LESSON (1) THE WEATHER (PART A) (Advanced)

THE WEATHER  (Part A)     (Advanced)

One of the most popular topics of conversation in English is “the weather”. Its considered a classic ice breaker.

There are a variety of weather-related lines one can use to start a stimulating conversation with a stranger. This is a form of communication which is often employed by shop assistants and people who have run into old acquaintances and don't have much to talk about.

Popular cliches include, but are not limited to:
In rain:

• "Good weather for ducks, eh?"
• "That rain is good for the garden."
• "It's raining cats and dogs out there!"

In sun:

• "Hot enough for you?"
• "It's a warm one today, isn't it?"
• "Summer's on its way now!"

During or before a storm:

• "Looks like there's a storm brewing/coming"
• "It's looking pretty dark out there."
• "It's so humid today... we must be headed for a storm."

While in a shopping centre it's common for conversationally-starved shop assistants to say "Is it still nice/hot/cold/raining outside? I've been in here all day and don't know what's going on". Even as one answers one realises that the shop assistant already knows the answer. They know because they ask everyone who goes in there the same question.

Weather Vocabulary

 

Word Part of speech	Meaning	Example Sentence
below freezing preposition/adjective	temperature less than 0 degrees Celsius/(32F)	It's supposed to go below freezing before the weekend.
blizzard noun	a storm with lots of snow and wind	The airplane couldn't take-off because of the blizzard.
boiling hot adjective + noun	common expression for describing a very hot day	It was boiling hot, so we all jumped into the lake.
chilly adjective	cold	It's a bit chilly today, so I think you should wear a coat.
clear adjective	when the sky is blue because no clouds are blocking the sun	On a clear night you can see a lot of stars.
cloud/cloudy noun/adjective	water in the sky that appears as a white or grey mass	It may look cloudy in the morning, but the sun always comes out by afternoon.
cold spell adjective + noun	a period of colder than average weather	They're calling for a cold spell, so we put off our camping trip.
cool adjective	temperature in between warm and cold	The days were boiling hot, but the nights were cool and comfortable for sleeping.
drizzling continuous verb	raining slightly	I think I'll take the dog for a walk. It's only drizzling now.
drought noun	a long period with no rainfall	Forest fires are a serious danger during a drought.
flood noun	overflow of rain water	The flood was so bad, our basement was full of water.
flurries noun	very light snowfall	There are a few flurries but the snow isn't sticking to the roads.
fog/foggy noun/adjective	thick water vapor that blocks one's vision	We couldn't see the bridge because there was too much fog.
freezing cold adjective + noun	common expression used to describe a very cold day	It was a freezing cold day for the Santa Claus parade.
frost noun	ice crystals on a frozen surface	Some flowers are so strong they can withstand frost.
hail noun	small pieces of ice that fall during a storm	There was so much hail that some of the trailer homes were destroyed.
heat-wave noun	extremely hot weather that is much higher than average--usually lasts a short time	During the heat-wave we cooled our beds down with ice packs.
humid/humidity adjective/noun	moisture in the air	It feels a lot hotter than it actually is because of the humidity.
icy adjective	slippery because of ice	The roads are icy so please avoid driving down any hills.
lightning noun	electric flash caused by two clouds hitting	The outdoor pool always closes when the lifeguards suspect lightning.
mild adjective	temperature that is warmer than average(in a cold season)	It's quite mild out so I didn't bother with a hat or mittens.

Weather Report Transcripts

Weather Report 1

This is CKNY and I'm Anita Pierce with weather. We couldn't ask for a better day for the first day of Spring. Right now it's fifteen degrees and clear. We're expecting blue skies throughout the day. Though there is only a ten percent chance of showers, this good weather can't last forever. It's raining cats and dogs up north, so we should see rain by morning. Don't forget your umbrella tomorrow. Now, stay tuned for local news.

QUESTIONS:

1.      Which season does this weather report take place in? ­­­__________

2.      What kind of day is it?  ____________

3.      What is the temperature? ____________

4.      Tomorrow it will probably… _____________

5.      What does the weather reporter suggest using?

Weather Report 2

Hi, I'm Jesse Williams. This is your weekend weather report. This morning we're seeing sun with cloudy periods as well as a few flurries. Right now I am at the top of Mount Raven where it is plus two and expected to rise to about six degrees by noon. Overnight temperatures will probably drop to at least minus seven. Tomorrow's forecast calls for more flurries with a high of zero and a low of minus twelve. With the wind chill factor, that could put us at a record low of minus twenty. Conditions are perfect for skiing this weekend, but if you're heading out to the slopes tomorrow, please remember to bundle up to avoid frostbite. We'll go back to the newsroom now for a look at what's in sports.

QUESTIONS:

1.      Which season would this weather report most likely take place in? ___________

2.      Where is the weather report taking place? ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­____________________

3.      What is the current temperature? _________

4.      It will feel so cold tomorrow because of the …_______________

5.      The weather reporter suggests that skiers should_________________________

Weather Report 3

Good morning, this is Alonzo Jacob with your Monday weather report. The heat wave that slowed everybody down this weekend is showing no signs of letting up this week. Our meteorologists suggest that today's temperature could climb to as high as 40 degrees Celsius by the late afternoon. Right now, only an hour after sunrise, the temperature here at the airport is already 29 degrees. However, there is relatively no humidity in the air, so it feels quite comfortable out here at the moment. Unfortunately, there is also no rain in the forecast for the next five days. This is bad news for the thirsty forest fires that are raging across the interior of our province. Looks like setting up a tent in the backyard may be the only way to catch some sleep tonight if you don't have air-conditioning. That's all for today's weather. Stay tuned for the morning traffic report.

QUESTIONS:

1.Which season would this weather report most likely take place in? ______________________________

2.      Where is the weather report taking place?  ______________________

3.      What type of precipitation is forecasted for the week? _______________

4.      The air feels so comfortable because there is _____________________

5.      What does the weather reporter suggest people do to stay cool? ________________________________

WRITING

Write a paragraph giving an account of one of the following experiences you have had.

  *  Have you ever been caught in an extreme storm?

  *  Have you ever had to drive through a flooded road/street or across a 

      flooded stream/river?

  *  Have you ever had your holidays ruined because of bad weather?

  *  Have you ever been through a storm on a plane?

  *  Have you ever been caught out in bad weather when walking etc?   What  did  

          you do?

ANSWERS:

WEATHER REPORT 1:

1.      Which season does this weather report take place in?   Spring

2.      What kind of day is it?  It’s fine, but chilly.

3.      What is the temperature?  15⁰ F

4.      Tomorrow it will probably…  Rain

5.      What does the weather reporter suggest using?  An umbrella

WEATHER REPORT 2:

1.      Which season would this weather report most likely take place in? Winter

2.      Where is the weather report taking place?     On the top of Mount Raven

3.      What is the current temperature? +2 F

4.      It will feel so cold tomorrow because of the …  Wind

5.      The weather reporter suggests that skiers should      Bundle up (which means dress in lots of warm clothes).

WEATHER REPORT 3:

1.      Which season would this weather report most likely take place in?  Summer

2.      Where is the weather report taking place?  The airport

3.      What type of precipitation is forecasted for the week? None. It is not going to rain during the next week.

4.      The air feels so comfortable because there is almost no humidity in the air.

5.      What does the weather reporter suggest people do to stay cool? Sleep in a tent in the back yard.

TO PRINT