How to talk about weather

#1Sweltering/ˈsweltərɪŋ/duszny, upalnyThe office air conditioning broke down during the sweltering July afternoon, making it impossible to focus on spreadsheets.

#2Scorching/ˈskɔːrtʃɪŋ/skwarny, upalnyLast summer, the scorching sun forced most of the city residents to stay indoors until late in the evening.

#3Boiling (hot)/ˈbɔɪlɪŋ (hɒt)/strasznie gorąco (potocznie)It's absolutely boiling in here — can someone please open a window before we all melt?

#4Bitterly cold/ˈbɪtərli koʊld/przeraźliwie zimnoEven though it was bitterly cold outside, Mark decided to walk to the station to clear his head.

#5Freezing/ˈfriːzɪŋ/mroźny / poniżej zeraIt was absolutely freezing on the way to work this morning, and I could see my breath at the bus stop.

#6Chilly/ˈtʃɪli/chłodny, chłodnawyIt got quite chilly after sunset, so we moved the dinner party from the garden into the dining room.

#7Nippy/ˈnɪpi/chłodny, rześkiIt's a bit nippy this morning, so you'd better grab a scarf before heading out to the market.

#8Mild/maɪld/łagodny (o temperaturze)The weather has been surprisingly mild for November, so most people are still walking around without heavy coats.

#9Crisp/krɪsp/rześki (o powietrzu)They enjoyed a long walk through the park, breathing in the crisp morning air before the meeting started.

#10Bracing/ˈbreɪsɪŋ/ożywczy, hartującyA bracing walk along the windy coastline was exactly what Sarah needed after a stressful week at work.

#1Drizzle/ˈdrɪzl/mżawkaThe fine drizzle didn't stop them from walking to the office, but their jackets were quite damp upon arrival.

#2Heavy shower/ˈhevi ˈʃaʊər/silny, przelotny deszczWe had to postpone the outdoor team-building event because a heavy shower suddenly soaked the entire garden area.

#3Downpour/ˈdaʊnpɔːr/ulewaEveryone ran for cover when a sudden downpour started just as the outdoor wedding ceremony was about to begin.

#4Torrential rain/təˈrenʃl reɪn/ulewny deszczDriving to the airport was quite dangerous because the torrential rain made it nearly impossible to see the road.

#5Sleet/sliːt/deszcz ze śniegiemThe commute was miserable this morning as the sleet turned the city pavements into a very slippery mess.

#6To let up/tə let ʌp/ zelżeć / ustąpić (o deszczu)The rain didn't let up all afternoon, so we had no choice but to cancel the outdoor training session entirely. 

#7To pour (down)/tə pɔːr (daʊn)/lać (o deszczu)We were planning a nice barbecue for Saturday, but it poured down all day so we ordered pizza instead.

#8To bucket (down)/tə ˈbʌkɪt (daʊn)/lać jak z cebra (potocznie)It was absolutely bucketing down when we left the cinema, so we had to sprint to the car park.

#9To spit (with rain)/tə spɪt/kropić, siąpićIt's just spitting at the moment, so we probably don't need umbrellas — but take one just in case.

#10Soaking wet/ˈsoʊkɪŋ wet/przemoczony do suchej nitkiI forgot my umbrella and got caught in the rain, so I arrived at the office completely soaking wet. 

#1Breeze/briːz/bryza / lekki wiatrA gentle breeze blew through the open window, making the long afternoon meeting much more pleasant for everyone.

#2Gust/ɡʌst/poryw wiatruA sudden gust of wind blew the important contract right out of the manager's hand as he left the building.

#3Blustery/ˈblʌstəri/wietrzny / porywistyIt was such a blustery autumn day that many commuters struggled to keep their umbrellas from turning inside out.

#4Gale-force wind/ɡeɪl fɔːrs wɪndz/wiatr o sile wichuryThe ferry service was cancelled today because gale-force winds made crossing the channel far too dangerous for passengers.

#5To blow a gale/tə bloʊ ə ɡeɪl/wiać z ogromną siłąIt was blowing a gale outside, so we decided to skip our lunchtime walk and eat in the canteen instead.

#6Thunderstorm/ˈθʌndərstɔːrm/burza z piorunamiWe had to disconnect all the electronic equipment in the office when a violent thunderstorm passed over the city.

#7A flash of lightning/ə flæʃ əv ˈlaɪtnɪŋ/błysk piorunaA sudden flash of lightning lit up the entire sky...

Hailstorm /ˈheɪlstɔːrm/ burza gradowa A sudden hailstorm dented several cars in the company parking lot, leading to many insurance claims the next morning.

#9To howl /tə haʊl/ wyć (o wietrze) The wind howled through the empty streets all night, keeping most of the residents in the block wide awake.

#10Wind chill /wɪnd tʃɪl/ temperatura odczuwalna (z wiatrem) The temperature was only minus two, but the wind chill made it feel closer to minus ten on the exposed hilltop.

#1Overcast /ˌoʊvərˈkæst/ całkowite zachmurzenie The sky was completely overcast, making the outdoor corporate photoshoot look much more gloomy than we had originally planned.

#2Partly cloudy /ˈpɑːrtli ˈklaʊdi/ częściowe zachmurzenie The forecast said partly cloudy with some sunny intervals, so we decided to risk having the lunch meeting on the terrace.

#3Cloudless /ˈklaʊdləs/ bezchmurny They enjoyed a beautiful, cloudless afternoon while sitting on the terrace of the cafe during their long lunch break.

#4Clear skies /klɪr skaɪz/ czyste / bezchmurne niebo The pilot announced that we could expect clear skies for most of the flight, with a smooth landing in Barcelona.

#5Bright spells /braɪt spelz/ przejaśnienia The morning will be mostly grey, but the forecast promises some bright spells later in the afternoon across the south.

#6Dull /dʌl/ pochmurny / szary It was another dull, grey day in November, and nobody in the office felt particularly motivated to do anything productive.

#7Gloomy /ˈɡluːmi/ ponury / mroczny The gloomy atmosphere of the grey morning made it difficult for the marketing team to feel inspired during their meeting.

#8Thick fog /θɪk fɒɡ/ gęsta mgła Driving to the conference was quite stressful because the thick fog reduced visibility to less than fifty metres on the motorway.

#9Hazy sunshine /ˈheɪzi ˈsʌnʃaɪn/ mgliste słońce / zamglone słońce The forecast promised hazy sunshine for most of the afternoon, so it felt warm but the sky never really turned blue.

#10Low cloud /loʊ klaʊd/ niskie chmury The hikers had to turn back because low cloud covered the mountain path and made navigation too risky.

#1Sticky heat/ˈstɪki hiːt/lepkie gorąco / duszne gorącoI really struggle to work in this sticky heat — give me a dry, sunny day over this any time.

#2Muggy/ˈmʌɡi/parny / dusznyIt was such a muggy afternoon that Sarah decided to cancel her run and stay in the air-conditioned library instead.

#3I can't breathe in here /aɪ kɑːnt briːð ɪn hɪər/ nie mogę tu oddychać Can someone open a window? I can't breathe in here — it's been closed up since yesterday afternoon.

#4Stuffy /ˈstʌfi/ duszny (brak świeżego powietrza) The meeting room became quite stuffy after three hours, so someone finally opened a window to let in some fresh air.

#5To be drenched in sweat /tə bi drentʃt ɪn swet/ być zlany potem By the time I walked from the station to the office, I was absolutely drenched in sweat and had to change my shirt.

#6Cold and damp /koʊld ənd dæmp/ zimno i wilgotno The basement office was cold and damp all winter, so the team eventually complained to management about the working conditions.

#7Dry heat /draɪ hiːt/ suche gorąco The heat in Madrid was intense but bearable because it was a dry heat, unlike the humidity back home in London.

#8Not a breath of wind /nɒt ə breθ əv wɪnd/ bez krzty wiatru It was thirty-five degrees and not a breath of wind, so even sitting in the shade didn't help at all.

#9A breath of fresh air/ə breθ əv freʃ eər/powiew świeżego powietrzaAfter eight hours in that stuffy office, stepping outside into the cool evening was a real breath of fresh air.

#10High pollen count/haɪ ˈpɒlən kaʊnt/wysokie stężenie pyłkówThe weather report warned about a high pollen count, so James made sure to take allergy medication before hiking.

#1 Under the weather /ˈʌndər ðə ˈweðər/ czuć się nieswojo / kiepsko Sarah decided to stay home from the marketing meeting because she was feeling a bit under the weather.

#2 Weather the storm /ˈweðər ðə stɔːrm/ przetrwać trudny okres Despite the sudden drop in sales, the company managed to weather the storm without laying off any employees.

#3 Save for a rainy day /seɪv fər ə ˈreɪni deɪ/ odkładać na czarną godzinę My grandfather always advised me to put some of my monthly salary aside to save for a rainy day.

#4 Every cloud has a silver lining /ˈevri klaʊd hæz ə ˈsɪlvər ˈlaɪnɪŋ/ nie ma tego złego, co by na dobre nie wyszło Losing my job was difficult, but every cloud has a silver lining — it led me to my dream career.

#5 Fair-weather friend /ˌfer ˈweðər frend/ przyjaciel na dobrą pogodę Tom realized that Mark was just a fair-weather friend when he disappeared during the most difficult project deadline.

#6 It never rains but it pours /ɪt ˈnevər reɪnz bʌt ɪt pɔːrz/ nieszczęścia chodzą parami First his car broke down and then he lost his keys — it never rains but it pours, does it?

#7 As right as rain /əz raɪt əz reɪn/ zdrów jak ryba / w pełnej formie After a few days of rest and hot tea, Jane felt as right as rain and returned to work feeling great.

#8 A storm in a teacup /ə stɔːrm ɪn ə ˈtiːkʌp/ burza w szklance wody The argument about the office seating plan turned out to be just a storm in a teacup — everyone forgot about it by Friday.

#9 To be snowed under /tə bi snoʊd ˈʌndər/ być zasypanym (pracą) I'd love to join you for lunch, but I'm completely snowed under with reports that need to be finished by tomorrow.

#10 To have your head in the clouds /tə hæv jɔːr hed ɪn ðə klaʊdz/ bujać w obłokach / być roztargnionym The boss told James to stop having his head in the clouds and focus on the quarterly budget review instead.

#1Indian summer /ˈɪndiən ˈsʌmər/ babie lato We were lucky enough to enjoy a lovely Indian summer in October, with temperatures reaching twenty degrees all week.

#2 A heat wave /ə hiːt weɪv/ fala upałów The city council opened several cooling centres to help elderly residents cope with the record-breaking summer heat wave.

#3 Spring showers /sprɪŋ ˈʃaʊərz/ wiosenne deszcze Don't forget your umbrella — April is famous for its spring showers, even when the morning looks perfectly sunny.

#4 Dead of winter /ded əv ˈwɪntər/ środek / serce zimy Nobody wanted to go out for lunch in the dead of winter, so we just ordered food to the office. 

#5 Autumn chill /ˈɔːtəm tʃɪl/ jesienny chłód The first real autumn chill arrived in late September, reminding everyone in the office that summer was definitely over.

#6 Sub-zero temperatures /sʌb ˈzɪəroʊ ˈtemprətʃərz/ temperatury poniżej zera Forecasters are warning of sub-zero temperatures across the region tonight, so make sure you protect any exposed pipes at home.

#7 To freeze over /tə friːz ˈoʊvər/ zamarznąć (o powierzchni) The canal froze over completely last January, and some brave locals even tried to skate on it at the weekend.

#8 To thaw /tə θɔː/ tajać / odwilż The snow finally started to thaw after a week of freezing conditions, turning the pavements into a slushy mess.

#9 To settle (snow) /tə ˈsetl/ utrzymywać się (o śniegu) It snowed heavily all morning, but it was too warm for it to settle, so the ground stayed wet and bare.

#10 To wrap up warm /tə ræp ʌp wɔːrm/ ciepło się ubrać / opatulić się Make sure you wrap up warm before you go out — they're saying it could drop to minus five tonight.

#1Nice day, isn't it?/naɪs deɪ ˈɪznt ɪt/Ładna pogoda, prawda?It's a nice day, isn't it? Maybe we should take our coffee break outside and enjoy the sunshine for once.

#2Can you believe this weather?/kən juː bɪˈliːv ðɪs ˈweðər/Możesz uwierzyć w tę pogodę?Can you believe this weather? I certainly didn't expect a snowstorm in the middle of April, did you?

#3Bit of a grey day, isn't it?/bɪt əv ə ɡreɪ deɪ ˈɪznt ɪt/Trochę szaro dziś, nie?Bit of a grey day, isn't it? Still, at least it's not raining — I suppose we should be grateful for that.

#4Do you think it will clear up?/du ju θɪŋk ɪt wɪl klɪr ʌp/Myślisz, że się przejaśni?Do you think it will clear up later? I really hope so because I have an outdoor wedding to go to.

#5I've had enough of this rain/aɪv hæd ɪˈnʌf əv ðɪs reɪn/Mam już dość tego deszczuI have honestly had enough of this rain — I'm seriously thinking about booking a holiday somewhere warm and sunny.

#6We could do with some sun/wi kʊd duː wɪð sʌm sʌn/Przydałoby nam się trochę słońcaWe could really do with some sun, couldn't we? It feels like it's been raining non-stop for the past three weeks.

#7I heard it's going to.../aɪ hɜːrd ɪts ˈɡoʊɪŋ tu/Słyszałem, że ma być...I heard it's going to get even colder next week, so you might want to dig out your winter coat.

#8Looks like rain/lʊks laɪk reɪn/Zanosi się na deszczIt looks like rain, so I think we should move the garden furniture into the garage before we leave.

#9It's a bit cold this morning/ɪts ə bɪt koʊld ðɪs ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/Dziś rano jest trochę chłodnoIt's a bit cold this morning, so make sure you grab a sweater before you head out to work.

#10Lovely weather for ducks/ˈlʌvli ˈweðər fər dʌks/Pogoda pod psem (ironicznie)Well, it's definitely lovely weather for ducks, isn't it? I've never seen the streets look so incredibly flooded.

#1Unsettled weather /ʌnˈsetld ˈweðər/ zmienna pogoda The weekend forecast predicts unsettled weather, so we should probably have a backup plan for the outdoor team barbecue.

#2A spell of (good/bad) weather /ə spel əv ˈweðər/ okres (dobrej/złej) pogody After a long spell of bad weather, the sun finally came out just in time for the garden party.

#3Sunny spells /ˈsʌni spelz/ przejaśnienia ze słońcem Tomorrow should be mostly dry with some sunny spells in the afternoon, so it might be worth planning a picnic.

#4To clear up /tə klɪr ʌp/ przejaśniać się / wypogadzać The meteorologist said the sky would clear up by noon, which was great news for our mountain hiking trip.

#5To brighten up /tə ˈbraɪtn ʌp/ rozchmurzać się / przejaśniać It started to brighten up after the morning meeting, so we decided to walk to the nearby Italian restaurant for lunch.

#6To set in /tə set ɪn/ nadciągać na dobre (o pogodzie) By lunchtime the rain had really set in, so we cancelled the site visit and rescheduled it for Thursday instead.

#7A cold snap /ə koʊld snæp/ nagłe ochłodzenie The sudden cold snap forced the management to turn on the heating in the office much earlier than expected.

#8To take a turn for the worse /tə teɪk ə tɜːrn fər ðə wɜːrs/ pogorszyć się (o pogodzie) We were enjoying our lunch outside when the weather suddenly took a turn for the worse and it started pouring.

#9A break in the weather /ə breɪk ɪn ðə ˈweðər/ okno pogodowe / chwilowa poprawa We waited for a small break in the weather before quickly moving all the office equipment into the van.

#10The outlook /ði ˈaʊtlʊk/ perspektywa / prognoza According to the morning news, the five-day outlook for the region is mostly sunny with very little chance of rain.

#1Drought /draʊt/ susza The severe drought caused the local government to implement strict water restrictions for all city residents last summer.

#2Flash flood /flæʃ flʌd/ nagła powódź Heavy rain triggered a flash flood that completely blocked the main entrance to the company's underground parking garage.

#3Blizzard /ˈblɪzərd/ zamieć / śnieżyca All regional flights were cancelled because the blizzard made it impossible for ground crews to clear the runways in time.

#4Hurricane /ˈhʌrɪkən/ huragan Emergency services worked through the night to repair power lines damaged by the hurricane that hit the coast.

#5Tornado /tɔːrˈneɪdoʊ/ tornado / trąba powietrzna The tornado sirens went off just as the evening shift began, forcing all factory workers to seek immediate shelter.

#6Tsunami /tsuːˈnɑːmi/ tsunami Coastal towns were quickly evacuated after experts warned that a massive tsunami was approaching the shore following the earthquake.

#7Avalanche /ˈævəlæntʃ/ lawina Ski resorts in the Alps remained closed for several days due to the high risk of a dangerous avalanche.

#8Landslide /ˈlændslaɪd/ osuwisko Intense rainfall caused a landslide that destroyed several mountain roads, cutting off the small village from the nearest town.

#9Severe weather warning /sɪˈvɪr ˈweðər ˈwɔːrnɪŋ/ ostrzeżenie przed groźnymi warunkami The Met Office issued a severe weather warning for the entire south-east region, advising people to avoid all unnecessary travel.

#10To take shelter/tə teɪk ˈʃeltər/schronić sięWhen the storm suddenly intensified, the hikers had no choice but to take shelter under a rocky overhang until it passed.