The UK’s obsession with the weather
As you might have gathered, in the UK we are quite obsessed with the weather! This is because it can be so changeable. One moment the sun can be shining brightly and it can be toasty warm, the next moment the clouds could arrive and it could start to rain.
The variety in the UK weather means it is always interesting, if sometimes annoying – and rarely predictable. When we go out, we never know whether (or should that be weather?) we should take our umbrella, sun cream or big coat!
There are varying degrees of heat, which can all be expressed by different phrases, from mildly warm to blisteringly hot. It will be no surprise to discover there is a huge amount of English vocabulary available for discussing the weather.
If you can memorise some interesting weather-related expressions you will fit right into British culture – and start to sound like a native.
Here is a list of hot weather vocabulary with useful words to describe a variety of warm and hot temperatures:
Mild – normal pleasant temperature, a little warm
Sunny – the sun is bright, but it might not be hot
Warm – pleasant, slightly hot
Balmy – hot and humid (don’t get this word confused with ‘barmy’, which means mad/crazy or foolish)
Sultry – hot and humid
Tropical – very hot and humid
Hot – a hot day
Very hot / boiling / scorching / sweltering / blazing / baking – it is probably too hot
Hot weather vocabulary
Colloquial phrases to describe a very hot day
| It’s scorching hot | It’s baking |
| It’s a scorcher | It’s roasting |
| It’s boiling (very common) | It’s sweltering |
| It’s a sizzler (less common, humorous) | It’s tropical |
It’s so hot you could fry an egg on the pavement!
To describe a room that is too hot
It’s like a sauna in here!
It’s like an oven in here!
It’s suffocating in here!
It’s stifling in here!
A hot day with moisture in the air
| It’s very humid | It’s sticky |
| It’s close | It’s a tropical heat |
| It’s muggy | It’s stifling |
| It’s stuffy | It’s an oppressive heat |
| It’s clammy | It’s suffocating |
To explain that you are feeling very hot
| I’m burning up | I’m boiling |
| I’m sweltering | I’m roasting |
It’s so hot, I think I’m going to faint / pass out!
It’s too hot to work / sleep
More hot weather vocabulary
Heat wave – a series of hot days
To catch the sun / to catch some rays – to go outside and enjoy the sunshine
Sunglasses / shades – dark glasses to protect the eyes from the sun
Sun screen / sun lotion / sun tan lotion – lotion to protect the skin from the sun’s UV rays and avoid sunburn
Sunbathe – to lie in the sun deliberately (usually with the aim of getting a tan)
Sun tan / tanned skin / a tan – skin that is golden brown from the sun
Sunburn – skin that is damaged and red from the sun
To be as red as a lobster – to be sunburned
Heat stroke – serious medical condition caused by becoming too hot
Thermometer – a device that measures the temperature
Air conditioner / air conditioning – a device that cools the air inside a building or car
Fan – device that blows the air to make it feel cool (fans can be handheld or electric)
What do you think about the hot weather?
Do you have any tips for enjoying the hot weather or do you prefer to stay in the cool?
What are your favourite hot weather expressions?
Can you think of any more useful hot weather vocabulary or phrases?
What is your favourite hot weather expression?
Let us know your thoughts on hot weather in the comments box!
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