Spoken English: Phrases About The Weather(part 2 of 2)

> “The

Wind’s Picking Up.”
In this context, “picking up” means the wind is becoming stronger. This often happens just before rain or a thunderstorm.
> “It’s Just Drizzling.”
“Drizzling” means “raining very lightly.” Drizzle can be both a verb (as in this sentence) or a noun.
> “I’m Soaking Wet – I Got Caught In A Downpour.”
“Soaking wet” means “completely wet.”
A “downpour” is extremely heavy, intense rain that often begins very suddenly. If you “got caught” in a downpour, it means that you were outside when it started to rain a lot.
> “Take A Jacket – It’s A Bit Chilly Out There.”
“A bit” means “a little,” and “chilly” means “slightly cold.” This is a way to describe weather that is a little cold, but not very cold. You probably need a light jacket, but not a heavy winter jacket. “Out there” means “outside.”
> “I Think The Sun Is Trying To Come Out.”
You can say this when the sky is mostly cloudy, but you can see a little bit of the sun and you think that it will clear up (the clouds will go away) soon.
> “I Hope This Rain Lets Up Soon.”
In this context, “lets up” means “stops.” Use this phrase to comment that you want the rain to stop.
> “It’s Freezing Out There – Make Sure To Bundle Up!”
“Freezing” in this phrase means “extremely cold,” and “bundle up” means to put on winter clothes – a warm coat, hat, scarf, and gloves.
> “It Might Drop Below Freezing Tonight.”
In this phrase, “freezing” means “the temperature at which water becomes ice” (32 degrees Fahrenheit, or 0 degrees Celsius). “It might drop below freezing” means that it’s possible that the temperature will be colder than 32°F or 0°C.