Weather Talk

A collection of weather related slang, sayings, superstitions, and phrases:

• as right as rain ~ means that everything is just fine or going well.
• billy wind ~ used primarily in England, referring to a blustery, howling wind.
• bolt from the clear blue sky ~ something [usually wonderful or horribly tragic] has happened and it is sudden and unexpected.
• break the ice or ice breaker ~ is the means in which someone opens up a conversation, generally to make others feel more relaxed or at ease.
• buzzards flying high indicate fair weather ~ weather lore
• calm before the storm ~ an unnatural lull or calm before an eruption of emotion or activity.
• chasing rainbows ~ to try to find or get something that cannot be obtained
• chill wind ~ to have fore-knowledge of trouble or a problem.
• cloud on the horizon ~ this means you can expect trouble in the near future.
• cold light of day ~ being grounded in reality, seeing things as they really are.
• come rain or shine – pertaining to a personal goal or to achieve success, that no matter what it will be accomplished.
• comets bring cold weather ~ weather lore
• don’t have the foggiest idea ~ having no knowledge of a person, place or thing.
• dry spell ~ being unsuccessful for any length of time, abnormally.
• every cloud has a silver lining ~ there is always good in a bad situation.
• face like thunder ~ pertains to identifying someone, by reading the signs in their face, that they are very upset or angry.
• fair weather friend ~ a person whom you engage infrequently, they are usually unreliable, and there are conditions attached the friendship.
• get wind of ~ to be privy to information that should have been kept secret.
• greased lightening ~ an event or moment that is happening extremely fast.
• head in the clouds ~ not having one’s mind on the topic at hand.
• if shooting stars fall in the south in winter, there will be a thaw ~ weather lore
• in the dark ~ to be left without information, to be uninformed, or without knowledge of an event, or a situation or problem.
• in the eye of the storm ~ in the center of, or otherwise deeply involved in a problem or difficult situation.
• into each life, rain must fall ~ something bad will happen to each and every one of us.
• it never rains, but it pours ~ a small situation or problem becomes exacerbated by more trouble or problems.
• Jack Frost ~ when all of outdoors is frozen, [weather lore], then Jack Frost has paid the region a visit.
• know which way the wind blows ~ being able to judge someone’s mood, or to prepare for changes in a situation.
• knows enough to come out of the rain ~ may refer to someone who is stupid, or un-knowledgeable, but they have the sense enough to seek shelter or safety when a situation or event turns bad, or is imminent.
• left out in the rain ~ to be left out of a problem or situation, without support or assistance.
• lightning under the North Star will bring rain in three days ~ weather lore
• Mackerel skies and mares’ tails; Make tall ships take in their sails. ~ Cirrus scattering clouds often follow warm weather that brings rain.
• make hay while the sun still shines ~ to take advantage of a period of time or a situation as it may not last.
• Moss dry, sunny sky, moss wet, rain you’ll get. – weather lore
• on cloud nine ~ a feeling of elation or extreme happiness.
• on a pink cloud ~ a feeling of elation or extreme happiness – often used when one first begins recovery [from alcoholism] and are sober, one may experience extreme happiness, but are often not grounded or facing reality.
• once in a blue moon ~ an event that occurs only very rarely.
• one crow flying alone is a sign of foul weather; but if crows fly in pairs, expect fine weather ~weather lore
• pink at night, sailor’s delight; pink in the morning, sailor’s take warning ~ or the idiom may use the color red, in place of pink. Weather Lore: Pink at night is predicting that fair weather will occur the next day; however, pink in the morning cautions the viewer that rain or a storm may be imminent.
• rainbow to windward, foul fall the day; rainbow to leeward, rain runs away ~ If wind is coming from the direction of a rainbow, then, rain is heading toward you. Likewise, if the rainbow is in the opposite direction, it has passed by you.
• raindrop in a drought ~ to wait or hope for something to happen.
• rain on my parade ~ to ruin or spoil something planned; or to usurp another’s plans or event.
• rain on wet – to make a situation worse.
• raining cats and dogs ~ to rain very heavily.
• ray of sunshine ~ to bring happiness or hope to a situation.
• reach for the moon ~ to be very ambitious, to set your personal standards or goals very high and hope to obtain success.
• right as rain ~ everything is going as planned.
• save for a rainy day ~ to save something – usually money – for an unplanned event or unexpected debt.
• sail close to the wind ~ means that someone may be doing something that is barely legal or somewhat dangerous.
• seagull, seagull, sit on the sand; it’s a sign of rain when you are at hand ~ birds tend to roost before a storm or hurricane. It is believed that it may be difficult for a bird to take-off when there is low pressure, or when the air has become thinner as the updrafts are lessened.
• seven sheets to the wind ~ means a person is very drunk.
• shoot the breeze ~ to converse in a casual or relaxed way.
• The sky is red, the devil is dead, it’s going to be good tomorrow. – old saying
• snowed under ~ pertains to having so much work to do, it feels impossible to get through it all.
• steal my thunder ~ to take the attention away from someone else.
• storm in a teacup ~ to make a fuss or a problem out of something that is not important
• storm is brewing ~ you believe that there may be trouble, anger or outbursts of emotion.
• stormy relationship ~ usually pertains to an intimate relationship, during which many arguments or disagreements occur.
• take a rain check ~ you will return later, but cannot take an immediate invitation or offer to do something or to be somewhere at an appointed time.
• tempest in a teapot ~ to exaggerate an event in an attempt to make it worse.
• there is something in the wind ~ someone may suspect that something important, or significant is about to happen.
• throw caution to the wind ~ to forget planned commitments and do something wild and crazy or unexpected.
• twisting in the wind ~ to be left alone and without assistance.
• two full moons in a calendar month bring on a flood ~weather lore
• under a cloud ~ in disgrace or under suspicion.
• under the weather ~ to feel sickly or ill; not feeling “yourself” on a particular day.
• weather the storm ~ to be successful upon surviving a difficult situation, period of time or problem.
• when halo rings the moon or sun; rain’s approaching on the run ~ A halo is caused by ice crystals that forms a clouds that indicate warm weather and predicts rain within a day.
• when leaves fall early, autumn and winter will be mild; when leave fall later, winter will be severe ~ weather lore
• when leaves show their underside, be sure that rain betide ~ weather lore
• when porpoises and whales spout about ships at sea, storm may be expected ~weather lore
• when windows won’t open, and the salt clogs the shaker, the weather will favor the umbrella maker ~ moisture in the air is very heavy, and rain is imminent.
• wind from the south, has rain in its mouth ~ southerly winds usually blow before a cold front occurs, after which rain will generally happen in the east.

From: The Elysium of Rain