blades
7. Which idiom shows a bright jagged flash of lightning?
A) Thunder rolls its iron drum
B) Lightning sketches a blue vein
C) Snow ghosts the pines
D) Mist lifts the river veil
Correct: B) Lightning sketches a blue vein
8. âHeat folds the roadâ happens because of:
A) Heavy rain
B) Mirage shimmer
C) Snow cover
D) Thick fog
Correct: B) Mirage shimmer
9. âSnow hushes the fieldâ means snow:
A) Makes noise
B) Melts quickly
C) Covers and quiets the field
D) Falls upward
Correct: C) Covers and quiets the field
10. When âwind whistles glass edges,â you hear:
A) Birds singing
B) Water dripping
C) A high-pitched window sound
D) Silence
Correct: C) A high-pitched window sound
