Weather

Weather is what the air outside feels like each day — sunny, cloudy, rainy, windy, or snowy.

Reading is good — doing is better. Practice Weather as an interactive lesson.

Definition

Weather is what is happening in the sky and air around us right now. It can change every single day. We can see it, feel it, and sometimes hear it. Weather tells us if we need a coat, an umbrella, or sunscreen.

Remember the rule

Look up at the sky + feel the air = you can describe today's weather!

Key words

Sunny: The sun is shining brightly and there are few or no clouds in the sky.
Cloudy: Lots of clouds cover the sky and block the sun.
Rainy: Water drops fall from clouds down to the ground.
Windy: Air is moving fast enough to feel on your skin and blow things around.
Snowy: Frozen water falls from the sky as soft white flakes.
Temperature: How hot or cold the air outside feels — we measure it with a thermometer.
Thermometer: A tool that tells us how warm or cold the air is, shown with numbers.
Season: One of the four big chunks of the year — spring, summer, fall, and winter — each with its own kind of weather.

Worked examples

You walk outside and the sun is shining, the sky is blue, and you feel warm. What is the weather?

→ The weather is sunny and warm. · Bright blue sky with a shining sun almost always means sunny weather.

You see gray clouds covering the whole sky and you hear rain tapping on the window. What is the weather?

→ The weather is rainy and cloudy. · Rain comes from clouds, so a rainy day is always a cloudy day too.

You go outside and the trees are swaying back and forth and your hat blows off your head. What is the weather?

→ The weather is windy. · Moving trees and flying objects are great clues that the wind is strong.

It is winter and you look outside and see white flakes falling from the sky covering the ground. What is the weather?

→ The weather is snowy. · Snow only falls when the air is very cold, usually in winter.

Your mom checks the thermometer and it shows a very high number. You go outside and feel very hot. What does that tell you about the weather?

→ The weather is hot. A high number on the thermometer means high temperature, which means hot air outside. · The higher the number on a thermometer, the hotter it is outside.

Common mistakes

Mixing up weather and season — weather is what happens today, a season lasts about three months.
Thinking it can only be one thing at a time — weather can be windy AND rainy at the same time.
Saying it is sunny just because it is daytime — it can be daytime and still be cloudy or rainy.
Forgetting that temperature is part of weather — a day can be sunny but still very cold.
Thinking snow and rain are totally different — both are water falling from clouds, just one is frozen.

FAQs

Can the weather change in just one day?

Yes! It might be sunny in the morning and rainy by the afternoon. Weather loves to change.

Why does it rain?

Water from puddles, lakes, and oceans goes up into the sky and makes clouds. When clouds get too full of water, the water falls back down as rain.

What is the difference between weather and climate?

Weather is what the sky is doing today. Climate is what the weather is usually like in a place over many, many years. Think of climate as the average weather a place normally gets.

How do we know what the weather will be tomorrow?

Weather scientists called meteorologists watch the clouds, wind, and temperature with special tools and make a best guess called a forecast.

Why is it colder in winter than in summer?

In winter, where you live is tilted away from the sun, so the sun's warmth does not reach you as strongly. In summer, you are tilted toward the sun, so it feels much warmer.

Can it be sunny and cold at the same time?

Absolutely! On a clear winter day the sky can be bright blue and sunny, but the temperature is still very low and you need your coat.

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